Aims: The aim of the doctoral programme is to study the psychological development in senior people with different types of pathologies of psychological character and treatment (dementia, depression, etc.), as well as in the elderly who age in an active and satisfactory way. The doctoral studies shall guarantee the acquisition of the basic competences established in the Spanish Qualifications Framework for Higher Education.

Description: Following the United Nations’ prospective, there will be over 300 million Europeans over 60 years old by 2050. According to the INE and regarding people over 64 in Spain, there has been a rise form a 5.2% in 1900, to a 8.2% in 1960, a 17% in 2000 according to the population projections of a 20% in 2020. Regarding future perspectives, the greatest absolute and relative growths of the upcoming 40 years will be concentrated on advanced ages. Concretely, the age group over 64 years old will double its size, making of Europe the oldest continent in the world. Nowadays, European population over 60 years old is over 200 million people. Following the democratic prospectives of the 31,9% of Spain’s total population. This way, all population segments of old people are the ones which are having the greatest increase in the latter years, progression which will be maintained in the future, directing us to an old society. This way, all developed societies will face a new demographic reality which requires important actions in the field of health, wellbeing and integration of the elder. This data suggests the key paper of science and the professionals who work with this section of the population. United Nations and the World Health Organization have developed important Action Plans to face this challenge which reflects the strong implication Psychogerontology shall have.