Overview
Contact: Dr. Diane J. Martin
Teaching/research interests: aging in place, ageism, intergenerational relationships, psychology of aging and optimal aging.
McDaniel College is an institutional member of the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) - the international leader in advancing education on aging and is the only institutional membership organization devoted primarily to gerontology and geriatrics education since 1974. AGHE defines a gerontologist as someone who “improves the quality of life and promotes the well-being of persons as they age within their families, communities and societies through research, education and application of interdisciplinary knowledge of the aging process and aging populations.” As an institutional member, our curriculum is designed to meet or exceed the competencies developed by AGHE.
The 30 - 36 credit hour master’s degree in Gerontology offered through the Center for the Study of Aging provides students with state-of-the-art instruction and many hands-on and application-oriented activities to maximize understanding of the interconnectedness of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual aspects of aging. The program delivers challenging, rigorous coursework to ensure that our graduates have attained professional excellence, particularly in the application of theory to practice, so as to enable them to fulfill leadership roles in the public and private sectors when gerontology knowledge and expertise is essential to improve the quality of life for older adults. Courses are offered at our main campus in Westminster, Maryland, online, or in a hybrid format that allows students to take courses both ways.
Key features of the program include:
- Expands and integrates your knowledge of aging and elderhood through theory and practice so as to prepare you to work in one of the many diverse occupations in aging services available in the private and public sectors
- Provides opportunities for you to increase your awareness about resources available to become informed, involved, and employed in the field of aging.
- Delivers an interdisciplinary approach to studying gerontology by evaluating the interconnectedness of the social, natural, and behavioral science components of aging.
- Prepares you to become an advocate for elders and assume a leadership role to improve quality of later life.
- Opportunities to develop your research and/or teaching portfolio.
- Internship requirement for candidates with no documented employment history working with or on the behalf of older adults.
In addition, students develop skills to:
- Complement undergraduate major field of study or current occupation.
- Better understand the complex interrelations among aging, health, and social structure.
- Assess, interpret, and apply gerontological research findings.
- Effectively communicate gerontological concepts in oral and written form.
Graduate credits from another graduate or post-professional program, plan of study, or curriculum can be reviewed for eligibility to transfer into the master’s program in Gerontology at McDaniel College. A maximum six (6) credit hours can be transferred from these sources. Students enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program in Gerontology at McDaniel College can have all completed courses evaluated for transfer into the master’s degree program. Only courses in which a grade of B or better was earned are eligible for transfer.
CEUs available for social workers, psychologists, and counselors in MD and PA.
