Undergraduate Minor In Gerontology

Overview

The Gerontology minor is designed for undergraduates with any major who are interested in a career in aging or personally interested in the topic. This minor should be of special interest to undergraduates who are planning to pursue careers in the allied health fields, with businesses or non-profits providing services or products to older adults and their families, or after attending graduate school, as researchers focused on aging and older adults.

The mission of the Undergraduate Minor in Gerontology is to introduce students pursuing any major to research and theory on aging and old age, to inspire them to consider a career serving older adults, and to encourage them to think critically about their own futures.

Students will learn to locate information relevant to the aging experience and communicate it effectively to others, describe the variety of aging experiences, and analyze current opportunities and constraints on how people age, and interpret data and apply theories of aging to gain perspective on their own futures as older adults and to identify areas for change.

Working with the Gerontology Undergraduate Coordinator and their major advisors, students will have an opportunity to complete a program of study customized to help them meet their own career or personal goals. Many of the courses, including GRO 201 Introduction to Gerontology: Thinking about Aging (the only required course), are offered online and, with planning, it is possible to complete the minor entirely online.

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

• The Gerontology minor consists of a minimum of 12 credit hours (four 3-credit courses). Students are required to take GRO 201 Introduction to Gerontology: Thinking about Aging (3 credits), and at least 9 credit hours of elective courses.
• Students will learn to locate information relevant to the aging experience and communicate it effectively to others, describe the variety of aging experiences, and analyze current opportunities and constraints on how people age, and interpret data and apply theories of aging to gain perspective on their own futures as older adults and to identify areas for change.
• Working with the Gerontology Undergraduate Coordinator and their major advisors, students will have an opportunity to complete a program of study customized to help them meet their own career or personal goals.

AFTER GRADUATION

A minor in Gerontology is an excellent complement to a variety of disciplines such as:

• Biology
• Communication Sciences
• Community Recreation
• Human Development
• Kinesiology
• Nutrition
• Social Work

Graduates may be interested in the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Gerontology or MS in Gerontology. For questions about UNCG Gerontology curriculum, contact the UNCG Undergraduate Gerontology Coordinator Dr. Rebecca Adams at [email protected]