Gerontology is the interdisciplinary study of the aging process, older adults, and issues important to those in later life. Our undergraduate gerontology minor is designed to provide you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities to better serve our rapidly growing older population. Through required course work, electives in your personal area of interest, applied experiences, research opportunities and volunteer activities, you will gain a firm understanding of aging-related issues that can be applied to your major field of study.
Because our older adult population is growing at an astounding rate, it is highly likely you will encounter older people, regardless of your chosen profession. For example, those interested in working with older adults (e.g., psychologists, social workers, physicians, health services professionals), those who want to design products that can be useful to older people (e.g., financial planners, computer software/hardware engineers) or those who are concerned about issues that impact later adulthood (e.g., lawyers, political scientists, sociologists) should all consider enrolling in the gerontology minor. Knowledge about aging can make you a better professional and will signal employers you have what it takes to better serve the needs and interests of this group.