Overview
*Please Note: The Master of Science in Gerontology program has been paused and is not currently admitting students.
Program Coordinator: Dr. Dan Andersen: Teaching/research interests: aging in place, ageism, intergenerational relationships, psychology of aging and optimal aging.
Program Delivery Format: Online, 8-week sessions
Total Credits: 30-36
Average Completion Time: 24 months
Admission Cycle: This program is not currently admitting students.
Admissions Contact: Crystal Perry, Assistant Director, Graduate Enrollment Management (cperry@mcdaniel.edu | 410-386-4833)
GPS Student Support Liaisons: gpsadvising@mcdaniel.edu | 410-857-2500
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 core competencies developed by AGHE.
The 30- 36 credit hour master’s degree in Gerontology offers a curriculum which maximizes understanding of the interconnectedness of the bio-psycho-social-spiritual aspects of aging. The program delivers challenging and rigorous coursework to ensure that our graduates have attained professional excellence, particularly in the application of theory to practice, and to enable them to fulfill leadership roles in the public and private sectors to improve the quality of life for older adults. All gerontology (GRN) courses are offered as online-only courses, but students who are local to our main campus in Westminster, Maryland, can also take online or hybrid format courses that are offered by other departments but count toward program progress.
Key features of the program include:
- Expands and integrates your knowledge of aging through theory and practice to prepare you to work in one of the many diverse occupations in aging services.
- 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 older adults and assume a leadership role to improve quality of later life.
- Provides opportunities to develop your research and/or teaching portfolio.
- Provides opportunities for interdisciplinary learning through courses that are offered in other departments, including Kinesiology, Counselor Education, and Human Services Management.
- Provides internship opportunities for students with minimal documented employment history working with or on the behalf of older adults.
- Provides students with two tracks to culminate their training. Students can pursue either the thesis track or the capstone track. Students select the best option with the guidance of their academic advisor, based on their career goals.
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 can be reviewed for eligibility to transfer into the master’s program in Gerontology at McDaniel College. A maximum of six (6) credit hours can be transferred from these sources. Students enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate Specialist in Aging Certificate Program at McDaniel College can transfer all courses into the master’s degree program. Only courses in which a grade of B or better was earned within a six year time limitation are eligible for transfer.
Admissions Requirements
*Please Note: This program has been paused and is not currently admitting students.
Applicants to the program must:
- Complete an application for graduate study
- Submit an official transcript verifying completion of an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.00. Students with a GPA between 2.75 and 2.99 will be admitted provisionally which requires a student to maintain a 3.0 GPA in the first 9 to 12 credit hours. Students with less than a 2.75 GPA can be considered for provisional admission on a case-by-case basis but may be required to provide additional documents or participate in an interview. Admission may also require additional conditions.
International Students:
This program is delivered primarily online and as a result does not meet the SEVIS regulations for international students to study in the US. If you are a US citizen living outside of the US, you should contact gps@mcdaniel.edu to discuss your eligibility for admission to this program.
State Authorization
McDaniel is an approved institutional member of the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). Membership in SARA is intended to make it easier for students to take online courses/programs offered by postsecondary institutions based in another state. For more information about SARA, including the states currently participating in the agreement, visit http://www.nc.sara.org.
SARA membership allows McDaniel to accept and deliver our programs/courses online to students in 49 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students who reside in California, currently the only state not a member of SARA, should contact the admissions office prior to application to verify if you are eligible to participate in the online program of interest.
For more information about state authorization requirements and complaint resolution, visit https://www.mcdaniel.edu/academics/graduate-professional-studies/state-authorization-requirements-complaints-resolution
