Join the New Cohort of LIVES PhD candidates!
Since 2012, the Swiss Centre of Expertise in Life Course Research (LIVES) has offered a specialized doctoral programme, supporting over 130 PhD graduates to date.
LIVES is now accepting applications for its next cohort (December 2025 – February 2028). This call is open to early-stage doctoral students in the social sciences, psychology, health sciences, or related fields whose research adopts a life course or lifespan perspective.
Eligible research topics may include, but are not limited to:
- The impact of early life events on later outcomes
- Life trajectories across domains (e.g. education, work, health)
- Turning points and transitions in individual biographies
- Processes of accumulation or depletion across the life span
- Longitudinal methods and data analysis
- Changing social norms around age and aging
- The role of life course concepts in public policy
The LIVES Doctoral Programme promotes high-quality, interdisciplinary research in life course studies. It provides participants with robust training in both theory and methods, as well as access to a supportive peer network of international PhD students working on similar topics.
Programme Structure
Organized over two years and held at the Universities of Geneva and Lausanne, the programme includes:
- 3 intensive sessions on theories and concepts in life course research (3 days each)
- 4 methodological workshops on longitudinal and life course analysis (3 days each)
- 3 annual LIVES Doctoriales, where PhD students present their work to senior scholars and receive expert feedback
The programme is open to doctoral students based in Switzerland and in Europe.
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The deadline for applications is 30 September, 2025.
Admissions will be confirmed no later than mid-October, 2025.
The new cohort of the LIVES doctoral programme will begin in December 2025.
Find here additional information on the programme 2025-27 (workshops and events) or contact the programme officer: doctoral-centre-lives@unige.ch.
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Committing to this programme means:
- Attending at least 5 out of 7 workshops.
- Session 1 (December 2024) as well as all three LIVES Doctoriales are compulsory.
- Taking part in the selected workshops and Doctoriales in person (in principle).
- PhD candidates who wish to follow our programme in parallel with their disciplinary training (e.g., in social psychology, neuroscience, etc.) are very welcome. We provide certificates of attendance for our modules, including the corresponding number of ECTS credits.
What the LIVES Doctoral Programme supports:
- For Swiss-based PhD candidates, travel is reimbursed on the basis of a half-fare 2nd class ticket.
- For other PhD candidates, LIVES offers financial assistance (travel) of up to 200.-CHF per session (up to 5 sessions). For expenses on accommodation, LIVES subsidies are available for a few students. Please contact us for details.
- During workshops, lunch and coffee breaks are covered.
- During the LIVES Doctoriales, lunch and coffee breaks are covered.
Applicants must fulfil the following conditions:
- The PhD thesis should include a life course / life span perspective, with a disciplinary background in sociology, demography, psychology, epidemiology, economics, political science, history or gender studies.
- The PhD candidate must already be affiliated to an academic institution.
- The PhD thesis must be funded for the length of the PhD programme by an academic institution or by third-party funding.
- The PhD candidate must be able to speak and write fluently in English (at least B2 level).
Candidates are asked to provide the following documents, along with the application form:
- A cover letter expressing their motivation for this PhD training programme
- A curriculum vitae
- A title and abstract of 500 words maximum of their PhD project
- A one-page letter of support from the PhD supervisor(s)
- An official document certifying the affiliation to an academic institution.
An agreement will be signed between the PhD candidate, his or her supervisor(s) and the doctoral programme.