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The Gerontology Certificate program is designed to prepare
individuals who seek education, training and certification
in gerontology. The program provides an interdisciplinary
approach to gerontology and is designed for baccalaureate
degree graduates who desire specialization in line with their
interest, needs and career application. The interdisciplinary
nature of the program also embraces different backgrounds
and interests and is suited for graduates from any undergraduate
major including those in social and human services, and health
professions. The program requires the completion of 18 credit
hours of courses, 12 of which are required courses.
Required courses address the realities of aging including
perspectives on the biological, physiological and psychosocial
aspects of aging, policies, programs and services for older
adults. Additional areas of elective study include ethnogerontology,
aging and adaptation, public policy and aging, elder abuse,
neglect and exploitation, death and dying, and bereavement.
An internship is offered as an elective. Completion
of 12 credit hours is required prior to beginning the internship.
Other Gerontology Programs at FGCU include a Bachelor of
Science in Health Science with a concentration in Gerontology,
and a Master of Science in Health Science with a concentration
in Gerontology. See the links to those programs for more
information.
Careers in Gerontology
Populations are aging worldwide. This means that
people live longer, and the number of older persons is
increasing. In the U.S., of those born in 1900 nearly half
died before they were 50 years old. People born today can
expect to live beyond their 75th year. In 1900 about one in 25
Americans was over 65; today one in eight is over 65. The age
group growing fastest in our society and in many other
countries is the "very old": people aged 85 and
over. This growth will continue well into the 21st century,
when one in five Americans will be over 65, and there will be
15 to 18 million persons over the age of 85.
These growth trends will result in a demand for
professionals with knowledge and expertise in aging. Expanded
career opportunities in gerontology are forecast in many
disciplines and professions, each area requiring a work force
with education and training in gerontology. Some people will
work directly with elders in:
- developing programs such as health promotion, senior
theater groups, intergenerational activities for elders in
senior centers, community agencies, or retirement
communities;
- providing direct care to frail, ill, or impaired older
persons in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, or through
adult day care or home care programs;
- counseling older people and their families about issues
of caregiving, employment, death and dying, or mental
health; and
- advising older clients about estate planning and
investments, financing long-term care or housing options.
Other professionals are less directly involved with older
persons, but work on their behalf, educate others, or
investigate issues in the field of aging. Examples of their
activities include:
- conducting research on the aging processes and diseases
associated with aging such as Alzheimer's disease or
osteoporosis;
- analyzing issues related to elders such as retirement
opportunities, income maintenance, the health care system,
and housing alternatives;
- planning, administering, and evaluating community-based
services and service delivery systems for older persons;
- teaching classes and courses to community members,
college and university students, health care
professionals, and older adults;
- advocating with or on behalf of elders before
legislative bodies or in institutional settings;
- designing products to meet the special interests and
needs of older persons; and
- advising business, industry, and labor regarding older
workers and consumers.
Visit Careers
in Aging for more information.
The Gerontology Certificate program admission requirements
include:
- Submission of a Florida Gulf Coast University Non
Degree Seeking Enrollment Application
for program admission, and satisfaction of all applicable
university admission requirements.
- Submission of a completed application
for the Gerontology Certificate program.
- Graduation from a baccalaureate level program or a graduate
degree from an accredited college or university, documented
by official transcripts.
- Minimum score of 600 on TOEFL for international students
who speak English as a second language.
Applicants may apply for either spring or fall admission.
To assure consideration, applicants must be admitted to FGCU
and supplemental application materials must be postmarked to
the College of Health Professions.
A program faculty advisor is available to assist students.
A Certificate in Gerontology is conferred upon successful
completion of the program.
Eighteen (18) credits of coursework are required to complete
the gerontology program. These 18 credits include 12
credits of required courses and 6 credits of electives.
Students select electives based on their areas of interest.
This is a web based distance learning program.
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