It also provides a continuing education opportunity for professionals already working in their chosen fields who wish to expand their knowledge in the field of gerontology. Students must earn a minimum of 18 credits distributed among four major categories of courses. Because the certificate is intended to be multidisciplinary, no more than 9 credits in the student's major department may be included in the course work used to fulfill the requirements for the certificate. The 18 credits are to be distributed as follows. Minor The Institute on Aging also offers a Ph.D. minor in Aging Studies, designed to provide advanced study of various subfields of aging including social gerontology, life-span development, and biogerontology.
Students can tailor their program of studies to meet their academic needs.
The minor requires a minimum of 10 credits in two or more departments. Social gerontology courses are available in a broad range of subjects pertaining to the social and psychological aspects of aging including related behavioral and social sciences such as economics, political science, social welfare, family studies, demography, and education. Available courses also pertain to health care issues such as long-term care and the economics and planning of health care systems, as well as environmental design that supports the needs and capabilities of older people. Life-span development courses address the psychological, sociocultural, historical, and social institutional aspects of human growth and development from conception through old age. Biogerontology courses address the biological basis for aging.