About the Program

The Gerontology Minor draws together courses from a number of academic disciplines around the theme of human aging. Students will learn about physical, social, and psychological changes that occur in adulthood; ways of addressing older adults' needs; and how to promote successful aging.

The Gerontology Minor is an interdisciplinary minor that is administered through the Psychology Department and includes the Health, Nutrition and Dietetics, Economics, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, and Speech-Language Pathology departments. The minor is open to majors from any department and is seen as complementing the training the student receives in his or her major.

Objectives of the Minor


  • Students will acquire a core foundation in the study of aging as an interdisciplinary field.

  • Students will have an opportunity to have an individualized experience in the field of aging that is tailored to their unique interests and /or career goals.

  • Students will understand the breadth of the field of aging by being able to select from a broader array of elective coursework that reflects the multiple disciplines in the study of gerontology.

      • Program Requirements

      Requirements of the Gerontology Minor

      * Minor program requirements may not overlap more than 9 credit hours with a student’s major program requirements.
      * Students from any major may take the Gerontology Minor.
      * Students must have a minimum 2.0 cumulative average for admission into the minor
      * A maximum of 3 courses of transfer credit will be permitted.

      Program Requirements

      Required Courses (9 credit hours including prerequisites)
      PSY 327 ADULT DEVELOPMENT AND AGING I (prerequisite: PSY 101) *1 3
      HEW 345 WELLNESS, FITNESS, AND AGING 3

      Electives Selected by Advisement (9-12 credit hours)
      Select 9-12 credit hours (including prerequisites) from the following: 9-12
      FIN 110 PERSONAL FINANCE
      FIN 345 ESTATE PLANNING
      HEW 225 INTRODUCTORY EPIDEMIOLOGY
      NFS 102 INTRODUCTORY NUTRITION
      PSY 388 PSYCHOLOGY OF DEATH AND DYING 1
      PSY 427 ADULT DEVELOPMENT AND AGING II 1
      SLP 220 INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
      SLP 405 COMMUNICATION DISORDERS II 1
      SOC 352 SOCIOLOGY OF AGING 1
      SWK 321 THE ELDERLY AND SOCIAL SERVICES
      XXX 488 Internship
      or
      XXX 499 Independent Study

      Total Credit Hours 18-21
      *1 Requires prerequisite. Consult adviser and Undergraduate Catalog.