Health Sciences Degree (B.S.), Concentration in Gerontology

Overview

The Health Sciences major’s concentration in Gerontology provides a pathway for Health Science students to gain the skills and understanding necessary to work with an older population. The courses in the concentration in Gerontology include the five foundational Health Sciences courses and an additional number of multidisciplinary courses aimed at helping students develop an understanding of the physical, social, and psychological aspects of aging. This concentration is appropriate for students who are wanting to work with an older population, students seeking careers within long-term care facilities, and for students wanting to go into graduate school for specialized training in health care and/or gerontology.

Requirements

Program Description

The Health Sciences major's concentration in Gerontology provides a pathway for Health Science students to gain the skills and understanding necessary to work with an older population. The courses in the concentration in Gerontology include the five foundational Health Sciences courses and an additional number of multidisciplinary courses aimed at helping students develop an understanding of the physical, social, and psychological aspects of aging. This concentration is appropriate for students who are wanting to work with an older population, students seeking careers within long-term care facilities, and for students wanting to go into graduate school for specialized training in health care and/or gerontology.

Required Foundational Health Science Courses

The following 15 credits make up the Foundational courses required of Health Science majors.

Additional Required Courses

In addition to the five foundational courses in Health Sciences, students with a concentration in Gerontology must also take the following required courses that specialize in gerontology and the older adult. These courses focus on the three interdisciplinary fields represented in Gerontology: the physical, psychological, and social aspects of aging. Gerontology is a interdisciplinary social science and students claiming a concentration in Gerontology need to have an understanding of the statistics and the research methods that are an intrinsic part of social science disciplines.

Elective Courses

Students enrolled in the Health Science major with a concentration in Gerontology can choose from the following Gerontology concentration elective courses that intersect with healthcare needs:

Additional Graduation Requirements

All students must meet the University Graduation Requirements and complete a common core of studies, distributed among the different academic areas as detailed in the Common Core.

Learning Outcomes

  • Increase student flexibility to explore a variety of aspects of healthcare.
  • Utilize a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving and patient care.
  • Prepare students to be leaders in the new model of healthcare.
  • Increase relevance of university curriculum.
  • Increase accessibility of graduate school prerequisites.
  • Increase marketability of students as they apply to graduate schools and professional positions.
  • Broaden teaching service and scholarship opportunities for faculty members.
  • Promote interdepartmental collaboration.
A Health Sciences student negotiates obstacles with a walker