PhD/MPhil Ageing Studies

Research profile

The overall aim of the Ageing Studies theme is to advance our knowledge and understanding of how to improve the health and quality of life of older people. We bring a range of disciplinary perspectives to addressing our key research challenges: maximising the ability of people to age well, mapping the diverse and dynamic ways that people age, and contributing to the development and evaluation of health and social care interventions that optimise the potential for ageing well. Our theme, which has 40 members, embraces the four key disciplinary perspectives that underpin the understanding of ageing well: social and behavioural sciences, biology, clinical and health sciences, and arts, humanities, policy and politics. In the main, however, our research focuses on three key areas of activity.

The three main clusters of research cut across areas of Biological, Social and Psychological Ageing and include experts in:

• rehabilitation after cancer and stroke,
• incontinence,
• biomechanics and falls,
• cellular and molecular biology of ageing,
• sociology and psychology of loneliness,
• financial and elder abuse,
• ageing with alcohol,
• ethnic ageing and driving cessation

Careers and your future

Tailored careers support is offered to all our current PhD students and for up to 3 years after you complete your research at Brunel. We help you to actively engage in career planning and managing your personal development right from the start of your research. Our careers provision includes online advice, one to one consultations and a range of events and workshops.

In addition, where available, you may be able to undertake some paid work as we recognise that teaching and learning support duties represent an important professional and career development opportunity. MPhil option available.