Gerontology
About This Program |
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Admissions ContactDanielle Clough |
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Program ContactSara Namazi, PhD Want to learn more? Schedule a meeting now. |
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Curriculum
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Start Dates and Duration
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Course DeliveryFlexible courses offered online and on campus are designed to fit the busy schedules of professionals |
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Learn more about the School of Health Sciences |
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The Gerontology Post-Baccalaureate Certificate at Springfield College is designed for the working professional who wants to expand their knowledge and skills in the field of aging. The program provides an applied, interdisciplinary education in the field of aging, plus real-life experience working with older adults in a community setting.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, career growth in aging-related professions is expected to grow at an unprecedented rate in the next several decades. As such, understanding aging from multiple perspectives can be helpful in a variety of professional settings, such as social services, health care, and finance, and as an important professional credential to add to one's resume.
The program will provide all students the opportunity to:
- Work as an interprofessional/interdisciplinary team member in fields involving interactions with and services to support older adults
- Develop competencies in positive approaches to aging and in anti-ageism
- Demonstrate affirming, strengths-based interpersonal and professional skills with older adults as well as with professionals within older adult venues
- Describe how age-related political, social, economic, and cultural dynamics impact older adults in the United States
- Describe how physical, emotional, and cognitive age-related changes impact older adults
- Effectively engage with older adults in developing meaningful interactions and intergenerational communication
- Meet many of the core competencies for undergraduate and graduate education as recommended by the Academy of Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE, 2021), from the Foundational and Interactional competencies and at least two from the list of eight selective competencies (1-Wellbeing, health and mental health; 2-Social health; 3-Program service development; 4-Education; 5- Arts and humanities; 6-Business and finance; 7-Policy; and 8-Research, application, and evaluation)
- Work with the gerontology certificate program coordinator to develop a plan to meet the requirements for the gerontology certificate
- Gain community experience through internships, practicums, clinicals, fieldwork, or service-learning courses with the approval of the gerontology certificate program coordinator
Admissions Requirements
Admissions Requirements
- Complete the online application
- An official transcript from each college/university you have attended is required.
- Transcripts must be in English. If the transcript is not in English you will be required to submit a professional credential evaluation completed by any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. In some cases, including if you plan to request coursework be transferred, a course-by-course translation is required. For this we recommend the World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
In order to be considered official, transcripts must be received directly from the original source, by email to graduate@springfield.edu, or mailed to the college address:
Springfield College
Office of Graduate Admissions
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109
Curriculum
I. Certificate Requirements (16 credits)
- ATPY 508 - Art Therapy for Older Adults Credits: 3
- HSCI 515 - Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Aging Credits: 3
- HSCI 630 - Community Experience in Gerontology Credits: 4-7
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(must be completed for 7 credits to meet program requirements)
- OCTH 635 - Development, Dysfunction and Occupational Therapy Adaptation in Older Adults Credits: 3
