Mark Radford MSc Gerontology, 2011

Research assistant

Hi, I'm Mark Radford and I studied MSc Gerontology within Social Sciences: Ageing/Gerontology at the University of Southampton.

When I first visited the Centre for Research on Ageing, I was impressed by the scope of the academic work being undertaken and by the friendly yet professional attitude of the staff.

Why did you chose Southampton?
I had been running care homes for older people since 1989 and during that period had developed an interest in public policy in our ageing society. I was particularly fascinated by the research aspects of this topic related to housing choices. When I first visited the Centre for Research on Ageing, I was impressed by the scope of the academic work being undertaken and by the friendly yet professional attitude of the staff. Southampton has an excellent reputation as a research university.

What did you enjoy about studying at Southampton?
I enjoyed the academic rigour of the course. There was the opportunity to work with, and learn from, fellow students from a range of cultural, academic and employment backgrounds. The course improved my essay writing skills and introduced me to a range of quantitative and qualitative research techniques. Lectures and other course materials were available online, allowing work-time flexibility. My tutor was very supportive of my learning.

What have you been able to achieve?
I was delighted to be awarded prizes for coursework and for the dissertation and receive a distinction grade overall. Since finishing the MSc last October, I have worked in a management role on the 2011 census and been offered jobs managing older people's care services.