ESRC PHD STUDENTSHIP
GERONTOLOGY
INSTITUTE OF GERONTOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCE HEALTH &
MEDICINE
COVER SHEET
Guidance
Please read the following notes before submitting this Cover Sheet.
1. All applicants for this ESRC PhD studentship must submit the following forms by the deadline of Friday, 14th
March 2014 by 1700. All forms should be returned to Dr. Karen Glaser at the address below.
(a) The ESRC PhD Studentship Cover Sheet (this form).
(b) A current CV, which should include:
your full name and title;
education: degrees (subject, class, institution, date of award);
other academic/professional qualifications;
employment history, where relevant.
(c) Two academic references. Please ask your referees to email Dr Karen Glaser directly,
or send signed copies to the address below.
2. The Personal Statement is an essential part of your application: please see attached Further Particulars for
guidance regarding the type of information required.
3. Applicants who fail to apply as instructed below will not be eligible for consideration.
4. For an informal discussion about the studentships and projects, please contact Dr Karen Glaser by email at
[email protected]; or Dr. Debora Price at [email protected]
5. Interviews for the studentships will be held on Wednesday, 26th of March 2014.
6. Previous applicants need not apply.
7. The successful candidates will be invited to complete the King’s online admissions application form.
Contact:
Dr. Karen Glaser
Reader in Gerontology
Institute of Gerontology
School of Social Science & Public Policy
King's College London
Strand Building (6th floor)
Strand
London, WC2R 2LS
Email: [email protected]
ESRC STUDENTSHIP
GERONTOLOGY
SECTION 1 – REFERENCE NUMBER
Student ID Number (if known):
SECTION 2 – PERSONAL DETAILS
Surname or family name:
Other names in full:
Nationality:
Country of Domicile:
Title:
Correspondence Address:
Email:
Date of Birth:
Length of time the correspondence address is valid:
Supervisors: Dr. Karen Glaser and Dr. Debora Price
Length of time lived at home address:
SECTION 3 – DEGREE PROGRAMME
Please give details of the degree programme at King’s you are seeking funding for
Subject area/programme title:
PhD Gerontology
Department/Division:
School:
Method of Study (select relevant box):
Planned Start Date:
Name of Main Supervisors
Department of Social Science, Health &
Medicine
School of Social Science & Public Policy
Full-time
September 2014
Dr. Karen Glaser
Dr. Debora Price
Applicant’s declaration:
By submitting this form I:
~ understand that my application for funding is valid only if all required information is provided by the set deadline, which includes, a
completed funding cover sheet, a separate admissions application supported by two academic references and academic transcripts, as required,
and that if this information is not submitted my application for funding will not be considered;
~ give permission for the Graduate School to obtain copies of admissions application material, including academic transcripts, submitted
directly to the relevant School/department/division at King’s College London.
Data Protection
By submitting this form, you agree that King’s College London can process your information and keep a copy of your form to collect
statistics and detect and prevent fraud. The Data Protection Act allows you to ask us for a copy of all the information we have about your
application.
ESRC PH.D. STUDENTSHIP
GERONTOLOGY
SECTION 5 –RESEARCH PROPOSAL/PERSONAL STATEMENT
NAME OF APPLICANT
The personal statement (500-1000 words) must include sufficient information to enable the selection
panel to assess an applicant’s suitability for the studentship.
Please ensure that you have read the Further Particulars document, as this gives an outline of the
proposed projects and how they relate to IoG.
The statement should address:
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how your previous experience relates to the research project;
how you fulfill the Person Specification set out in the Further Particulars document;
your future career plans and how this studentship would fit into those plans.
Please continue on a separate sheet.
ESRC PH.D. STUDENTSHIP
GERONTOLOGY
FURTHER PARTICULARS
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THE APPLICANT: PERSON SPECIFICATION
THE COLLEGE
THE SCHOOL
THE DEPARTMENT
THE INSTITUTE OF GERONTOLOGY
THE PROJECT
1. The Applicant
The qualities we expect candidates to demonstrate are outlined in the following Person Specification.
ESSENTIAL
Qualifications
PREFERRED
A good honors or Masters degree in
social sciences, nursing, physiotherapy,
occupational therapy or medicine
Training in quantitative and qualitative
research methods
Knowledge and skills
General knowledge of ageing issues,
and interest in pursuing research in
dementia, AT and older people
Publications or undergraduate or
graduate project in this or a related area
Capacity and willingness to engage with
the research topic.
Capacity to engage in multidisciplinary
research
The candidate will register for an MPhil degree in the first instance, and depending on satisfactory progress will
transfer their registration to a Ph.D. research degree in Gerontology conducting research relevant to the
Institute of Gerontology.
Supervisors: Dr. Karen Glaser and Dr. Debora Price
The holders of these studentships will be expected to:
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Prepare and submit doctoral dissertation in a timely fashion
Prepare papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals
Participate in and contribute to the research and teaching activities of the Institute of Gerontology
The Award
The studentship is funded full-time for 3 years. In the first year the student will receive a maintenance
grant plus training support allowances of around £15,063 and full fees; the award only covers
Home/EU fees.
Full ESRC studentship support is normally available only to students who (a) have been ordinarily resident in
the United Kingdom for the previous three years; (b) other than citizens of European Union countries, whose
residence during that period has not been wholly or mainly for the purposes of full-time education; and (c) who
have permission to reside permanently in the United Kingdom. Potential applicants who are uncertain as to
their eligibility should contact Jennie Eldridge, [email protected]
1. The PhD Project
PhD: Consequences of working until or beyond state pension age (SPA) for older people’s social roles
This PhD will investigate the consequences of working beyond SPA for other social roles such as that of
caregiver. Informal family care and volunteer work are two socially and economically important roles often
undertaken by older adults, either independently from or in combination with paid work. There is an expectation
that older people will participate in paid work for longer, and at the same time it is assumed that they will
continue to play vital caring roles within their families and informal volunteering roles in society. Thus how older
people’s informal caring roles can be combined with paid work is highly relevant for public policy.
The project will examine how undertaking paid work until or beyond SPA (in different types of employment)
influences other social roles, such as the likelihood of maintaining, relinquishing, or taking on a caring role (e.g.
parents, partners, or grandchildren) or participating in volunteer work once demographic and socio-economic
factors are taken into account. It will also investigate how trigger events (e.g. widowhood, onset of health
problems), and life histories shape the relationship between working beyond SPA and informal caring and
volunteer roles once other social and economic circumstances are taken into account. Finally, how these
relationships changed across cohorts will also be examined. This PhD will be supervised by Dr. Karen Glaser
and Dr. Debora Price.
2. The Institute of Gerontology
The Institute of Gerontology at King’s College London is one of the leading gerontological research and teaching
centres world-wide. Founded in 1986, the Institute is at the vanguard of multi-disciplinary research and teaching,
acting as a bridge between the social and clinical sciences. The Institute has many long-standing research and
teaching collaborations including the Institute of Psychiatry, the School of Medicine, the School of Nursing and
Midwifery and the School of Biomedical Sciences.
The objectives of the Institute are to:
 Engage in state of the art research into the demographic, sociological, psychological, financial and
institutional processes of adult ageing.
 Provide multidisciplinary, research-led education and research training for both clinical and social scientists,
including practitioners in health, social care, government and the voluntary sector.
 Engage critically with social policy issues for the benefit of older people both internationally and nationally.
The Institute’s inter-disciplinary nature is reflected in its broad research sponsorship base; it has received
funding from UK Research Councils (i.e. ESRC, MRC, EPSRC & AHRC), from numerous charities concerned
with the welfare of older people, and from government (including the Department of Health and the Department
for Work and Pensions). The Institute’s recent research has included the study of: elder abuse; pensions and
poverty; housing and technology; the health and social concerns of ‘new’ ageing populations; end of life care
and bereavement; the demography of informal care; falls prevention among older people; and the biology of
natural ageing. Current research is focused on three core areas: (i) ageing policy, health and healthcare; (ii)
ageing policy & family life; and (iii) global ageing.
The Institute consists of four full-time academic staff, one research active emeritus professor and a number of
researchers (currently five). We run a flagship MSc in Gerontology, the first such programme in Britain (added
to in 1998 with a Diploma). We also run MSc/Diploma/PG Certificate in Public Policy & Ageing,
MSc/MA/Diploma/PG Certificate in Ageing & Society, PG Certificate in Research Methods for Social Science &
Health, and an Intercalated BSc Gerontology for medical students. The aim of the programmes is to offer
education at the cutting edge of current research in a variety of disciplines central to understanding how and
why we age, and the implications of ageing on wider social and policy processes, as well as to provide focused
research methods teaching. We also have a thriving PhD programme with students registered in the Institute
or in other Schools in the case of students receiving cross-School supervision.
For more on IoG see: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/sspp/geront/
3. The Department of Social Science, Health & Medicine
Social Science, Health and Medicine at King’s is a unique interdisciplinary department founded in 2012. Its
mission is to address the changing landscape of health and medicine from a social science perspective. We
explore the complex social determinants of health, illness and ageing, and the ways in which advances in
biomedicine and biotechnology are changing expectations about life and health and the nature of medical
practice.
Bringing together social scientists, biomedical researchers and clinicians, we offer a portfolio of research-led
teaching at postgraduate and doctoral levels and a flagship undergraduate programme. We undertake the
highest quality research on social science, which is both transdisciplinary and transnational; inspiring creative
interactions between individuals and groups across King’s College London and beyond.
Grounded in a knowledge of history, law and philosophy, our internationally recognised expertise, consultancy
work, and our contributions to policy development are utilised by myriad organizations, from community groups
to transnational organizations. We equip students with the skills required for a wide range of careers across
disciplines: in the health services; in government and NGOs (from public health to environmental protection
and urban planning); and in the commercial medical and health sectors.
Based in the heart of London, with unique access to national and international centres of influence, King’s
College London has the largest concentration of health and medical resources in Europe. Hosting visiting
experts from across the world, we have extensive global reach, with a particular focus on India, China and
Brazil.
Social Science, Health and Medicine is home to the Institute of Gerontology, one of the foremost gerontological
research and teaching centres worldwide. It is a centre of expertise in multi-disciplinary research into ageing,
working with colleagues across King’s and in other institutions.
Our research is organised into the following themes:
• Ageing & Society
• Biomedicine, Ethics & Social Justice (BESJ)
• Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals & Public Policy (BPPP)
• Culture, Medicine & Power (CMP)
Currently the Department consists of 19 faculty (including those in the Institute of Gerontology), together with a
number of senior research fellows, research fellows, a growing body of research students, and many Visiting
Researchers and Professors from across the world. We have a portfolio of Masters Programmes, including an
MSc in Medicine, Science and Society, MA in Bioethics and Society and MSc in Global Health and Social
Justice. Our flagship undergraduate degree – BSc in Global Health and Social Medicine – has recruited for entry
in October 2014. We house several large research projects, with funding from key bodies including the ESRC,
MRC, EPSRC, the European Science Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, some undertaken with other
Departments in the College and others on an inter- institutional and often international basis. Colleagues are
involved in key policy bodies and policy debates, both in the UK and transnationally. The Department runs
regular conferences, workshops, seminars and other activities, and has a developing programme of outreach.
4. The School
The School consists of the following departments
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Social Science, Health & Medicine
Defence Studies
Education & Professional Studies
Geography
King’s Policy Institutes
Management
Political Economy
War Studies
The variety of disciplines represented amongst the School's staff goes well beyond the social sciences into the
physical sciences and humanities, which provides close links with colleagues in fields such as Humanities, the
Life Sciences, Nursing & Midwifery and Physical Sciences & Engineering. The policy-orientation that
characterises so much of our work is associated with significant government contracts and close working
relationships with many departments in Whitehall and with government agencies elsewhere as well as Non
Governmental Organisations nationally and internationally. Public policy interests within the School are local,
national and international in their emphasis and the School is home to an interdisciplinary Public Policy
programme.
A common theme across the School’s internationally recognised departments is a policy-oriented and multidisciplinary approach that generates distinctive learning and research opportunities for students, staff and
external partners. Interaction with cultural, professional and political institutions, businesses and local
communities in London, nationally and internationally is integral to the School’s teaching and research,
enhancing the learning environment, while ensuring that the School maintains and develops its reputation for
research excellence. The School of Social Science & Public Policy is one of the largest of its kind in UK
universities. The School:
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has an annual turnover is in excess of £42 million PA;
enrols 3,930 students, 2,100 of whom are postgraduates and 210 FTE staff;
earns more than £11 million in research income annually;
has a pay and related budget of approximately £10 million of which approximately £1.7 million is for
professional services staff located in departments and the School Office.
5. The College
King’s is:
 one of the top 30 universities in the world (2012-3 QS international world rankings)
 the Sunday Times ‘Best University for Graduate Employment 2012-3’
 the fourth oldest university in England
 research-led and based in the heart of London.
King’s has over 24,000 students (including nearly 10,000 postgraduates) from 140 countries and over 6,000
employees.
King’s provides world-class teaching and cutting-edge research:
 In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments ranked in the top 25 per
cent of British universities.
 Over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK.
 The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings with an overall annual income of nearly
£525 million.
King’s has nine Schools of Study:
 Arts & Humanities
 Biomedical Sciences
 Dental Institute
 Dickson Poon School of Law
 Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery
 Institute of Psychiatry
 Medicine
 Natural & Mathematical Sciences
 Social Science & Public Policy
King’s has a distinguished reputation in:
 the humanities
 law
 the sciences, including health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing and dentistry
 social sciences, including international affairs.
King’s is in The Complete University Guide’s Top Ten for:
 Anatomy & Physiology – 9th
 Classics & Ancient History – 9th
 Dentistry – 3rd
 Drama, Dance & Cinematics – 4th
 Education – 2nd
 Food Science – 1st
 French – 6th
 Law – 7th
 Music – 4th
 Philosophy – 6th
 Physiotherapy – 10th
 Theology & Religious Studies – 8th
King’s has influenced many of the advances that shape modern life, such as:
 the discovery of the structure of DNA
 research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar
 being the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe.
World Questions | King’s Answers
The College is in the midst of a five-year, £500 million fundraising campaign – World questions|King’s
answers – created to address some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity as quickly as feasible.
The campaign’s five priority areas are neuroscience and mental health, leadership and society, cancer, global
power and children’s health. More information about the campaign is available from the World
Questions|King’s Answers website: www.kcl.ac.uk/kingsanswers
ESRC PH.D. STUDENTSHIP
GERONTOLOGY
INSTITUTE OF GERONTOLOGY
Reference Report Form
On behalf of (applicant’s name):
Referees’ reports play a vital part in the selection procedure. It is most important therefore that
references are as up-to-date and as full and informative as possible (please see notes of guidance
overleaf).
1a) If the applicant has yet to graduate, please
provide the degree result that would in your view
accurately reflect the applicant’s undergraduate
studies:
1 b) If the applicant has already graduated, please
provide the actual degree result (and details of
master’s qualifications if applicable):
2) Where known, please provide the applicant’s ranking in his/her class, and in relation to the overall size
of class (e.g. 5/80):
3) If the institution’s degree classification structure is not based on the UK system, the information
provide in note 2 (overleaf) should be employed to provide an approximate conversion of the applicant’s
degree result/predicted result to that of the UK system. In that event, it would be particularly helpful if you
could also comment on the level achieved by the applicant in his/her degree:
4) In a statement not exceeding 500 words, please provide your reference commenting on the applicant’s
academic ability, research potential and general character (continue on separate sheet if necessary).
Signature………………………………………………………………………………Date……………………….
Name of
Referee………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Guidance for completing reference report forms:
1. Each application must be supported by two references. These should be from a teacher who has direct knowledge of
the applicant’s first degree work OR a reference with knowledge of the applicant’s postgraduate taught studies if a first
degree referee is difficult to locate.
2. In preparing the applicant’s reference, it may be helpful for referees at overseas institutions to be aware that, while not
entirely uniform, UK honours degrees are generally classified as: first class (I); second class upper division (II:I); second
class lower division (II:II), third (III) and pass degree. In the UK, an undergraduate first class degree normally corresponds
to an average mark: first >70%+; upper second 60-70%; lower second 50-60%; third 40-50%; fail <40%. For MA/MSc:
distinction >70%; merit 60-70; pass 50-60; fail <50%.
3. Between them, the two references should cover the following points:
(a)
if the applicant is already a graduate, the actual degree result should be indicated. A very good upper second
class honours degree or its equivalent is likely to be a minimum requirement for consideration for an award. In the case of
applicants who have such a degree, the reference should include an assessment of the relative level at which this
classification was awarded;
(b) when the applicant’s first degree is from an overseas university or college, the reference should wherever possible
include an opinion as to how the standard of that degree compares with that of an honours degree from the UK, with a
comment on the level achieved by the applicant in his/her degree;
(c) if the applicant has not yet graduated, it is important that a clear indication should be provided of the referee’s
judgement of the expected degree result;
(d) in support of a funding application, applicants are asked to submit copies of their academic transcripts, as explanatory
information on a level at which the student record has been assessed. It is helpful therefore, if the reference can include
comments on the student record, highlighting any particular features which would assist in the selection procedure;
(e) information about the applicant’s linguistic written and spoken ability, especially in cases where English is their second
language.
(f) comments on any postgraduate study already undertaken or in progress, including an assessment of all aspects of
such work, and the results of any examinations taken and qualifications obtained since the commencement of
postgraduate study. (It is particularly helpful to have this information in the case of any applicant who has already
undertaken a taught postgraduate programme, and to have such further comments as may be appropriate in the case of
applicants achieving a postgraduate qualification following a relatively modest performance at first degree level);
(g) the academic ability and research potential of the applicant including the special qualities he/she possesses for the
proposed research, the benefits he/she will derive from it and any reservations the referee may have;
4. Special attention is drawn to the following points: the two main criteria for assessment are: (i) academic ability and (ii)
research potential. Other factors such as financial status, nationality, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation,
religion/belief, marital status or any other inappropriate distinctions, will not be taken into account;
5. This form, when completed, must be returned to Dr. Karen Glaser, at the address below. If the references are returned
by the applicant, then they should be sent in sealed envelopes signed across the seal by the referee. Alternatively,
references can be sent directly by email to Dr. Karen Glaser, provided that they are sent from the referee’s email address.
All references should received by 14th of March 2014 by 1700.
Dr Karen Glaser
Reader in Gerontology
Institute of Gerontology
Department of Social Science, Health & Medicine
School of Social Science & Public Policy
King’s College London
Strand Building
Strand
London WC2R 2LS
Email: [email protected]
Tel. (0)207 848-2554