Gerontology Certificate

Gerontology is the study of aging. The number of adults over 65 years old is expected to increase dramatically in the near future. In fact, by 2030, it's estimated that 1 in 5 Americans will be over the age of 65 years. Since aging brings people specific challenges and opportunities that require specialized services and care, individuals with a background in gerontology are needed in every profession: medical, social, financial, administrative, residential, and hospitality services. The Gerontology Certificate provides students with a strong foundation in gerontology, preparing them to work with and advocate for older adults. The program is structured so students are able to individualize their courses of study to fit their career needs. Also, the certificate can be completed online. (The requirements for both the Gerontology Minor and Certificate are the same, the equivalent of 20 credits. Typically, degree-seeking students choose the minor and non-degree-seeking students choose the certificate.)

Contact Information

gerontology@css.edu

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the Gerontology Certificate, the student will demonstrate:

1. Mastery of the biopsychosocial content area of gerontology.
2. Ability to communicate about gerontological matters with appropriate application of terms and concepts.
3. Competency in accessing gerontological research findings and integrating these findings with other scholarly information and personal observations.

Requirements

Students must achieve the following program requirements for all courses listed under Program Requirements and Program Required Courses for the Gerontology Certificate.

Program Requirements

Certificate Credits: 16-20
Minimum GPA: 2.0
Minimum Grade: C-

Program Required Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Core Courses
GER 3316	Health and Functioning in Late Life	4
PSY 3315	Psychosocial Aspects of Aging	4
Elective Courses
Select 8 credits of the following:		8
BIO 4125	Biology of Aging
EXP 3334	Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
GER 3777	Topics in Gerontology
GER 4444	Research in Gerontology
HIS 1111	History of the United States II
or HIS 3325	African American History II
HSC 2203	U.S. Healthcare System
HSC 2215	Nutrition for Health and Wellness
PSY 3341	Introduction to Counseling
PSY 3424	Mental Health and Aging
SWK 4440	Social Work Intervention with Groups
TRS 3310	Religious Perspectives on Living, Dying and Grieving
or TRS 3311	Religious Perspectives on Healthcare Ethics
or TRS 3330	Catholic Benedictine Perspectives
TRS 3318	Spirituality and Aging
Gerontology Fieldwork Project or Equivalent
Select one of the following:		0-4
GER 4555	Gerontology Fieldwork Project
GER 4556	Professional Application of Gerontology 1
Total Credits		16-20

¹

with supervised field work for credit as required by the student's major