Journal profile · Multiple
Longitudinal and Life Course Studies
ISSN 1757-9597 · Bristol University Press
Longitudinal and Life Course Studies: CAS Zone 3 · Sociology (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.07; hybrid open access; median 280 days to acceptance (49 articles, last 24 months); 27 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Longitudinal and Life Course Studies is published by Bristol University Press and is in Zone 3 of Sociology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Health disparities and outcomes, Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies and Youth Education and Societal Dynamics, together about 30% of its articles. Its main subfields are Sociology and Political Science. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Longitudinal and Life Course Studies (LLCS) is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the needs of researchers studying the life course and using longitudinal methods at the interfaces of social, developmental and health sciences. It fosters cross-disciplinary and international endeavours and promotes the creation and exploitation of longitudinal data resources as well as their application to policy issues. As the journal of the Society for Longitudinal and Life Course Studies (SLLS) it provides an opportunity for scholars at all stages of their careers to publish work crossing disciplinary boundaries which is often beyond the scope of more conventional, single-field journals. Longitudinal research involves the follow up of individuals, households, communities or other groups over time. Life course study focuses on the influences that shape holistic pathways from conception to adult life and old age. LLCS brings together the broad range of specialist interests in an international, multidisciplinary, multi-method framework. The editors welcome submissions that report on research or methodological development, in one or more of these fields and from a spectrum of disciplinary approaches: sociological (quantitative and qualitative), demographic, economic, geographic, historical, psychological and behavioural, epidemiological and statistical. Typically papers deal with individual data in several domains (for example physical or mental health, education, housing, employment) as they change over time, and set in their life course and policy context. International comparisons are encouraged within papers and can be made between them. In addition to carrying research articles, the journal specialises in publishing study profiles introducing particular longitudinal studies to scientific and policy users and the designers and managers of other studies It explores new forms of longitudinal data collection, including the exploitation of administrative sources. Occasionally, it also publishes edited debates and invited pieces about the research–policy interface, keynote addresses at SLLS conferences, and reviews of books of special relevance to our readership. The editors seek to ensure that all research reporting is accessible to the journal's multidisciplinary readership and encourage comparisons and collaborations between countries and studies. We are especially eager to showcase findings from parts of the world where longitudinal studies are increasingly being establ
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Health disparities and outcomesSocial Sciences15.3%
- Intergenerational and Educational Inequality StudiesSocial Sciences7.7%
- Youth Education and Societal DynamicsSocial Sciences7.1%
- Employment and Welfare StudiesHealth Professions6.6%
- Intergenerational Family Dynamics and CaregivingSocial Sciences6.1%
- Birth, Development, and HealthMedicine5.5%
- Early Childhood Education and DevelopmentSocial Sciences4.5%
- Retirement, Disability, and EmploymentSocial Sciences4.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Sociology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Sociology Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Sociology Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Public, Environmental & Occupational Health | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
SCIEWeb of ScienceMEDLINEPubMedPublisher website
Other: EBSCO, ProQuest
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.07LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 1.1Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 3.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.41LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.56LetPub ·
- h-index
- 37OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 160OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.51OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 9.1%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 12.9%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 20LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 535 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 27 | 14 | 4 |
| 2025 | 27 | 9 | 35 |
| 2024 | 28 | 15 | 85 |
| 2023 | 28 | 14 | 120 |
| 2022 | 32 | 26 | 132 |
| 2021 | 37 | 23 | 273 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with PubMed · to
280 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 183 days – 366 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 37 days (49 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 348 days
- Sample
- 49 articles with submission and acceptance dates (59 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
No source has fee information yet; check the journal's website.
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Article types accepted3, with length limits
- editorialAll submissions are first desk-reviewed by the editor(s) who will assess whether the manuscript fits the aims and scope as well as the quality standards of the …Length not stated
- full papernotes: Research notes are shorter than full papers – usually between 2,000 and 3,000 words in length including figures and tables. As a guide, a halfmain text ≤ 3,000 words
- research articleof your article: up to 8,000 words for research articles, 5,000 words for study profiles and 3,000 words for research notes. As amain text ≤ 5,000 words
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteData availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- Data availability Data sharing policy
We are fully supportive of academic data sharing and support the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reuse of digital assets) principles. In the humanities and social sciences data sharing can support transparency of research methods, allow others to build on published work, and provide credit to the data creator in the form of citations. We acknowledge that data cannot always …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Publication ethics policy
At Bristol University Press we are committed to upholding the highest standards of review and publication ethics in our journals. Bristol University Press is a member of and subscribes to the principles of the Committee of Publication Ethics (COPE), and will take appropriate action in cases of possible misconduct in line with COPE guidance. Find out more about our publication ethics policy. Back t…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright and permissions
Longitudinal and Life Course Studies is published by Bristol University Press on behalf of the Society for Longitudinal and Life Course Studies (SLLS). Articles are considered for publication on the understanding that on acceptance the author(s) grant(s) Bristol University Press (on behalf of SLLS) the exclusive right and licence to publish the article. Copyright remains with the author(s) or othe…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Authors have the option to pay an Article Processing Charge to make their paper open access immediately on publication, which is known as Gold open access. See our Article Processing Charges. Learn more about publishing open access. We offer open access waivers and discounts to first authors based in lower income countries. Learn more about our waivers and discounts. Authors based at institutions …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Editorial review process
All submissions are first desk-reviewed by the editor(s) who will assess whether the manuscript fits the aims and scope as well as the quality standards of the journal. Papers that are selected to be sent out for review will be evaluated through double anonymous peer review by at least two referees. Longitudinal and Life Course Studies aims to return the reviews along with an initial decision with…
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Bristol University Press
- ISSN
- 1757-9597
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Longitudinal and Life Course Studies
What CAS zone is Longitudinal and Life Course Studies in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Longitudinal and Life Course Studies is in Zone 3 of Sociology, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Public, Environmental & Occupational Health / Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Sociology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Longitudinal and Life Course Studies?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.07; CiteScore 3.2, h-index 37.
How long does peer review take at Longitudinal and Life Course Studies?
Based on the dates recorded on 49 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 280 days (interquartile range 183–366 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Which databases index Longitudinal and Life Course Studies?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Longitudinal and Life Course Studies is indexed in SSCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists SCIE, Web of Science, MEDLINE and PubMed; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is Longitudinal and Life Course Studies open access, and what is the APC?
Longitudinal and Life Course Studies is a hybrid journal. Fee information is not available yet; check the journal's website.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .