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PhD in Social sciences and ageing

2024/2025

What you learn

The general objective of this doctorate is to create a scientific space for multidisciplinary reflection, analysis and intervention, simultaneously, in the social aspects of individual ageing and in the ageing of society, properly speaking.

Generic skills

CB1 ‐ Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of the skills and research methods related to that field.
CB2 ‐ Ability to conceive, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
CB3 ‐ Ability to contribute to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
CB4 ‐ Ability to carry out critical analysis and evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas.
CB5 ‐ Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general about their fields of knowledge in the modes and languages commonly used in their international scientific community.
CB6 ‐ Ability to promote, in academic and professional contexts, scientific, technological, social, artistic or cultural progress within a knowledge-based society.
CB7 ‐ Ability to promote Open Science and Citizen Science, as a way of contributing to the consideration of scientific knowledge as a common good.

Specific skills

CA1 ‐ Function in contexts in which there is little specific information.
CA2 ‐ Find the key questions that need to be answered to solve a complex problem.
CA3 ‐ Design, create, develop and undertake novel and innovative projects in their field of knowledge.
CA4 ‐ Work both in a team and autonomously in an international or multidisciplinary context.
CA5 ‐ Integrate knowledge, face complexity and formulate judgments with limited information.
CA6 ‐ Critique and intellectual defense of solutions.
OC1 ‐Contribute to scientific development through original innovative practices in the field of intervention related to ageing and its processes.
OC2 ‐ Be able to communicate and transfer clearly, both in academic and professional contexts, the knowledge derived from research on ageing and intervention aimed at older people.
OC3 ‐ Acquisition of skills in the analysis and resolution of complex problems related to one of the program's lines of research.
CT1 ‐ Development of knowledge transfer skills to all types of audiences.
TC2 ‐ Development of the capacity for global reflection from different perspectives of knowledge and activity on social and ethical responsibilities
CT3 ‐ Know the current state of the field of research of their specialization, as well as carry out original research that expands their knowledge about it, developing a substantial corpus, which makes it worthy of publication referenced nationally or internationally
TC5 ‐ To achieve the fundamental knowledge at the theoretical, epistemological and technical levels to incorporate the gender dimension and perspective in the design and development of research and innovation projects and protocols

Transversal skills

CB1 ‐ Systematic understanding of a field of study and mastery of the skills and research methods related to that field.
CB2 ‐ Ability to conceive, design or create, implement and adopt a substantial process of research or creation.
CB3 ‐ Ability to contribute to the expansion of the frontiers of knowledge through original research.
CB4 ‐ Ability to carry out critical analysis and evaluation and synthesis of new and complex ideas.
CB5 ‐ Ability to communicate with the academic and scientific community and with society in general about their fields of knowledge in the modes and languages commonly used in their international scientific community.
CB6 ‐ Ability to promote, in academic and professional contexts, scientific, technological, social, artistic or cultural progress within a knowledge-based society.
CB7 ‐ Ability to promote Open Science and Citizen Science, as a way of contributing to the consideration of scientific knowledge as a common good.

Professional and academic career

Companies and institutions involved

The PhD programme in Social Sciences and Ageing arose as a proposal within the framework of the Universities without Borders project, INTERREG V-A Spain-Portugal Programme (POCTEP), which aims to improve the capacity of universities and public institutions for the creation of joint degrees and degrees between Galicia and the north of Portugal and the consolidation of the Border Area of Higher Education and Research of the Euro-region. This project is the result of the strategic alliance between the three Galician universities (University of A Coruña, University of A Coruña, University of Galicia, University of A Coruña
of Santiago and the University of Vigo), the universities of northern Portugal (Universidade de Porto, Universidade de Minho, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro) and the Fundação Centro de Estudos Euro Regionais (FCEER).
This Doctoral Program was born with the desire to join efforts of different researchers and institutions that can contribute to the achievement of the proposed objectives. In addition to the professors from Galician and Portuguese universities who are included in the human resources, for offering their collaboration with the Doctoral Program in some of the lines of research in which it has the status of experts, from the Faculty of Education and Social Work (center that hosts the degree) and from the University of Vigo itself, steps have been taken to sign agreements with research institutions with the that we have common interests. Firstly, we have promoted framework collaboration agreements, in which to frame the most concrete collaboration in doctoral training activities and other research activities.
The three Galician universities have extensive research history, through which agreements and collaborations have been established with international universities and research centres, as well as with national institutions and organisations, which are applicable to the doctoral programme in Social Sciences and Ageing and will allow the training of doctoral students and research in the groups in which they are inserted.
Thus, in order to promote the collaboration and mobility of students and teaching and research staff, the University of Vigo, through the institution itself or its research groups, has signed collaboration agreements with a large number of Universities
from the following countries: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, India, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, El Salvador, Palestine, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cameroon, Republic of Kazakhstan, Spain, United States, Romania, Russia, Sahara, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sudan, Thailand, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, Japan and Jordan.
Both the Universities and the agreements can be consulted at the following link:
https://secretaria.uvigo.gal/uv/web/convenios/public/convenio/index?orderDir=DESC&page=1&=a.id
Among the framework agreements already in place, we will try to extend the previous agreements with the Universities of the North of Portugal and others with which there are real possibilities of collaboration in the short, medium and long term. With other entities, the collaboration is already conveniently channeled through the existing framework agreement with the University of Vigo.

Research lines

This are the main research lines for current study.

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Planning for teaching

Additional subject teaching

Candidates who do not meet all the necessary prior learning conditions for the programme may be required to complete additional courses in the form of subjects and modules from UDC Master’s and undergraduate programmes. The number of credits from additional subject teaching will not exceed 15 ECTS credits, which students may choose to complete before or after enrolment in the PhD programme.

Students who do not opt to complete additional coursework prior to enrolment should register for their extra subjects or modules at the same time as the PhD. Failure to complete additional coursework within a period of three consecutive terms will result in the termination of the student’s registration.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 5: Applications.

EIDUDC teaching and training activities

EIDUDC teaching and training activities

Programme-specific teaching and training activities

El programa de doctorado en Ciencias Sociales y Envejecimiento tiene una duración de 6 semestres curriculares. La estructura curricular incluye: - Primer año: * Un seminario transversal (obligatorio) titulado “Envejecimiento y ciencias sociales. Desarrollos teóricos y metodológicos y temas de estructuración”, de asistencia obligatoria para todos los matriculados y que confiere 6 ECTS. * Cada estudiante matriculado también tendrá que realizar dos seminarios optativos, entre la oferta de 4, cada uno con 3 ECTS: (la) Seminario (optativo): "Estructuras, procesos, representaciones sociales y experiencias de envejecimiento y longevidad" (b) Seminario (optativo) "Instituciones sociales y envejecimiento” (c) Seminario (optativo): "Envejecimiento y sociedad” (d) Seminario (optativo): “Métodos de investigación en Ciencias Sociales aplicados a los Estudios del Envejecimiento” Todos los seminarios, obligatorio y opcionales funcionarán en el primero semestre del primero año. - Segundo y tercero año El alumnado se ocupará de la preparación de la Tesis y continuará realizando el resto de actividades formativas hasta completar 500 horas. Dichas actividades formativas son las que siguen: • Participación en foros científicos y presentación de ponencias en congresos científicos • Publicaciones de libros, capítulos de libros y publicaciones de artículos en revistas indexadas (carácter obligatorio) • Defensa de los planes de investigación y evaluaciones anuales (carácter obligatorio)

Supervision agreement

The PhD supervision agreement defines the academic relationship between the candidate and the University, the rights and responsibilities of each (including any intellectual and/or industrial property rights resulting from the candidate’s research), the procedures in place in relation to conflict resolution, and the duration of the agreement. It also specifies the duties of the PhD tutor and supervisor.

The supervision agreement must be signed by the candidate, tutor and designated university representative (or representatives) within a maximum period of one month as from the date of registration. The supervisor’s signature may be added subsequently, once a supervisor has been appointed.

When the document has been signed by all the relevant parties, the agreement is then added to the candidate’s record of activities.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 13: Supervision agreement.

Research plan

The candidate must prepare a research plan within six months of registration, with information regarding methodology, objectives, resources and milestones. The research plan is submitted together with the report of the supervisor and/or tutor for approval by the Academic Committee for PhD Programmes (CAPD). Improvements to the plan may be introduced with the approval of the supervisor and/or tutor based on the annual review of the student’s research progress.

Research plans are subject to annual review by the CAPD, including the report(s) of the supervisor and/or tutor and the candidate’s record of activities. Students will be permitted to continue with their studies if the outcome of the review is satisfactory. If the outcome is negative, the student will be required to submit a new plan within a period of six months. If the committee is still not satisfied, the candidate will be removed from the programme.

See also UDC PhD Policies and Regulations, Article 15: Research plan.

Student mobility

UDC holds student mobility agreements with universities and other third-level institutions across four continents. Students are offered several opportunities each year to apply to study abroad in one of these centres (for a single term or for a whole year), with the guarantee that all credits obtained will be duly recognised in their academic record upon their return.

For each round of applications, the University publishes the list of exchange options available to students and, where relevant, the specific conditions associated with each. Students may also apply to the University for funding for international work experience placements and internships.

Work experience placements are accredited in the student's academic record and the European diploma supplement. Students are free to decide in which host company or academic institution within the EHEA they wish to carry out their placement. To assist them in their search, the University has created an online noticeboard with jobs postings and other news.

Work-study placements in A Coruña are arranged by the International Relations Office (ORI) of the UDC in collaboration with the international relations coordinators in the student’s home university. The general entry criteria, rights and obligations of students, and admission and acceptance procedures for the programme, are regulated by the UDC Mobility Policy.