Graduate Catalog 2004-2005
Gerontology
For information, contact:
Nancy Orel, Ph.D.
102 Health Center
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403
(419) 372-9930
Degrees Offered
Graduate Certificate in Gerontology
As society enters into the twenty-first century, the elderly - those aged 65 and over - comprise the most rapidly growing segment of our population. To address the special needs of this segment of the population, the College of Health and Human Services offers the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology. The certificate curriculum acknowledges the role of biological, psychological, and social influences on older adults’ well-being, and provides students with knowledge of how these factors interact to influence the aging process. Employing a multi-disciplinary approach, the curriculum prepares students to assist older adults and their families meet the challenges of later life.
Regardless of a student’s career goals, the certificate program provides knowledge of gerontology applicable to all business, professional, and personal situations involving older adults and their families. The certificate program is appropriate for professionals who occupy positions in agencies and institutions which directly administer and deliver services to the older population, but who have not received recent formal training in gerontology; for students pursuing academic and/or research careers which focus on the older population; and for students who anticipate their chosen profession will bring them into contact with older adults.
Students may enroll only in the certificate program, or may complete the certificate in conjunction with a graduate degree at the University.
The faculty of the Gerontology Program at Bowling Green State University represent a cross-section of social science degrees in family science, psychology, and sociology. The faculty have experience in theoretical and applied gerontology through a wide array of agencies and institutions. The gerontology faculty at Bowling Green have experience in the administration of senior housing and long-term care, senior citizen centers, adult day care centers, research institutes, and other gerontological settings.
Prerequisites to Graduate Work
Formal training in gerontology is not a prerequisite to admission. Individuals currently enrolled in graduate degree programs at the University and those whose occupations bring them into contact with older adults are eligible to apply to the certificate program.
Admission Procedure
Applicants seeking admission to the certificate program should follow the instructions outlined in the “Graduate Admission” section of this Catalog.
In addition to the application required by the Graduate College, applicants to the certificate program must submit:
1) three letters of recommendation from recent instructors, employers, or other individuals qualified to evaluate probable success in the program;
2) a statement of intent delineating the purpose for enrolling in the program; and
3) a personal statement outlining short- and long-term career goals. Careful attention is given to the personal statement accompanying the application.
Students must complete 15 semester hours of approved courses to earn the certificate. No internship is required for the certificate. Students must complete a nine hour core of courses in the gerontology program including GERO 601, Current Perspectives in Gerontology. The remaining two courses may be taken in other departments as approved by the gerontology program. An outline of the proposed course work comprising the graduate certificate in gerontology must be approved by the director of the gerontology program and placed on file with the Graduate College. The form for the proposed course work is available from the Graduate College of from the gerontology program.
Students are encouraged to select remaining courses to build the certificate to their professional needs by working with the gerontology program and other departments. Suggested courses comprising the remaining six hours may include additional courses offered by the gerontology program, such as federal, state, and local programs in aging; aging and the family; GERO 684, Readings in Gerontology; and GERO 690, Direct Research in Gerontology. Suggested courses from other departments include, but are not limited to, CDIS 605, Communication Disorders and Aging; F&N 536, Nutrition for Aging; AHE 680, Relationships in Later Life; HMSL 628, Planning Leisure Lifestyles; PHIL 721, Professional Ethics; and PSYC 737, Mental Health and Aging.
Additional aging-related courses from various departments will be reviewed by the gerontology faculty for fulfillment of electives as they are offered.
Graduate Courses
Please access graduate courses online at http://webapps.bgsu.edu/courses/search.php. Graduate courses offered by the Gerontology program use the prefix: GERO.
MyBGSU
Email
Search
Directory
Academics
Admissions
The Arts
Athletics
Library
A to Z Links
Bowling Green State University