Masters Degrees (Demography)

What impact did the recent economic crisis have on individuals' living and working conditions, on individuals' study and career choices, on social inequalities and social cohesion?

The International Master in Social Demography is a Double Degree Program offered jointly by the Department of Political and Social Sciences of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) of Barcelona and the Faculty of Spatial Sciences of the University of Groningen (UoG). After the successful completion of the program students end up with two official diplomas: Master of Research in Sociology and Demography, issued by the University Pompeu Fabra, and Master of Science in Population Studies, issued by the University of Groningen.

The double degree program, which is entirely offered in English, combines the strengths of two of the highest-ranked Social Science Departments in Europe to offer high level research training in Sociology and Demography.

The programme emphasizes the study of both advanced and developing societies from an unique interdisciplinary and dynamic perspective.

Degree: MSc in Population Studies

Why in Groningen?

The program combines the strengths of two of the highest-ranked Social Science Departments in Europe to offer high level research training in Sociology and Demography. It emphasizes the study of both advanced and developing societies from a dynamic perspective, using analytical and methodological tools from two disciplines. The program has a unique approach for understanding how individuals' main life events both influence and are influenced by the social context in which they live.

Job perspectives

The objective of the programme is to train young professionals and social scientists in the theories, analytical and methodological tools from both sociology and demography to conduct high quality research on how individuals' main life events (e.g. childbirth, education, marriage, occupation, divorce, death) both influence and are influenced by the social and geographical context in which they live.

The program emphasizes the study of both advanced and developing societies from an unique interdisciplinary and dynamic perspective.

After graduation you can find work in business, the government, or non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Demographers are trained to work with and interpret large data files. You can use these skills to make policy or develop programmes. You can also pursue an academic career and apply for a PhD position

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About the course

Applications have closed to start the MPhil in Sociology and Demography in 2017-18. Applications to start in October 2018 will open in September.

The MPhil introduces students to contemporary theories and research methods on the intersection of sociology and demography. This 21-month programme takes a life-course and multilevel approach, aiming to integrate micro and macro issues in analysing social problems and the causes and consequences of population change.

The MPhil Sociology and Demography will prepare you for doctoral work in sociology and demography and research-intense jobs.

The curriculum emphasises:

• population-level analysis and demographic measures
• a life course approach
• sociological analysis as the key approach to explanation
• advanced quantitative methods.

This emphasis is reflected in the compulsory papers. Optional papers and the thesis will reflect either a more specialised topical study (eg gender, family and fertility, migration and integration of migrants, health and mortality, intergenerational relationships) or methodological work.

The MPhil programme has the following components:

• Sociological Analysis paper taught in the first year through lectures and seminars, assessed by an unseen examination
• Demographic Analysis paper taught in the first year through lectures, seminars and computer labs, assessed through a combination of examination and assignments
• Life Course Research paper taught in the first year through lectures, seminars and computer labs, assessed through a combination of methods
• Statistical Methods paper taught in the first year through lectures and computer labs, assessed through a combination of a test and assignments
• Research Design paper taught in the first year through lectures, assessed via a combination of methods
• Two optional papers over both years of the MPhil, normally taught through eight weekly classes/seminars for each paper and assessed by unseen examination or appropriate coursework
• Replication project in the second year, comprising a combination of individual and group work and assessed via assignments
• MPhil thesis, a substantial piece of original research (of up to 30,000 words) to be submitted by the end of the second year

Please note that the optional papers available may vary from year to year. For information about the optional papers available in 2016-17 please see http://www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/course-list?search=course_list&task=search.

Graduate destinations

Graduates often continue with a PhD at Oxford or doctoral studies at highly-ranked US and continental programmes. Others find placement in research-intensive occupations in the public sector (eg national statistical offices, government departments and regional/local authorities), in international organisations, think tanks, and in private sector occupations in which quantitative skills are highly valued (consulting, market research, health research, social research, and insurance companies).

Entry requirements for entry in 2017-18

Academic ability -

Proven and potential academic excellence:

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in a social science subject.

The department will only consider applicants who have an undergraduate degree in arts, humanities or science subjects if they can demonstrate a strong interest in sociology, as taught at Oxford.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

Other appropriate indicators will include:

- References/letters of recommendation

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, a demonstrable interest in sociology as it is taught at Oxford.

Academic references are preferred, though professional references are acceptable if you have spent a significant amount of time in work.

- Written work produced by the student

Two pieces of written work of no more than 2,000 words are required. The written work must be in English and preferably about a sociological subject. Extracts from longer pieces should be prefaced by a short note which puts them in context.

This will be assessed for comprehensive understanding of the subject area; understanding of problems in the area; ability to construct and defend an argument; powers of analysis; powers of expression.

The work need not be closely related but it should have some sociological content.

- Statement of purpose/personal statement

The personal statement must be in English and should be approximately 750 words in length.

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
• the ability to present a reasoned case in English
• commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course
• preliminary knowledge of research techniques; capacity for sustained and intense work
• reasoning ability
• ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace.

Your statement should focus on your academic record and interests rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations.

English language requirement:

Applicants whose first language is not English are usually required to provide evidence of proficiency in English at the higher level required by the University - https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/applying-to-oxford/application-guide?wssl=1#content-tab--3

Funding

There are over 1,000 full graduate scholarships available for courses starting in 2016-17. Full scholarships will cover your course and college fees and provide a grant for living costs. Information about the full range of funding available can be found in the Fees and funding section - http://www.ox.ac.uk/node/17098/

For over 70% of Oxford scholarships, nothing more than the standard course application is usually required. If you fulfil the eligibility criteria and apply by the relevant January deadline, you will be automatically considered. Use the Fees, funding and scholarship search to find out whether you are eligible for scholarships which require an additional application. If you are, the tool will include links to full details of how to apply - http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/fees-and-funding/fees-funding-and-scholarship-search

Divisional funding opportunities:

Oxford hosts one of 21 Doctoral Training Centres accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). In 2016 approximately 65 ESRC studentships are available across the Social Sciences. See the Social Sciences Doctoral Training Centre website for details - http://researchtraining.socsci.ox.ac.uk/home-dtc

Costs

Annual fees for entry in 2017-18 - https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate/fees-and-funding/tuition-and-college-fees/fee-status?wssl=1

Home/EU (including Islands) - Tuition fee: £8,715; College fee: £3,021; Total annual fees: £11,736
Overseas - Tuition fee: £16,770; College fee: 3,021; Total annual fees: £19,791

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This is a unique programme that offers professional training in population studies that emphasises health and social epidemiology. It aims to provide a broad training in the theories and methods of demography and population sciences and their application to health, social welfare and economic development.

Overview

The course is designed for those interested in acquiring technical expertise in demography and understanding the interlinkages between population studies and health, including fertility, sexual behaviour, ageing, health inequalities and life expectancy.

Graduates from the course would be equipped to pursue careers in public health, academic research of a very wide nature, NGOs, reproductive health programmes, health services, government statistical offices, as well as policy and planning organisations.

Course delivery

The Demography & Health programme is delivered through provision of interactive learning materials supplied online through the School’s online learning site (Moodle), and supported by CD-ROMs, practical workbooks and textbooks (depending on the module chosen). Students are actively encouraged to participate in web-based discussion boards. Training is also provided in the use of Stata statistical software.

- Full programme specification (pdf) (http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/sites/default/files/progspec-dh.pdf)
- Distance Learning prospectus (pdf) (http://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/sites/default/files/prospectus/lshtm-prospectus.pdf)

Visit the website http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/distance_demography_health.html

Language Requirements

You will meet the English language requirement if you have passed, within the past three years:

- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English when a minimum overall score of B or 190 is achieved,

- (IELTS) International English Language Testing System when an overall score of at least 7.0 is achieved with a minimum of 7.0 in the Written sub-test and a minimum of 5.5 in Listening, Reading and Speaking,

- Pearson Test of English (Academic) overall score of 68 or above, with a minimum of 68 in Writing and a minimum of 59 in Listening, Reading and Speaking, or

- (TOEFL) iBT Test of English as a Foreign Language overall score of 100 or above with at least 24 in Writing, 23 in Speaking, 22 in Reading and 21 in Listening.

Study materials

After registration, study materials are sent to students in September. Access to online study materials is given from 1 October. Study materials may include online materials, subject guides, readers, textbooks, CD-ROMs/additional computer software (e.g. Stata), past examination papers and examiners’ reports, and handbooks. You also have access to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine’s online library resources from 1 October. We also provide all students with a student registration card.

Flexible study

We know that if you have a full-time job, family or other commitments, and wish to study at a distance, you will have many calls on your time. The course allows you to study independently, at a time and pace that suits you (subject to some course-specific deadlines) using the comprehensive study materials provided, with support available from academic staff.You have between 1-5 years in which to complete the Postgraduate Certificate, and between 2-5 years in which to complete the Postgraduate Diploma or the MSc.

The study year for most modules runs from the beginning of October through to the June exams, while a couple of the EPM modules modules run from the beginning of January through to assignment submission at the end of August. Tutorial support is available throughout this time. Students carrying out projects are assigned personal supervisors to support their project work which is mostly carried out between June and the end of September in their final year.

Support

- a web-based learning environment (including web conferencing, allowing you to engage in academic discussions with tutors and fellow students)

- personalised feedback from teaching staff and advice on assignments

- tutors are allocated to each module and are available to answer queries and promote discussion during the study year, through the online Virtual Learning Environment

- communicate with other distance learning students, either individually or through learning support groups

Find out how to apply here - http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/distance_demography_health.html#seventh

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This is Europe's only graduate programme in demography with an emphasis on health and social epidemiology, and is designed for those interested in acquiring a technical understanding of the structure and dynamics of population change, its causes and consequences. The curriculum includes advanced training in the theories and methods of the population sciences, statistics, epidemiology, and research methods.

The course teaches research skills which are highly valued in the job market generally and are welcomed in a wide variety of research fields. The teaching draws on several related disciplines within the School and the modular approach can be adapted (within reason) to suit different needs.

The course is recognised by both the MRC and ESRC as providing high quality research training and a small number of scholarships from these bodies (including 1+3 scholarships) are available to UK or EU residents. These are advertised each year with the School scholarships information.

Graduates have careers in public health, academic research of a very wide nature, NGOs, reproductive health programmes, health services, government statistical offices, policy and planning. The Selwyn-Clarke Prize is awarded for the best project of the year.

- Full programme specification (pdf) (http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/edu/qualityassurance/dh_progspec.pdf)
- Intercalating this course (http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/intercalating/index.html)

Visit the website http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/msdh.html

Objectives

By the end of this course students should be able to:

- demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of scientific, evidence-based approaches to the study of population issues

- critically assess and apply these approaches to inform development, health and population programmes

- formulate research questions and use demographic and health data, and appropriate methods of analysis, to address them

- identify causes and consequences of population change and relate these to underlying population dynamics

- demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of demographic behaviour in social, economic and policy contexts

- critically assess and apply findings of population studies to health and social policy

- demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of major population trends, including historical trends, in developed and developing countries

Structure

Term 1:
Students take the following compulsory modules:

- Demographic Methods
- Basic Epidemiology
- Population Studies
- Principles of Social Research
- Statistics for Epidemiology and Population Health

Terms 2 and 3:

Students take a total of five study modules, one module from each timetable slot (Slot 1, Slot 2 etc.). Students are expected to take modules related to demography for at least two of their other four choices.

*Recommended modules

- Slot 1:

Research Design & Analysis*
Designing Disease Control Programmes in Developing Countries
Health Care Evaluation
Sociological Approaches to Health

- Slot 2:

Family Planning Programmes*
Population, Poverty and Environment*
Conflict and Health
Design and Analysis of Epidemiological Studies
Statistical Methods in Epidemiology

- Slot 3:

Social Epidemiology*
Current Issues in Safe Motherhood & Perinatal Health
Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases
Medical Anthropology and Public Health
Modelling & the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases
Spatial Epidemiology in Public Health

- Slot 4:
Population Dynamics & Projections (compulsory)

- Slot 5:

AIDS*
Analysing Survey & Population Data*
Advanced Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
Proposal Development

Further details for the course modules - http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/currentstudents/studentinformation/msc_module_handbook/section2_coursedescriptions/tdhe.html

Project Report:
During the summer months (July - August), students complete a research project to enable them to acquire personal experience of the process of contributing to knowledge in any of the fields covered by the course, for submission by early September. Acceptable types of project are: data analysis; a project proposal; an original literature or policy review.

Students normally remain in London for the preparation of their project report. Exceptionally, and only if appropriate, part of the project period may be spent away from the School, whether in the UK or abroad. Arrangements for this must be discussed and agreed with the Course Director.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/msdh.html#sixth

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Summary

This course provides students with interdisciplinary study skills in the field of population science and the analysis of demographic phenomena; students learn about population change, its relationship to policy, and how to analyse population dynamics; it is a general course and provides vocational training for those wishing to enhance their demographic skills and as preparation for an applied or research career.

Modules

Demographic methods 1 and 2; introducing qualitative methods; population, poverty and policy; population projections; research skills strategy and design; survey data analysis; understanding population change; plus optional modules from: ageing and globalisation; demographic change; migration; modelling multilevel data; population and fertility; reproductive health; social science data, sources and measurement.

Visit our website for further information...

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The objective of the international one-year MSc programme in Population Studies is to train young professionals in the theories, methods and skills required to comprehend population dynamics.

Essential to understanding population dynamics is the study of demographic behaviour of people, in terms of their life events, e.g. birth, marriage, divorce, health, migration, and death. The master programme focuses on these demographic events, on how decision-making regarding these life events (e.g. its timing) is influenced by the historical, economic, societal, cultural, and medical context, and on how these demographic events have an impact on population-level trends.

You will learn about:
- Pressing population issues as population ageing, integration of migrants, health inequalities and poverty
- Individual decision-making processes behind demographic events, such as family formation, residential choices and migration, and health care use
- Collecting and interpreting demographic data
- Methods and techniques to analyze demographic data: life table, population projections, advanced survey analysis, qualitative research methods
- Population policies and intervention programmes

The field of Population Studies reflects on and deals with currently relevant demographic topics and related societal issues. The study is simultaneously concrete and broad.

Why in Groningen?

Our programme is unique in its combination of analytical and social demography, its combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, its structured progress through the research process, and its international, multidisciplinary and strong scientific orientation - as officially being recognized. Interactive ways of teaching are being employed by very enthousiastic and dedicated teachers. Within the Netherlands, Groningen is the only university offering an MSC in Population Studies.

Job perspectives

The program has been developed for future professionals in business, government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and academia. Demographers are competent in reflecting on how the context in which we live affects population dynamics (migration, fertility, mortality, ageing, etc.) and vice-versa. This can be either through analyses of large data files for demographic data and trends, or through in-depth qualitative analysis of people's life.

The career perspectives are good. Many of our alumni continue into a PhD, whereas international mid-career alumni mostly acquire a higher position within the institute they were working.

Our alumni gain employment at:
- (interdisciplinary) research institutes
- universities (lecturer, PhD student)
- (inter)national statistical offices
- national planning and government offices
- United Nations agencies
- NGO's, like Doctors without Borders
- private companies (e.g. as data-manager or communication expert)

Research

The Master's thesis topic is integrated in the research theme of the Population Research Centre: “Population and Wellbeing in Context”. This comprises topics such as population decline, population ageing, global migration, life of migrants, healthy ageing in society, families, households, residence, causes of death, child health, nutrition, access to health care, place making of elderly.

The master programme clearly reflects the major characteristics of the research programme by focussing on both the macro (population) and micro level (the demographic behaviour of people); by adopting multi-disciplinary perspectives (demography, epidemiology, anthropology, geography, social ageing, nutrition); by teaching both quantitative and qualitative research methods; by focusing on the translation of research into policies or interventions.

The students are being taught the theories, methods and skills that the different teachers apply in their research. They participate in seminars and discussion groups in an active research environment including guest lectures and seminars by established professionals from other demographic institutions.

Part of the Master Programme is the participation in the Dutch Demography Day - a conference for demographers - and an excursion to the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute in The Hague.

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This programme trains you to do research in economic and cultural geography, planning and demography. The programme is aimed at people who are theoretically or methodologically orientated.

The Research Master in Regional Studies is interdisciplinary. It studies the fields of demography, human geography and regional planning from a social and economic science perspective.

The two-year programme provides ample opportunity for you to focus on the themes that interest you. You will gain a thorough philosophical and methodological background, and receive a solid training in qualitative and quantitative research methods. You will participate in research projects under supervision of experienced staff members, within the Faculty's Research Program TWIST: Towards Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation.

You are required to gain some international experience, for instance by doing research in a foreign context, or by participating in an international workshop.

Why in Groningen?

The Research Master in Regional Studies in Groningen is unique because it delivers excellent researchers in the core themes of economic geography, cultural geography, planning and demography. At the same time, graduates combine their expertise in their own field with the capacity to put these themes in a broader, interdisciplinary perspective of the interactions between population, economy, culture and planning.

Job perspectives

You may opt for a PhD-career at a university. Commercial research and consultancy firms also hire graduates. In addition, you may work at research units of local, regional, national or even international government organisations. Finally, you can work in government related research institutes, such as the Netherlands Institute of Spatial Research (in Dutch: RPB, Ruimtelijk Planbureau).

The program of the Research Master in Regional Studies is intertwined with the Faculty's Research Program, towards Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation (tWIST). In courses such as Individual Research Training (IRT) and Master Thesis, students participate in ongoing research projects of the senior academic staff, which are all embedded in tWIST.

The Study Program consists of different courses in the field of Regional Studies, related to the topics in tWIST. The specific courses depend on the individual student’s interests and specialization.

The research themes Wellbeing, Innovation and Spatial Transformation are studied in the broad field of geography and spatial planning, which investigates the role which space, place, location and distance, play in our communities and societies. We employ a range of qualitative, quantitative, micro and macro research methodologies to uncover these issues and to help improve wellbeing, to encourage innovation, and to increase our understanding of spatial transformation processes. The research work undertaken in each of the departments within the Faculty is also supported by the use of advanced geographical information systems (GIS). The research themes of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences complement the University of Groningen’s Healthy Ageing research program. Society is ageing and also becoming more geographically mobile. The outcome of this is that growing social inequalities in terms of wellbeing, heath and wealth are interrelated with emerging spatial inequalities. These are major issues faced by contemporary society for which the Faculty of Spatial Sciences is uniquely placed to provide coherent policy analysis, design and impact assessment.

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Our history programme offers research opportunities in areas as diverse as medicine, death, historical demography, gender, women's history and urban culture. As an MPhil or PhD student you will enjoy a research environment in which ambitious and original ideas can flourish.

Many of the research opportunities in history are interdisciplinary and are available for most periods of history and in most geographical regions.

You can find out more about MPhil and PhD supervision areas from the School of History, Classics and Archaeology. There are opportunities for joint supervision with Latin American researchers in the School of Modern Languages.

Supervision is normally available in the following subject areas:

Classical, medieval and early modern medicine

Topics include:
-Reception(s) of Hippocratic medicine and Hippocratic Oath
-History of medical ethics
-History and iconography of melancholy and psychopathology
-Medical history/historiography as an academic discipline
-Genres of medical writing
-Interface between medicine and literature, Thomas Mann and medicine
-Medicine and philosophy; medicine and law

The supervisor in this area is Dr T Rütten.

Death and burial

The history of poverty and poor relief in pre-industrial England (Professor J Boulton).

Gender, women's history and the history of sexuality

Britain (Dr H Berry); the modern Atlantic world (Dr D Paton); Greece (Dr V Hionidou).

Historical demography

The history of nutrition, famine and mortality; the history of fertility, birth control and contraception (Dr V Hionidou).

History of ideas

Revolutionary ideology in 18th and 19th century Britain and France (Dr R Hammersley); European historiography (Dr L Racaut).

History of psychiatry

Mental health and the 'asylum'; forensic psychiatry, criminal lunacy and crime; the history of the body; early modern social and cultural history of health; history of hospitals; history of sexuality; domestic/household medicine; travel and medicine (Dr J Andrews).

Early medieval Britain and Europe (Dr S Ashley, Ms A Redgate).

National identity, inter-ethnic relations and border issues

Japan (Dr M Dusinberre); North America (Dr B Houston); Russia and Ukraine (Professor D Saunders); Mexico and Cuba (Dr K Brewster); the Caribbean (Dr D Paton); Spain (Dr A Quiroga); Ireland (Dr S Ashley, Dr F Campbell); the Irish in Britain (Dr J Allen).

Politics, international relations and the impact of war

Modern British politics (Dr J Allen, Dr M Farr, Dr F Campbell); European fascism and the Nazi new order (Professor T Kirk); 20th century France (Dr M Perry); 20th century Italy (Dr C Baldoli); transwar Japan (Dr M Dusinberre); American Civil War and the United States in the 19th century (Professor S M Grant); the United States in the 20th century (Dr B Houston).

Urban history and urban culture

History of the press in early modern France (Dr L Racaut); 19th century Newcastle and the North East (Dr J Allen); 18th century urban cultures in Britain (Dr H Berry); 17th century London (Professor J Boulton); urban culture in the Habsburg Empire (Professor T Kirk).

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About

Applicants are eligible for the Master in Urban Studies if they have completed a 180 ECTS academic bachelor degree or its equivalent in geography, planning, architecture, history, criminology, political science, sociology, demography, media and communication studies, cultural studies, or a similar discipline. Additionally, proof of fluency in English is required and should be sought well in advance of the application window.

Programme structure

The 120 ECTS curriculum combines the attractiveness of a flexible, modular and interdisciplinary programme that allows you to focus on your own interests within the domain of urban studies with a common core of compulsory courses to ensure that you develop the necessary urban skills and competences.

Common core

The common core contains a course on Brussels, one on the European dimension of cities and urbanisation, and a number of theoretical courses introducing you to the field of urban studies. By using Brussels as a unique case study in the programme and by organising various site visits in and around Brussels and excursions to cities in Europe, we benefit from our location in the centre of Europe. The common core also contains two modules introducing you to various urban methods and research approaches.

The core consists of the following courses:

Geographies of a Globalizing Europe (VUB, 6 ECTS, Bas van Heur)
Urban Social Geography (VUB, 6 ECTS, David Bassens)
Urban Economic Geography (ULB, 5 ECTS, Mathieu Van Criekingen)
Urban Sociology (ULB, 5 ECTS, Martin Rosenfeld)
Urban Sustainability and Circular Economy (ULB, 5 ECTS, Ahmed Khan)
Global City-Region Brussels (VUB, 6 ECTS, Joost Vaesen)
Urban Analysis I (VUB, 3 ECTS, Eva Swyngedouw)
Urban Analysis II (ULB, 5 ECTS, Corentin Debailleul)
Excursion I (VUB/ULB, 3 ECTS)
Excursion II (VUB/ULB, 3 ECTS)

Elective modules and courses

Before starting with the Master in Urban Studies, you are expected to choose two elective modules. The elective modules have a disciplinary and/or thematic orientation: this will allow you to specialise within subdomains of urban studies, while at the same time ensuring interdisciplinary training on the level of the overall programme.

We currently offer six elective modules, incorporating a large variety of disciplines from across the social sciences and humanities:

Urban History (18 ECTS)
Urban Criminology (15 ECTS)
Urban Geography (12 ECTS)
Urban Architecture (15 ECTS)
Urban Planning and Mobility (14 ECTS)
Urban Design (16/18 ECTS)
Besides the elective modules, we also offer a wide range of individual elective courses.

Internship

You can also choose to replace one elective module with an internship (15 ECTS), allowing you to gain experience in a working environment that is relevant to urban studies, such as an NGO, local government administration, consultancy firm or European network or institution. If you want to pursue a PhD following your Master education, you can also choose to do a research-oriented internship by working in a university department or another research institution.

Semester abroad

In the second year of your studies, it is possible to go abroad for a semester and study at one of our partner universities.

Master thesis

30 ECTS of your 120 ECTS programme is dedicated to the Master thesis. In the first year of your studies, you will choose a topic and develop your research design, whereas in the second year you will conduct most of the empirical research and write the actual thesis. Throughout the two-year process, there will be various moments of collective and individual supervision.

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The study of gerontology at one of the world’s leading centres. Students draw on a wide range of expertise, including geriatricians, clinicians, demographers, policy analysts and sociologists, to gain awareness of cross-national and national perspectives on ageing and the lives of older people.

Key benefits

- Taught by faculty in the Institute of Gerontology, one of the leading centres for the study of ageing and later life worldwide. The Institute is located in the Department of Social Science, Health and Medicine, a unique, research-led interdisciplinary social science department directed by internationally recognised scholars.

- Provides a truly interdisciplinary programme drawing on a wide range of professional and disciplinary expertise and experience including geriatrics, demography, policy analysis and sociology.

- Offers close links with, and regular speakers from, social policy and healthcare arenas to give students insights and up-to-the-minute knowledge of these areas as they affect ageing and older people.

- Offers an awareness of national, cross-national and comparative perspectives of ageing populations, the ageing process and older people in society throughout the programme.

- Provides strong links with King’s Health Partners, one of only six Academic Health Sciences Centres in England bringing together three NHS Trusts (Guy’s and St. Thomas’, King’s College Hospital, and South London and Maudsley).

- Taught in the heart of London, close to government, non-governmental organisations, and policy think tanks.

- Provides education at the cutting edge of current research into ageing and later life, through taught modules and original research.

Visit the website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught-courses/gerontology-msc-pg-dip-pg-cert.aspx

Course detail

- Course purpose -

Aimed at: health professionals including geriatricians, psychiatrists, GPs, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and others from the medical and health sciences, as well as students from other disciplines including social and natural sciences, management, policy and politics, economics, law and humanities.

- Course format and assessment -

Lecture and tutorial-based teaching using problem-based tasks and projects, assessed through coursework essays, written examinations and oral presentations. Dissertation based on an independent project.

Career prospects

Students have gone on to pursue a range of careers including consultant positions in geriatric medicine and psychiatry, work as specialist health care practitioners focusing on older people, positions in Government and the public sector, policy positions in public and voluntary organisations, analytical posts, and research and academic posts in universities around the world. Many of our past graduates now work in strategic positions influencing the lives of older people in medicine, social care and policy or within local government, voluntary organisations, or non-governmental organisations.

How to apply: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/taught-courses.aspx

About Postgraduate Study at King’s College London:

To study for a postgraduate degree at King’s College London is to study at the city’s most central university and at one of the top 20 universities worldwide (2015/16 QS World Rankings). Graduates will benefit from close connections with the UK’s professional, political, legal, commercial, scientific and cultural life, while the excellent reputation of our MA and MRes programmes ensures our postgraduate alumni are highly sought after by some of the world’s most prestigious employers. We provide graduates with skills that are highly valued in business, government, academia and the professions.

Scholarships & Funding:

All current PGT offer-holders and new PGT applicants are welcome to apply for the scholarships. For more information and to learn how to apply visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/pg/funding/sources

Free language tuition with the Modern Language Centre:

If you are studying for any postgraduate taught degree at King’s you can take a module from a choice of over 25 languages without any additional cost. Visit: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/mlc

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Summary

This programme will prepare you for a challenging rewarding career to improve the health of individuals and communities. You will develop essential skills in epidemiology, quantitative and qualitative research methods, medical statistics and health improvement and in devising effective public health programmes.

We offer pathways in intelligence, global health and nutrition, to equip you for professional practice in these specialisms.

We draw on the professional experience from academic researchers and practitioners from across the University, including medicine, social sciences, demography, geography and law. Accreditation: International Union for Health Promotion and Education (MSc PH) and UK association for Nutrition (MSc PH(N)). Available full-and part-time and as a PG Dip and PG Cert.

Core modules: Epidemiology; Medical Statistics and Qualitative Methods for Public Health; Enabling Change for Health Improvement; Development and Implementation of Policies and Strategies Public health programme: Advanced Statistical Methods for
Epidemiology; Communicable Disease Control; Developing Public Health Practice; Food Systems; Health Care Organisation and Evaluation; Health Economics; Population, Poverty and Policy; Public Health, Law and Ethics

Nutrition pathway: Assessment of Nutritional Status; Food Systems; Nutrition in Harsh Environments

Intelligence pathway: Core skills in Geographical Information Systems (GIS); GIS for Analysis of Health; GIS for Healthcare Management

Global Health pathway: Critical Issues in Global Health: Concepts and Case Studies; Demographic Methods 1;
Methods and Analysis of Global Health Trends and Differentials

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Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Gerontology and Ageing Studies at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

This Gerontology and Ageing Studies course is designed to meet employer needs and prepares students with the knowledge and experience needed to work with older people, design policies, manage and deliver services and manufacture products for an ageing population.

Key Features of Gerontology and Ageing Studies

Performance:

- International approach that is unique in the UK
- Hosted in the internationally renowned research centre, the Centre for Innovative Ageing
- The centre is the largest gerontology research centre in Wales and the second largest in the UK
- The Centre hosts the Older People and Ageing Research and Development Network and the Wales Stroke Research Interest Group
- Offers strong national and international links as well as links with the Wales Dementias and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Network.

Teaching and Employability:

- programme is designed to meet employer needs
- encompasses a range of disciplines delivered by subject leaders and experts from around the world
- opportunities for work placements within local NGO’s (non-Governmental Organisations)
- opportunity to study abroad at one of the College’s partner institutions in Alberta, Canada

The field of ageing is becoming increasingly important: Over the last 25 years the percentage of the population aged 65 and over increased from 15% in 1983 to 16 per cent in 2008, an increase of 1.5 million people in this age group. This trend is projected to continue. By 2033, 23 per cent of the population will be aged 65 and over compared to 18% aged 16 or younger. The fastest population increase has been in the number of those aged 85 and over, the 'oldest old'.

In 2012, the Welsh Government launched the third phase of the Strategy for Older People. Gerontology and Ageing Studies at Swansea looks at policy, practice and application to put you at the forefront of current developments.

Gerontology and Ageing Studies takes a holistic approach. It shifts the central focus from the medical model of ageing, to one that encompasses a range of disciplines including psychology, sociology and demography, viewing ageing more positively.

Why choose Gerontology and Ageing Studies?

The course in Gerontology and Ageing draws on the research and expertise of The Centre of Innovative Ageing (CIA) within the College of Human and Health Sciences.

The CIA is at the forefront of interdisciplinary work on ageing and provides the infrastructure, focus and leadership for ageing research across the University. The Centre houses a unique cluster of researchers and lecturers who contribute to each of the postgraduate courses in Gerontology and Ageing studies.

The Gerontology and Ageing Studies course is designed to meet employer needs and prepares students with the knowledge and experience needed to work with older people, design policies, manage and deliver services and manufacture products for an ageing population.

Modules

Modules on the Gerontology and Ageing Studies programme typically include:

• Population Ageing and Policy: An Introduction
• Perspectives on Ageing
• Foundations in Research
• Health and Ageing
• Policies and Practices for an Ageing Population
• Older People, Citizenship and Participation
• Critical Practice with Older People
• Environment and Ageing
• Psychology of Ageing

Gerontology and Ageing Studies Course Structure

The Gerontology and Ageing Studies course is offered on a full-time or part-time basis.

Full-time students normally complete six modules and submit their dissertation by the end of the first year. Part-time students will normally take two years to complete six modules, and one further year to complete the dissertation.

The MSc in Gerontology and Ageing Studies comprises 6 modules (120 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits). Four compulsory modules (20 credits each) cover the context of population ageing and explore theoretical perspectives on ageing.

Post-Graduate Certificate and Diploma Options in Gerontology and Ageing Studies:

These courses, similar to the MSc, can also be taken on a full-time or part-time basis.

Certificate students will take three modules totalling 60 credits, comprising two compulsory modules and one optional module selected from the College MSc catalogue.

The diploma students will complete the same 120 credits as the MSc but will not be required to complete the 60 credit dissertation.

Both options are flexible for students looking to study specific areas of interest whilst still obtaining a solid foundation in the principles of gerontology. These options provide the perfect alternative for individuals or employers who want the world-leading education provided by the Centre for Innovative Ageing, but for whom the research project is not integral to their learning experience.

Career Prospects

Other recent graduates work across a diverse range of sectors including:

- local government
- social worker/social services
- academic and policy research
- insurance and financial services
- architecture and town planning

The College of Human and Health Sciences offers full training in research methodology in addition to the core gerontology education which demonstrate a set of research and analytical skills that are fully transferable and highly desirable to employers.

Work Placements

Although not an assessed component off the course, students are provided with the opportunity to undertake volunteer placements within a local NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation). This enhances the student’s employment options and widens their exposure to the practical field of gerontology. Students who undertake a placement will receive a certificate from the NGO detailing the number of hours of their placement to act as a record for employment and development purposes.

Staff Expertise

Research undertaken by members of the CIA falls into seven broad themes:

Rights, Equality and Inclusion
Environments of ageing
Environmental hazards – Falls, shared space
Community, intergenerational and family relationships
Technology and its facilitation
Future of ageing
Social care – Health and wellbeing

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Summary

This course examines processes of governance and policy-making at a variety of levels, from local to global; students can explore these issues in a cross-disciplinary way, making use of insights from politics, international relations, social policy, public administration, and sociology.

Modules

Core modules: Governance and Policy; Philosophy of SocialScience Research; Research Design and Practice Optional modules: four from a wide range in Social Sciences, including those in the following areas: demography, gerontology, international relations, politics, social policy, social statistics and sociology Plus dissertation

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Contemporary concerns with environment and development require a combination of biological and social anthropological approaches to examine the ecology of resource use in developing societies. This MSc evaluates the environmental implications and outcomes of these activities in terms of human subsistence and welfare via a systematic, theoretical and methodological training.

Degree information

Drawing on the strengths of our broad-based department and expertise in human ecology, social anthropology and demography, key areas of investigation include: the implications of changing environments for production systems and human welfare, the sustainable use of natural resources in developing countries and the environmental and welfare impacts of changing patterns of resource use with development.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme consists of three core modules (60 credits), two optional modules (30 credits) and a research dissertation (90 credits).

Core modules:
-Resource Use and Impacts
-Anthropological Research Methods
-Statistics

Optional modules - choose two options from within the department - and in some cases outside the department - including at least one of the following that have been designed specifically for this programme:
-The Ecology of Human Groups
-Population and Development
-Anthropology of Development

Dissertation/report
All MSc students undertake an independent research project which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000 words.

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through lectures, seminars, group presentations, tutorials, interactive teamwork, video, and film and web based courses. It includes a non-examined weekly seminar series with both internal and invited speakers. Assessment is through essays, seen and unseen examinations, and the research dissertation.

Careers

Graduates of this programme have gone on to a wide range of relevant careers in research, teaching, consultancy, policy and advocacy work in universities, governmental bodies, national and international NGOs and international research organisations such as the CGIAR.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Public Researcher and Administrator, Global Canopy Program
-Education for Sustainable Development Researcher, Change Agents
-Anthropologist, Fundación Etnollano
-International Health Programme Officer, Royal College of General Practitioners
-Volunteer Co-Ordinator, Marine Research and Education Fund of Andenes (MAREFA)

Employability
The Master's integrates both natural and social science approaches and combines this with training in the methodological and practical dimensions of field work. The interdisciplinary perspective and demonstrable research skills obtained are an ideal training ground for students wishing to work with government, national or international NGOs or conduct further PhD research in the fields of environment and/or development. In addition to specialist knowledge and fieldwork experience, other skills graduates acquire include presentation and IT, research design and development, qualitative and quantitative analysis, project management, team building and leadership, fundraising and critical analysis and evaluation.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL Anthropology is one of the largest anthropology departments in the UK offering an exceptional breadth of expertise. Our results in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise and 2014 Research Excellence Framework show that we are the leading broad-based anthropology department in the UK.

Teaching staff are all actively engaged in research or consultancy work in the area of environment and development. A strong alumni network within the Human Ecology Research Group and dedicated programmes of invited speakers allow for significant networking opportunities.

Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the wider anthropological community in London.

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MSc Health and Society Specialisation

If you are interested in solving societally relevant, complex health issues, then Wageningen is the place to be! In the specialisation Health and Society students become context-sensitive experts in the domains of science and health promotion. Health and Society studies the social and behavioural aspects of health and health promotion, but also other factors that affects health, for instance the organization of the food system and the interaction between individuals and the physical environment.

Programme summary

Health is a resource that enables people to lead an individually, socially and economically productive life. For many centuries, the care for individual and population health has been the domain of medical sciences. However, it is widely acknowledged that contemporary health problems are complex and cannot be solved by simply extending existing health services. Chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes are important contributors to the burden of disease; as are communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmittable diseases.

There is no single cause to such health problems. Biological factors aside, lifestyle and the social and physical environment are major contributors in both a positive and negative way. Many diseases are related to the way in which people behave and take care of their own health, for example, substance abuse (smoking, alcohol, drugs), nutrition, physical exercise, and sexual behaviour. Lifestyles are often rooted in the social environment of family and friends, the neighbourhood, and the school and working environment. Aspects of the physical environment also affect individual and population health including housing conditions, environmental pollution, the availability of green space, and the availability and accessibility of health services. Moreover, societal changes, such as demography (e.g. aging populations, single parent families), consumption patterns, communication technology developments, globalisation and commercialisation influence the health status of individuals and populations.

Since health is influenced by such a diversity of interconnected factors, the development of cross border public health policies is essential. Within the health care system, organisations and professionals have to increasingly work together in the provision of care, prevention and health promotion. The set-up of the programme reflects its focus on societal issues in the domain of health, health promotion and health care systems. The programme covers a niche in the Netherlands by primarily taking a sociological approach to this domain, centralising the link between health and human relationships. Here, human relationships are interaction patterns and dependencies both differing in nature, scope and intensity. In conjunction with this sociological approach, anthropological and social psychological approaches are key to the social scientific analysis of health within the program.

The study programme takes a comparative perspective with respect to the empowerment of individuals, communities and populations. In other words, to what degree do people have the (financial) means to arrange their lives and are they able to use facilities for health protection and health improvement. This way, emphasis is on the societal embedding of health and activities of health promotion in relation to social processes, structures and institutions. Together with sociology, the programme combines the domains communication science and health promotion but also includes perspectives from economics, management and public policy.

Specialisation

The Health and Society programme is already a specialisation. However, depending on education background and personal interests, the programme schedule may vary.

Your future career

The Health and Society study domain is becoming more and more relevant as a consequence of changing patterns in health problems and the factors influencing health. Policymakers are becoming more aware of the impact of health policy; and recent national and international policy documents have emphasised the importance of health promotion. The improvement and sustainability of acceptable levels of health remains a major challenge. This specialisation prepares you for careers as researchers, health promoters, health policy advisors or managers of health-oriented organisations.

Student Sofia Sutherland Borja.
Sofia comes from Chile where she finished her BSc in Nutrition and Dietetics. In her MSc internship at the Standing Committee on Nutrition at the United Nations in Geneva, she worked on policies related to Public Health Nutrition. “For me, this has been a great opportunity to experience at first-hand how nutrition promotion policies are developed, and also meet influential people in the field I’m passionate about. Health and Society was the perfect complement to my background in Nutrition and Dietetics, because I can now approach nutrition problems from both a medical and social perspective.”

Related programmes:
MSc Management, Economics and Consumer Studies
MSc International Development Studies
MSc Applied Communication Science
MSc Development and Rural Innovation

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