Graduate Catalog: The Gerontology Institute
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Advisory Board || Gerontology Certificate || MS in Gerontology
Director: Alice McDonnell, M.P.A., Dr. P.H.
Marywood University established the Gerontology Institute in 1978 to provide inter-disciplinary graduate education focused on the issues of aging. Four cooperating graduate programs form the core of the institute. They are the master’s degree programs in Counseling and Psychology, Nutrition, Public Administration, and Social Work. Faculty members in each of these programs offer specialized courses in gerontology to students pursuing graduate professional education in a number of service areas.
The Gerontology Institute offers graduate students the opportunity to focus their educational experiences on the problems of aging in American society and to develop specialized skills that will enable them to better serve the large and growing population of elderly in Marywood’s service area.
Students may elect to take courses within the institute to augment their graduate programs or choose to pursue a Certificate of Specialization in Gerontology. Because needs are so varied, each student’s course of study is designed with consideration for individual goals, academic background, and professional experience. Courses of study will be planned in close consultation with the chairperson of the student’s master’s program to ensure meeting all requirements. The Graduate Certificate in Gerontology has received recognition as a Program of Merit from the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.
Advisory Board
The Advisory Board of the Gerontology Institute of Marywood University functions to involve constituents and other interested parties in the programming of the Gerontology Institute and to help the University develop and implement an educational program that is responsive to the needs of professionals working with the elderly. The Advisory Board acts as a network of support and information which is directed toward addressing the continuing education needs of those who work with the elderly. The membership includes individuals who represent the disciplines of counseling, nursing, nutrition, psychology, social work, and others interested in serving the needs of the elderly.
Gerontology Certificate Program
24 credits
A Graduate Certificate in Gerontology is available as a separate program and also for students pursuing degrees in Public Administration, Health Services Administration, Nutrition, Social Work, Counseling, and Psychology. The Graduation Contract for degree candidates must provide documentation that the student has completed the program of instruction and educational experiences required for the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology.
I. REQUIRED COURSES
18 credits
| GER 506 | Research Theory |
3
|
| GER 510 | Concepts and Issues in Gerontology (S W 941) |
3
|
| GER 520 | Psychological Perspectives on the Aging (PSY 540) |
3
|
| GER 525 | Aging Changes and Health Problems |
3
|
| GER 597 | Internship |
3
|
| GER 599 | Practitioner’s Seminar |
3
|
II. ELECTIVES
6 credits
Select two from the following Gerontology electives:
| GER 511 | Ethics In Management |
3
|
| GER 527 | Gerontological Services Administration |
3
|
| GER 528 | Administration of Long-Term Care |
3
|
| GER 529 | Planning Health Care Services for the Elderly |
3
|
| GER 530 | Nutrition and Gerontology |
3
|
| GER 531 | Communicating Across Generations: Oral History |
3
|
| GER 575 | Counseling the Aged .(COUN 575) |
3
|
| GER 578 | Issues in Geriatric Care: Special Topics |
3
|
| GER 595 | Independent Study |
3
|
To complete degree requirements, an additional 15-18 credits are required plus the Professional Contribution.
The Research Theory course, Internship, and Professional Contribution must focus on gerontology research and practice. The program director must approve and mentor these activities. The internship should be within an organization and/or facility which includes experiences with both well-functioning older persons and those with disabilities/diseases common to the aging process.
For the internship, learning objectives must be submitted initially followed by a conference among student, program director and external preceptor. Once all learning objectives are clarified and reviewed, the student may register for the experience. For degree requirements, the Professional Contribution requires a written proposal submitted to the Program Director for approval, followed by a conference prior to registration. Each student participates in the Practitioners Seminar to integrate/apply knowledge and practice. Please refer to Internship Guidelines and Professional Contribution, which are available in the Department of Nursing and Public Administration.
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M.S. in Gerontology
A master’s degree in Gerontology will offer students an opportunity to be better prepared for a career in health care fields related to the elderly. It will offer health care professionals the knowledge and ability to make continuous changes and improvements in how the elderly are cared for. Health care providers and administrators with gerontology backgrounds will be very valuable in the changing market place.
This program will provide the opportunity for students in the fields such as health care administration, nursing, nutrition, social work, public administration, and counseling/ psychology to gain knowledge of the needs of the geriatric population—to care properly for the geriatric patients in both social and health care environments. The curriculum will prepare graduates to work more creatively, and do so in an ethical and moral fashion. As the population ages, it will be important for health care workers to adapt to their changing responsibilities, and feel comfortable that the risks they take for attempts at improvement are based upon a solid education and background.
39 credits are required for this degree. Sequencing of required courses:
| GER 510 | Concepts and Issues in Gerontology |
3
|
| GER 520/PSY 540 | Psychological Perspectives on the Aging |
3
|
| GER 525 | Aging Changes and Health |
3
|
| GER 590/N D 590 | Research Methodology |
3
|
| GER 591/N D 591 | Statistical Analysis |
3
|
| GER 597 | Internship Practicum |
3
|
| GER 599 | Internship Seminar |
3
|
| GER 527 | Gerontological Services Administration |
3
|
| GER 528 | Administration of Long-Term Care |
3
|
| GER 529 | Planning Health Care Services for the Elderly |
3
|
| GER 511 | Ethics in Management |
3
|
| GER 555 | Professional Contribution |
3
|
| GER 583/BIOL 583 | Emerging Medicines and Technologies |
3
|
AGHE, the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education, was consulted for curriculum guidelines and standards. Marywood’s Certificate in Gerontology has already received accreditation as an AGHE Program of Merit and will seek the same for the master’s degree, making it the only school in the Northeast to offer such a program.