PhD Studentship in Care and cost at the end of life
University of Bath
This studentship is associated with Dr Kate Woodthorpe’s research on families, finances and funerals, and will focus on intergenerational relationships between adult children and their parents in organising, and paying, for end of life care and associated expenses. Applicants are welcome from a range of social science backgrounds including sociology, social policy, social work, gerontology, cultural studies, gender studies, anthropology, and economics, and will need to demonstrate a working knowledge of qualitative methods and an awareness of the policy implications of end of life care issues.
The project will explore decisions about care and costs at the end of life within UK families, and the negotiations regarding parental care that take place between parents/adult siblings. The theoretical and conceptual issues touched upon in the project could include, but are not limited to, families and kinship in contemporary society, managing old age, adult sibling relationships, gender roles, personal finance and planning, consumer behaviour, personalisation and the end of life.
It is anticipated that the research will generate proposals as to how to support families with old(er) parents in determining responsibility for care and cost towards the end of life, positioning the successful applicant at the vanguard of a policy debate that will inevitably accompany the ageing of the UK population and rising death rate in years to come.
The studentship is fully funded and will cover full-time tuition fees at the Home/EU rate (non-EU candidates will need supplementary funding) for 3 years and is available for an October 2013 start. The studentship includes a stipend of at least £13,726 (2013/14 rate) p.a. as well as a £1,000 training budget p.a. for each of the three years. The successful candidate is expected to contribute 90 hours per year to the department, through teaching and research assistance.
Candidates must satisfy the usual requirements for studying for a doctorate in the Department of Social and Policy Sciences: http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/programmes/mphi-soci-poli-scie
Applications can be made online by clicking the link below, and following the link to ‘PhD programme in Social and Policy Sciences’. https://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/applications.pl
You must apply specifically for this funding. Please note that the application form will mention a formal proposal. As this studentship is to work on a specific project, there is no need to write this formal proposal.
Applicants will need to complete a Funding Request Form where you must outline your motivation for wanting to undertake research and a brief outline of your initial thoughts on the area of research (maximum 500 words). You will also be asked to submit a sample of written academic work (up to 2000 words). These should be uploaded as part of the online application.
The closing date for applications is 12pm GMT 23rd May 2013.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview on 5th June 2013. For any queries about the studentship please email Dr Woodthorpe on k.v.woodthorpe@bath.ac.uk. Enquiries about the application process can be directed to Admissions: Email: sps-pgr-admissions@bath.ac.uk or Tel: +44 (0)1225 38 3037.
