Ph.D. in Aging Studies

Ph.D. in Aging Studies

The Ph.D. in Aging Studies program is a campus-wide, interdisciplinary research training program, hosted by the School of Aging Studies and governed by faculty from throughout the °®¶¹´«Ã½ campus. °®¶¹´«Ã½ select research mentors from faculty throughout the °®¶¹´«Ã½ campus and develop individually tailored training programs, generally focused in one of four areas:

  • Aging and Health
  • Aging and Mental Health
  • Cognitive Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
  • Public Policy and Long-Term Care

For more information on our PhD program

To apply for our PhD in Aging Studies,

First-year students are supported by Fellowships and receive tuition waivers and health insurance. °®¶¹´«Ã½ in subsequent years are supported by Fellowships, Research Assistantships and Graduate Teaching Assistantships, which include tuition waivers. °®¶¹´«Ã½ often assemble dissertation committees that include faculty from multiple departments and disciplines.

Some examples of dissertation research completed by graduates from the Ph.D. in Aging Studies program are:

Aging and Health

  • Willingness to Accept Risk of Treatment Toxicity in Older Cancer Patients
  • The Role of Personality and Social Resources in a Stress Process Model of Functional Disability in Late Life
  • Manifestations of Chest Pain Symptoms by Gender in an Elder Population with Coronary Artery Disease

Aging and Mental Health

  • Toward an Understanding of Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: A Dissertation in Six Studies
  • Elder Mistreatment in Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease
  • The Relationship Between Caregiving and Bereavement

Cognitive Aging and Alzheimer's Disease

  • Automated Magnetic Resonance Image Analyses of Structural Brain Changes in Alzheimer's Disease
  • Stress and Cognitive Performance in Older Adults

Public Policy and Long-Term Care

  • The Contribution of Personal Control and Personal Meaning to Quality of Life in Home, Assisted Living Facility, and Nursing Home Settings
  • Predictors and Outcomes of Hospice use Among Nursing Home Residents in °®¶¹´«Ã½

Graduates from the Ph.D. in Aging Studies Program have taken research and teaching positions in academia, government, and private consulting.

°®¶¹´«Ã½ may also apply for the program as part-time students, but must meet additional admission criteria.

Deadline to receive full consideration of the application is December 11.
For more information, please email Dr. Hongdao Meng at meng@usf.edu

Ph.D. Student Handbook