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Gerontology Certificate
About the Gerontology Certificate:
The certificate program in gerontology provides
a basic multidisciplinary background for undergraduate students who are interested
in the study of adult development and elderhood. It introduces students to the complex health,
social, economic, environmental, psychological, transportation, housing, spiritual,
intergenerational, recreational and aesthetic needs of older adults, their families
and caregivers. At a time when close to one out of seven Americans is 65 or older,
there is an increasing need for professionals in family studies, sociology, biology,
psychology, health, adult fitness and recreation, anthropology, ethics, philosophy,
business, tourism, legal studies, financial planning, accounting, music therapy and
the arts to be trained to work in multiple contexts with a diverse population of senior
citizens and their families. This certificate program in gerontology is appropriate
for students from most majors and challenges students to think critically about various
aspects of healthy adult development and elderhood. It is distinctive in that it
includes several service-learning courses which integrate academic coursework with "hands on" learning opportunities in a variety of community-based organizations. Many of these organizations have had long-term partnerships with Montclair State University, its students, faculty and staff who have collaborated to increase the quality and quantity of assets and services for older adults in the surrounding community. These service-learning experiences enable students to clarify career goals and/or provide background knowledge for working with elders in a variety of community-based service, public, private and non-profit settings. The employment outlook for students with some background in gerontology, whether their career interests are in business, finance, law, health, entertainment, recreation, travel, housing, family studies, counseling etc, will only increase for the foreseeable future. One course in the certificate program meets a general education requirement and other courses may also meet a major requirement, a factor important to students who want to have a certificate in gerontology and still graduate on time.
GERONTOLOGY CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS:
| Required Courses |
13 SH |
| Choose one (1) of the following courses: |
3 SH |
| FCST 201 |
Older Adults and Their Families: Introduction to Gerontology -OR |
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| FCST 344 |
Challenge of Aging (Service-Learning section) |
3 |
| SOCI 219 |
Sociology of Aging (Service-Learning section) |
3 |
| ANTH 350 |
Anthropology of Aging and the Aged (Service-Learning section) |
3 |
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| Choose one (1) of the following courses: |
3 SH |
| PSYC 268 |
Psychological Aspects of Aging (Prerequisite PSYC 101) |
3 |
| PSYC 302 |
Health Psychology (Service-Learning section preferred) |
3 |
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(prerequisites: PSYC 101, PSYC 220 & PSYC 203 [or PSYC 290] |
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-OR-permission of the instructor) |
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| Choose one (1) of the following courses: |
3 SH |
| HLTH 440 |
Health Aspects of Aging (Service-Learning section) |
3 |
| HLTH 445 |
Perspectives on Death |
3 |
| PEMJ 340 |
Fitness and the Aging Process |
3 |
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(prerequisites: PEMJ 220, BIO 240 & 241,OR - permission from instructor) |
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| PHIL 204 |
Philosophical Issues / Biomedical Ethics |
3 |
| RELG 218 |
Death, Dying and Afterlife |
3 |
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| Required course: |
4 SH |
| BIOL 110 |
Biology of Human Life (Meets natural/physical science labs/GER) |
4 |
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| Additional courses recommended but not required for students interested in gerontology |
| ENID 398 |
Autobiography (Prerequisite ENGL 106 or HONP 101) |
3 |
| EUGS 360 |
Environmental Gerontology |
3 |
| LSPR 322 |
Wills/Trusts/ Probate Law |
3 |
| LSPR 413 |
Elder Law |
3 |
| MUTH 100 |
Introduction to Music Therapy |
2 |
| PHIL 210 |
Ethics |
3 |
| PHIL 204 |
Philosophical Issues/ Biomedical Ethics |
3 |
| PHIL 334 |
Theoretical and Applied Ethics |
3 |
| SOCI 309 |
Sociology of Health and Illness |
3 |
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| NOTE: Students may want to meet with the coordinator for the minor and plan how to use the elective credits to enroll in a Cooperative Education/Internship experience working with older adults. |
| Click here to print the Gerontology Certificate worksheet |
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