• Research

Dementia Studies PhD

Overview

Overview

UWL is committed to advancing knowledge and innovation in research and education to improve the lives of older people in the UK and around the world living with dementia.

The team within The Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory (GIAM) has expertise in conducting multi-method research in dementia and ageing-related studies and can provide relevant mentoring and supervision to doctoral students.

Our PhD in Dementia Studies provides an opportunity for individuals with an academic or professional interest in dementia to undertake advanced study within their chosen area.

The course promotes applied and critical thinking around theoretical and practice-based issues related to diverse aspects of dementia research and care. 

 

We invite applications for doctoral research in various topic areas, including:

  • dementia in acute hospitals
  • intensive care and dementia
  • living well with dementia
  • dementia, care, and technology
  • ethics, care, and dementia
  • minorities and dementia
  • dementia social care research (care homes and homecare)
  • personal/intimate care and dementia
  • family carers and dementia.

See a list of potential PhD supervisors and read about their expertise, in the 'Supervisors' section lower down the page. 

patient at dementia care facility

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Why study Dementia Studies with us?

Why study Dementia Studies with us?

A collage of students

What our students say…

The staff members that I encountered were warm, welcoming and supportive of my studies. The relatively small size of the University’s postgraduate school created a close family/communal environment for both staff and students. This provided a good support system as I could quickly grow acquainted with the postgraduate team and other Doctoral research candidates.

Abdulazeez Rotimi - PhD
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study full time or part time
A female student sitting down with a mentor

The Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory

GIAM is a flagship Institute within UWL delivering multidisciplinary applied research and education focussed on informing improvements in health and social care to benefit people living with dementia, older people, and their care partners and families.

Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory: Leading research in dementia care.

World-leading Research

The University of West London has been recognised by the Government's Research Excellence Framework (REF) for its exceptional research work.

Research REF PHD World-leading
Course detail

Course detail

You will have a supervisory team made up of a Director of Studies with expertise in your chosen field, a further supervisor and, where appropriate, an additional adviser. Your research will be judged through the presentation of a thesis or artefact and a viva voce for academic assessment. We provide a stimulating and supportive environment where you will benefit from: 

  • peer feedback and discussion   
  • a series of master classes and lectures from industry figures   
  • support by a supervisor and second supervisor suited to your project. 
About PhD study

This course is available for you to study either on a full-time or part-time basis and you have the flexibility to switch should you need to.

A PhD is founded on independent research.  You will undertake a systematic and in-depth exploration of your chosen topic to produce a substantial body of knowledge and make an original and important contribution to the subject area.  

The support provided by your supervisory team will be vital to your student experience and scholarly advancement.  You and your supervisors will have regular one-to-one meetings which will provide you with opportunities to develop your research topic and discuss your progress.

Location

Based in the heart of Ealing, west London, you can make use of the excellent transport links to travel to the capital or further afield - ideal for attending research meetings and networking events.

Got a question?

If you would like guidance or more information about studying for a research degree, you can contact Dr Snorri Bjorn Rafnsson, Associate Professor of Ageing and Dementia, GIAM Doctoral Programme Lead.

To enable you to enhance your professional profile, we support you throughout your research degree by:

  • providing research seminars
  • organising doctoral events and activities
  • facilitating networking and collaboration opportunities
  • encouraging and supporting publication and dissemination of your research
  • offering opportunities to gain teaching expertise and experience.

We provide structured research training, expert supervision, and an environment where you can discuss your research with other PhD students and researchers.

We run seminars in research methods from the Graduate Centre, as well as an ongoing series of events and activities organised by Schools and Colleges. Specialist help with academic English for students for whom English is not their first language is available.

The Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory, GIAM (Century House, Uxbridge Road)

GIAM is based in a convenient location on Uxbridge Road, within walking distance from Ealing Broadway rail station and Ealing Broadway shopping centre. GIAM offers a welcoming environment, where postgraduate researchers have access to modern facilities, including a spacious office. Our postgraduate researchers work near a friendly team of GIAM academics and research staff.   

Rami Ranger House (Postgraduate Student Centre)

Postgraduate and International Student Centre is a new focal point for the university’s postgraduate and international students, providing dedicated space for social and learning interaction.

This building, which is three storeys high, offers spaces for collaborative working, socialising, supervision and mentoring on the ground floor. The first floor has work spaces for the postgraduate support teams to use while the second floor provides guest accommodation for visiting scholars.

The Paul Hamlyn Library

The Paul Hamlyn Library provides an extensive range of books, journals and digital resources, PC and Mac workstations and a variety of study spaces. Find out more about what the Paul Hamlyn Library has to offer.

We contribute to national and international initiatives and promote collaboration and networking opportunities. We also encourage and support you to publish and disseminate your research in academic journals and via presenting papers at conferences.

We run an annual conference for doctoral students, where you are encouraged to present a paper about your research. As well as being an opportunity to discuss your work with other students, the conference is a chance to gain valuable experience in presenting your research and participating in open discussions with academic peers.

You will also find other opportunities such as postgraduate student seminars and forums within your specific subject area.

Community

Once you start a PhD course at UWL, you become part of our research community. You will have access to a postgraduate common room, located at our Ealing campus on St Mary’s Road, where you will meet fellow researchers from other subject disciplines offering scope for collaborations or simply to discuss ideas, allowing you to be part of a vibrant research environment.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirements for a research degree are:

  • a good first degree (First Class or Upper Second Class), or equivalent qualification in a relevant field
  • a Masters Degree (MA, MSc, MBA or MRes) with Merit, or equivalent postgraduate or research experience.

In addition to the minimum entry requirements for a UWL research degree, we are looking to recruit high-quality PhD candidates who have relevant research or practice-based experience related to older adults, are self-motivated and well-organised, have good presentation skills, can communicate sensitively and effectively in both spoken and written English, who with supervision have the potential to develop as independent researchers, and can complete their doctoral research within four to six years.

 

6.5 IELTS or above

The minimum entry requirements for a research degree are:

  • a good first degree (First Class or Upper Second Class), or equivalent qualification in a relevant field
  • a Masters Degree (MA, MSc, MBA or MRes) with Merit, or equivalent postgraduate or research experience.
  • Competence in written and spoken English is a pre-requisite for entrance to this programme.
    An IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5 (with no element under 6.0).

In addition to the minimum entry requirements for a UWL research degree, we are looking to recruit high-quality PhD candidates who have relevant research or practice-based experience related to older adults, are self-motivated and well-organised, have good presentation skills, can communicate sensitively and effectively in both spoken and written English, who with supervision have the potential to develop as independent researchers, and can complete their doctoral research within four to six years.

 

Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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Please note:

  • Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
  • Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
  • If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
  • If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

Funding for postgraduate students usually comes from one or more of a range of key sources:

  • research councils
  • charities and trust funds, including those funded by the UK government
  • higher Education institutions
  • overseas governments (international students only)
  • employers
  • professional and career development loans
  • self-funding (including family funds).

Find out more about funding opportunities.

Examples of most of these types of funding are included on the postgraduate studentships website, (with the exception of funding you may be able to obtain from your employer and self-funding).

Bursaries and scholarships

We offer generous bursaries and scholarships to make sure your aspirations are your only limit.
See our PhD scholarships, scholarships and bursaries.

Help with funding
{{ formatCurrencyValue(currentVariantData.field_p_cv_int_main_fee.name) }} per year

Please note:

  • Fees for the 2026/27 academic year and onwards may be subject to Government regulation and change.
  • Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year.
  • If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.
  • If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

For any overseas students, your first port of call should be grant-awarding bodies in your own country (eg The Ministry / Department of Education) and your local (or nearest) office of the British Council.

The British Council manage a small number of international studentship grants in some countries and should be able to tell you what other awards may be available to you - they also produce the Sources of funding for international students guide.

See our International pages for more information
Supervisors

Supervisors

Study & career progression

Study & career progression

Two computing professionals working together around a laptop

Through our PhD in Dementia Studies, we aim to equip the next generation of future leaders in dementia research and care with the knowledge and skills to make a real impact worldwide.

Our doctoral programme will:

  • enhance leadership skills and effectiveness;
  • foster critical approaches to evidence review and knowledge management
  • develop advanced skills in research design, practice, and dissemination
  • promote advanced knowledge and a critical understanding of research, concepts, and theoretical frameworks in dementia studies;
  • improve scholarship in critical thinking, written manuscripts, and oral debates.
How to apply

How to apply

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Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2023 and 2024 - Average of answers to all questions by registered student population. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.