What field of study would one pursue if they wanted to biologically live longer? Genetics?
Mysticism. Live on a hilltop and tell people you are 100 years older than you look. They will believe you.
According to the US Bureau of Labor statistics the professions with the least on the job caused Illness, death and Injury are:
(ballparking looking at thousands of jobs giving it the once over)
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Accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping.
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Passenger transportation arrangement. (part of transportation arrangement)
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Working in an Infant clothing store
&
- working in a Foreign Bank Branch or Agency
All of these are likely to give you a statistically likely longer life than most other professions vis a vis the workplace. Someone smart may know of a study of longevity by profession, but I’m not smart
.
Anthropology. Study cultures where people seem predisposed to longevity. In modern times you should focus on the lifestyle of rural Chinese as well as Japanese and emulate to the best of your ability.
I would say Molecular biology.
Mysticsm? Where do you live, a cave? Ya see, there is this thing called science- it actually does stuff…
http://www.oomo.org/double_life_span.htm
http://www.biotech.missouri.edu/Dauer-World/Aging/Lakowski.html
http://www.centagenetix.com/sci_tech/
And on, and on, and on…
I was in a bit of a rush when I posted this thread, my apologies.
I’m asking what I should get a master’s/phd/etc in, in order to find a way to prolong life. I’m not altogether sure if there is one area of study that could encompass this though.
It sounds a bit simple-minded (especially considering me), but I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately, I want to at least attempt to help mankind live longer. I suppose that’s wishful thinking, but I am still curious as to what one would study (as in college) if one wanted to do such things.
I appreciate the helpful advice though :D.
I would think if you want to help the whole of mankind to live longer (as opposed to each individual person) your best bet would be to study astronomy (??) or related subjects to find ways to colonise other planets, etc.
Julie
If you want to help individuals, you might look into medicine of any kind, or maybe agriculture. Good nutrition and modern healthcare has increased the average lifespan enormously.
Why, cybernetics, of course!
You can be like the B’omarr Monks of Tatooine, surgically remove your brain and implant it inside a self-contained Brain Spider ™, to live on for centuries while you contemplate the deeper meanings of your existence. If you were so inclined, you could also live on a hill, like Maria suggested, and simultaneously impress, terrify, and offer words of wisdom to the local populance!
Or perhaps Alex Murphy, who, after being fatally wounded in the line of duty, is merged with a cybernetic body and given another shot at life.
Or you might be inclined to follow the steps of David Markham and Esther Nairn, who uploaded their conciousnesses into an computer network and lived on in virtual immortality.
If we’re lucky (or as some might say, unlucky), technological progress in our lifetimes might advance so quickly that things like that will be possible 
But, of course, it probably won’t. shrug It’s a great risk, but it also promises great potential rewards, if you don’t mind living your “life” like that…
Another vote for molecular biology.
Might want to focus on telomere research.
Unfortunately, longer life-spans have not increased the maximum body life-span. It’s still about 120 years. Imagine if everyone lived to about 110-120. At that point you have few, if any of your marbles. Mobility is limited, and you probably have bottles attached to you. Your eyesight and hearing are also mostly gone. The “good” thing, though, is that at that point you’re too clueless to realize the shape you’re in.
There are exceptions, as always, but there’s a point at which living longer isn’t “living.” It’s just being kept alive.
Nutrition.
As someone said “I came to live, not to last”. Lasting is not the same as living.