Gerontology, M.A.

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Students pursuing the M.A. degree may choose either the program administration concentration or the research concentration. The program administration concentration prepares students to work in aging services and administration and emphasizes program design and management. The research concentration prepares students to enter doctoral programs in gerontology, sociology, psychology, policy studies, family studies, or related fields and for beginning careers with organizations engaged in aging research.

Master of Arts-Requirements for Admission

The general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Three letters of recommendation.
A statement of educational and career goals.
A current resume.

Degree Requirements

(Minimum of 36 credit hours)

Prerequisite

Prerequisite required of students without previous coursework in statistics.

SOCI 3010 - Social Statistics 3 Hours or another approved statistics course

Core Courses (15 Hours)

Required:

GERO 8000 - Seminar in Gerontology 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8100 - Research Methods in Gerontology 3 Credit Hours

Select Three Additional Core Courses (9 Hours)

GERO 7110 - Aging Policy and Services 3 Credit Hours
GERO 7200 - Health and the Older Adult 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8116 - Sociology of Aging 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8320 - Psychology of Aging 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8124 - Diversity and Aging 3 Credit Hours

Concentrations (9 Hours)

Select one of the following tracks.

Select Four Elective Courses (12 Hours)

Choose four electives from this list of approved electives:

GERO 6475 - Communication and Aging 3 Credit Hours
GERO 7110 - Aging Policy and Services 3 Credit Hours
GERO 7200 - Health and the Older Adult 3 Credit Hours
GERO 7260 - Aging Practice, Policy, and Research 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8102 - Life Course Sociology 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8110 - Evaluation Research in Gerontology 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8115 - Qualitative Gerontology 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8119 - Global Aging and Social Policies 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8116 - Sociology of Aging 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8120 - Intervention Research Methodology: Design, Implementation, and Dissemination 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8122 - Death, Dying, and Loss 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8124 - Diversity and Aging 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8130 - Ties that Bind: Family, Intimacy, and Aging 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8200 - Aging Program Administration 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8219 - Reframing Aging in the Global Economy 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8320 - Psychology of Aging 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8330 - Mental Health and Aging 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8340 - Dementia 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8700 - Special Topics in Gerontology 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8800 - Directed Readings in Gerontology 3 Credit Hours
GERO 8910 - Gerontology Internship 1 to 6 Credit Hours
GERO 8920 - Careers in Aging 3 Credit Hours
NUTR 7105 - Geriatric Nutrition 3 Credit Hours

Graduate Assistants

Graduate assistants are required to enroll for a minimum of 12 credit hours each for the fall/spring semesters and 9 credit hours for the summer semester. These credit hours will consist of courses required for the prescribed program of study, as well as additional hours of GERO 8990 and/or 8999.

GERO 8990 - Research Practicum 3 to 15 Credit Hours and/or
GERO 8999 - Thesis Research 1 to 9 Credit Hours