The Interdisciplinary Program in Gerontology is designed to provide students with academic and field experiences in the area of aging. An understanding of the basic processes of aging and of its social consequences is valuable not only for students who wish to pursue careers directly related to gerontology but also for students interested in traditional careers in other areas. As the number of older persons in our society continues to increase, it will be important for people in every occupation and profession to have a basic understanding of the aging process. The goal of the program is to provide students with that basic understanding.
Gerontology is both an interdisciplinary and a multidisciplinary field.
Invariably, the best research, training, and service programs in gerontology have developed when professionals from a variety of traditional academic disciplines have been afforded the opportunity to work together, each contributing a unique expertise while benefiting from the expertise of others. The minor in gerontology is built around a core sequence of interdisciplinary courses, supplemented by multidisciplinary primary electives that are taught by professionals from a variety of different academic disciplines. This approach is designed to bring together information from multidisciplinary sources, integrate theoretical and applied concepts in gerontology, and communicate to students the need for an integrated approach to meeting the needs of older persons. The minor in gerontology is awarded only to students completing an undergraduate major at UNC Charlotte. A total of 18 hours in gerontology courses with an overall GPA of 2.5 in those courses is required.