About the Program
The College of Health and Human Services and the College of Arts and Science jointly sponsor the undergraduate Gerontology Certificate Program for students in any major program who want to gain knowledge and skills for a career that involves working with the elderly. Since the knowledge and research associated with aging span a variety of disciplines, course work in a number of established departments facilitate student learning opportunities. Health care, social services, recreation, mental health, education, administration, and business are examples of service areas that now employ large numbers of persons working with and for the aging population.
Certificate Requirements
You must successfully complete at least 28 credit hours from the following list of courses including an approved practicum, field experience, or internship. The required gerontologyoriented practicum, field experience, or internship cannot contribute more than 5 credit hours to the total 28 hours required for the certificate.
HCCF 380 Death and Dying, 4
HCCF 462F Family Ties and Aging, 4
HCFN 260B Lifespan Nutrition: The Adult and Geriatric Years, 1
HLTH 225 Long-Term Care Admin. I, 4
HLTH 290 Health Aspects of Aging, 4
HLTH 325 Long-Term Care Admin. II, 4
HLTH 405 Long-Term Care Admin. III, 4
HLTH 406 Alternatives to Traditional Long-Term Care, 4
HLTH 407 Interprofessional Gerontology, 4
HS 491 Special Topics in Gerontology, 1-4
HSLS 300 Aging and Disorders of Communication, 4
PESS 421 Principles of Aging and Physical Activity, 4
CLWR 482 Thinking About Death, 4
PSY 374 Psychology of Adulthood and Aging, 4
SW 381 Counseling Older Adults, 4
SW 440 Mental Health and Social Work, 4
SW 486 Aging in American Society, 4
Other courses may be substituted with prior approval of program coordinator
Practicum/Field Experience Options
HCCF 499 Field Experience in Family Studies, 12
HLTH 364 Community Health Field Experience, 1-5
HLTH 464 Community Health Services Practicum, 15
HLTH 480 Practicum in Health Admin., 10
HLTH 480B Practicum in Long-Term Care Admin., 15
HLTH 481 Internship in Health Admin., 15
HLTH 482 Internship in Long-Term Care Admin., 15
Social work majors must enroll in the following three social work (SW)
courses:
SW 396 Social Work Practice I, 4
SW 491A Integrative Seminar, 2
SW 492A Field Practicum, 4
Other courses may be substituted with prior approval of program coordinator
If you are interested in the certificate you can obtain an application form from your college’s Student Service Office. After completing the application and obtaining the coordinator’s signature, return the form to that office. Each quarter on your DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) Report, you will be able to track your progress in the certificate program. The Gerontology Certificate will be awarded upon graduation if you have successfully completed the certific ate requirements, and a notation of the certificate will be rec orded on your permanent record (transcript). For more information on course offerings or other concerns, contact the coordinator of the Gerontology Certificate Program.
Program Contact
Dr. Beth VanDerveer
GROV E148
740.593.0235
vanderve@ohio.edu