Postgraduate research

Gerontology

Older people interacting outside

Join our community of gerontology researchers, and help us contribute to a better understanding of the experience of ageing amongst different groups and societies.

About

Become part of our work to find the best strategies for improving the quality of life of older people. We bringing together academics and postgraduate students to work on some of the most important issues facing us in the 21st century. As a multidisciplinary research centre, we examine issues in ageing and the life course, informing policy and debate at the local, national and global level.

We offer 2 programmes: the PhD Gerontology and the integrated PhD Gerontology.

The PhD in gerontology usually take 3 years of full-time study, or 6 years part-time. Students on this programme need to have completed a postgraduate programme in gerontology or related social science discipline with a significant element of research methods training.

The full-time integrated PhD in gerontology takes around 4 years, and is made up of 9 months of taught modules, followed by a 3-month transitional project. You will then study the research element of the programme for the remaining 3 years. The part-time version of the programme normally takes 7 years. We recommend that applicants without a postgraduate programme take the integrated PhD.

Main areas of research

Our research areas include:

  • diversity in later life and ethnic minority ageing
  • health and social care
  • ageing in developing and transitional societies
  • social networks and informal support
  • income and pensions
  • paid work and informal caring
  • the retirement prospects of future generations of elders

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