The Graduate School Bulletin
Graduate Programs in Gerontology
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Admissions Information
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Faculty
Overview
Requirements for the Post-Baccalaureate in Gerontology
Requirements for the Master of Science in Gerontology
Nonprofit Management Concentration
Requirements for the Master of Science in Gerontology / Master of Business Administration
GRO Gerontology Courses
Faculty
Program Director:
Janice I. Wassel, Ph.D.
Demography; financial resources and the aging family; retirement decisions of professionals, women, and married couples; caregiving and family systems (Gerontology and The Graduate School).
Associate Director:
Neal E. Cutler, Ph.D.
Financial gerontology, business and aging, wealth/wealth interactions, aging and social policy, professional-practitioner education, age-period-cohort analysis, survey research (Gerontology and The Graduate School).
Interdisciplinary Faculty and Advisors:
Professors
Jane E. Myers, Ph.D.
Gerontological counseling, adult development, developmental counseling, wellness, clinical assessment, adult children of older adults (Department of Counseling and Educational Development).
William L. Tullar, Ph.D.
Knowledge management, human resource metrics, and employee selection (Department of Business Administration).
Associate Professors
Beth E. Barba, Ph.D.
Human/animal interactions with older adults, Eden Alternative (team care delivery, animals and children) in nursing homes, failure to thrive in older adults (School of Nursing).
Jennifer Etnier, Ph.D.
Physical activity and mental health (Department of Exercise and Sport Science).
Virginia A. Hinton, Ph.D.
Normal speech pathology (Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders).
Laurie M. Kennedy-Malone, Ph.D.
Community-gerontological nursing (School of Nursing).
Kenneth A. Klase, D.P.A.
Public administration, public budgeting and finance, public financial management (Department of Political Science).
Martha Taylor, Ph.D.
Nutritional health and needs of older adults, health promotion/disease prevention, nutrition education (Department of Nutrition).
Visiting Associate Professors
Michele Haber, M.P.H., M.D.
Individual geriatric assessment and improvement, staff and program development for long-term care facilities and other organizations serving seniors (Department of Public Health Education).
A. Frank Johns, J.D.
Elder law, multidisciplinary ethics impacting community, advance litigation strategies, guardianship and fiduciary responsibilities relating to older adults.
Assistant Professors
Olav Rüppell, Ph.D.
Life history and behavior of social insects, aging and genetics of complex traits (Department of Biology).
Sudha Shreeniwas, Ph.D.
Gender and family issues among seniors in India and among ethnic groups in the U.S. (Department of Human Development and Family Studies).
Adjunct Instructors
Anne R. Daniel, M.A.
Medicare and Medicaid, health policy, medical care costs and the health insurance industry affecting older adults and families (Department of Public Health Education).
Sandra Leak, M.H.A.
Comparative long term care policy at the community and state level (Department of Public Health Education).
Overview
The Graduate School offers graduate work leading to a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate and a Master of Science in gerontology. The Bryan School of Business and Economics and the Gerontology Program offer a combined Master of Science in gerontology and Master of Business Administration degree.
Students wishing to combine a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in gerontology with a degree should consult with the Director of the gerontology program and with the department of interest.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the admission materials required by The Graduate School, applicants to all gerontology programs must submit a personal essay elaborating on the applicant’s experience and/or interest in working with the elderly. Applicants to the M.S./M.B.A. must have a minimum of two years of relevant work experience and applications are reviewed by the directors of the gerontology and M.B.A. programs. Applicants to the nonprofit management concentration must apply simultaneously to the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in nonprofit management offered by the Department of Political Science.
Requirements for the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Gerontology
Fifteen (15) credit hours must be successfully completed during four academic years to earn the certificate. Courses fulfilling the certificate program may be used to meet requirements in a degree program in accordance with the policies of The Graduate School.
Required Core Courses (6 hours)
GRO 501 Seminar: Critical Issues of Aging (3)
GRO 649 Gerontology Practicum or Supervised Research (3)
Electives (9 hours)
To meet the student’s educational objectives, three courses (9 hours) are selected under advisement from three core areas:
Biology/health
Gerontology
Psychosocial
Requirements for the Master of Science in Gerontology
The Master of Science in gerontology requires 36 hours of course work and practicum/internships. The program offers a thesis and non-thesis option. It is recommended that students complete the statistics requirement prior to enrolling in GRO 620. Students accepted without an undergraduate statistics course are encouraged to complete such a course prior to enrolling in the graduate statistics course.
Required Core Courses (18 hours)
GRO 501 Seminar: Critical Issues of Aging (3)
GRO 620 Research Methods in Gerontology (3)
GRO 649 Gerontology Practicum or Supervised Research (3)
GRO 651 Integrative Seminar in Gerontology (3)
GRO 679 Advanced Gerontology Practicum/Supervised Research (3)
ERM 617 Statistical Methods in Education (3) or STA 571 Statistical Methods for Research I (3) and STA 571L Statistical Methods Laboratory I (1)
Electives (18 hours)
To meet the student’s educational objectives, eighteen (18) hours are selected under advisement from three academic areas:
Biology/health
Gerontology
Psychosocial
Thesis Option (6 hours)
GRO 699 Thesis (6)
With faculty approval, students who are interested in exploring a specific research problem in depth may choose to complete a thesis. Students must register for six (6) hours of thesis thereby reducing elective hours to 12.
Nonprofit Management Concentration
Graduates in the nonprofit management concentration are prepared to meet the growing demand for trained professionals in public service at local, state and federal agencies; private, nonprofit agencies, and voluntary organizations serving the elderly and/or meeting the needs of an aging society. This program may be completed with a thesis (45 hours) or a non-thesis option (39 hours). Course work fulfills the requirements for the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in nonprofit management through the Department of Political Science. Students must submit an application for the certificate.
Required Core Courses (21 hours)
GRO 501 Seminar: Critical Issues of Aging (3)
GRO 620 Research Methods in Gerontology (3)
GRO 649 Gerontology Practicum or Supervised Research (3)
GRO 651 Integrative Seminar in Gerontology (3)
ERM 617 Statistical Methods in Education (3) or STA 571 Statistical Methods for Research I (3) and STA 571L Statistical Methods Laboratory I (1)
PSC 540 Nonprofit Management and Leadership (3)
PSC 550 Philanthropy and Resource Development (3)
Choice Requirements (3 hours)
PSC 511F Problems in Public Management: Financial Management (1) or PSC 511R Problems in Public Management: Nonprofit Budgets (1)
Students must choose two of the following:
PSC 511B Problems in Public Management: Marketing for Public and Nonprofit Agencies (1)
PSC 511D Problems in Public Management: Strategic Planning (1)
PSC 511G Problems in Public Management: Grant Writing (1)
PSC 511N Problems in Public Management: Nonprofit Law (1)
Elective Requirements (12 hours)
Elective courses are selected with faculty advisement to permit tailoring of the program of study to the student’s specific interests. With faculty consultation, students select 12 hours of elective courses at the 500- or 600-level with at least 3 credit hours in political science and 3 credit hours in gerontology. Other possible electives include courses in business administration, counseling, human development and family studies, public health education, and/or social work.
Practicum Requirement (3 hours)
GRO 679 Advanced Gerontology Practicum/Supervised Research (3)
With advisement of faculty in the Gerontology Program and the Department of Political Science, students select an appropriate structured setting as an experiential learning activity within a public or nonprofit agency. The practicum will provide students with practical experience in the ongoing operations of an agency of government or in an organization engaged in public affairs activities serving the elderly or addressing the needs of an aging society.
Thesis Option (6 hours)
GRO 699 Thesis (6)
With faculty approval, students who are interested in exploring a specific research problem in depth may choose to complete a thesis.
Requirements for the Master of Science in Gerontology / Master of Business Administration
The Gerontology Program and the Bryan School of Business and Economics offer a combined Master of Science in gerontology/Master of Business Administration degree. A minimum of 57 semester hours is required for the degree.
Required Core Course (46.5 hours)
Up to 12 hours may be waived based on demonstrated competencies in the subject matter.
MBA 600 Business Statistics (1.5) and MBA 610 Advanced Business Statistics (1.5) or ERM 617 Statistical Methods in Education (3) or STA 571 Statistical Methods in Research (3) and 571L
Statistical Methods Lab (1)
MBA 602 Presentation and Interpretation of Financial Statements (1.5)
MBA 603 Economic Analysis (1.5)
MBA 604 Organizational Behavior (1.5)
MBA 605 Financial Management (1.5)
MBA 606 Marketing Management (1.5)
MBA 607 The Operations Function (1.5)
MBA 609 Management Communications (1.5)
MBA 612 Cost Management Systems (1.5)
MBA 613 Economic Policy and the Global Environment (1.5)
MBA 615 Leadership Assessment and Development (1.5)
MBA 616 Managing in a Global Environment (1.5)
MBA 617 Management Science (1.5)
MBA 618 Business Processes and Technology (1.5)
MBA 620 Competitive Analysis and Strategy Formulation (1.5)
MBA 624 Strategies for Managing Human Resources (1.5)
MBA 625 Corporate Structure and the Finance Function (1.5)
MBA 626 Strategic Marketing Management (1.5)
MBA 627 Global Operations Strategy (1.5)
MBA 628 Business Strategy and Information Technology (1.5)
MBA 629b Creating and Sustaining Competitive Advantage (3) or GRO 679 Advanced Practicum/Supervised Research (3)
GRO 501 Seminar: Critical Issues of Aging (3)
GRO 620 Research Methods in Gerontology (3)
GRO 649 Gerontology Practicum or Supervised Research (3)
GRO 651 Integrative Seminar in Gerontology (3)
Electives (10.5 hours)
Selected upon advisement to permit tailoring of the program of study to the student’s specific interests and to include at least 9 semester hours in gerontology or gerontology electives.
GRO Gerontology Courses
| 501 | Seminar: Critical Issues of Aging (3:3) |
| Intensive review and analysis of the literature and research on issues of aging and the unresolved problems. (Fall) | |
| 589 | Experimental Course |
| This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings. | |
| 601 | Practical Issues in Aging (1:1) |
| Examination of a topic in aging from an applied perspective applicable to professionals working in the field of aging. May be repeated for a maximum of 3 credits when topic varies. | |
| 610 | Life Planning for the Third Age (3:3) |
| Pr. permission of instructor Integrative approach to explore how trends in finances, relationships, health, self-development, housing and work/leisure time interact to impact quality of life and options available to aging adults. | |
| 620 | Research Methods in Gerontology (3:3) |
| Pr. 501 and permission of instructor The integration and application of qualitative and quantitative research designs and methods used in gerontology. Additional attention focuses on the formulation and writing of a research proposal. | |
| 632 | Communities Responding to an Aging Society (3:3) |
| Addresses community responses to an aging society and how those responses may be enhanced through civic engagement, infrastructure development, and public/private initiatives. Emphasizes developing and sustaining innovative programs. | |
| 633 | Long Term Care Public Policy (3:3) |
| Addresses public policy related to the organization, financing, and delivery of the broad continuum of long term care with a concentration on the care of frail older adults. | |
| 649 | Gerontology Practicum or Supervised Research (3:1:8) |
| Pr. 501 and permission of instructor Supervised experience in structured setting for older adults, linking practice to theory; or supervised research in a relevant area of gerontology for professional development. May be repeated once for credit. (Graded on S-U basis) | |
| 651 | Integrative Seminar in Gerontology (3:3) |
| Pr. enrollment in the M.S. in gerontology program and completion of at least 24 hours of course work including: 501, 620, 649, ERM 617 or STA 571 (plus lab), and 12 hours of
gerontology electives Integration of current literature and theoretical applications in gerontology focusing on specific area(s) of student’s specialty and practicum experiences. Additional emphasis on professional writing, presentations, networks, and extramural funding. (Spring) | |
| 676 | Special Topics in Gerontology (1-3) |
| Study of a special topic in gerontology. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. | |
| 679 | Advanced Gerontology Practicum/Supervised Research (3:0:3-9) |
| Pr. admission to the M.S. in gerontology. Completion of at least 2/3 course work, including 501, 620, and 649 and permission of instructor Supervised experience as a participant/observer in structured setting with older adults in order to link theory and practice and increase professional expertise or supervised research in gerontological topic. (Graded on S-U basis) | |
| 695 | Independent Study (1-3) |
| Intensive study in an area of special interest in gerontology. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 semester hours credit. | |
| 699 | Thesis (1-6) |
| Pr. 501, 620, 649, 651, 660 Individual guidance in the development of a specific research problem. May be repeated for a maximum of 6 hours credit. (Graded on S-U basis) | |
| 711 | Experimental Course |
| This number reserved for experimental courses. Refer to the Course Schedule for current offerings. | |
| 801 | Thesis Extension (1-3) |
| 803 | Research Extension (1-3) |