NSU Catalog 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Gerontology
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Tech Center, Room 358
(605) 626-2601
Dr. Kristi Brownfield
The Associate of Arts degree in Applied Gerontology provides a foundation in general education, specialized courses, and applied internships and other practical experiences to prepare students for career opportunities working with older adults. This program delivers the academic and professional expertise required for a broad range of occupations studying aging and/or caring for the aged. It is conveniently structured for beginning students as well as for those who are currently working in this field.
To ensure that good care and quality of life are made available to the growing population of seniors across the nation will require a large number of new jobs in the next decade. The AA degree program will educate students about the special challenges faced by the elderly and the many kinds of services they may need. In addition, it will train students to help seniors take on those challenges and to provide the assistance they will require. Students will understand and learn about the physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs of older people and will be given well-grounded practical information for working with seniors.
This is an interdisciplinary program taught by a diverse faculty with expertise in health, physical fitness, psychology, biology, sociology, and gerontology. The courses and teaching styles are based on the principle that many issues in aging are caused by a multiplicity of agents working in disparate but reinforcing system environments. For example, physical and mental conditions clearly affect each other and only by recognizing their interactions can we increase our ability to help seniors cope with their surroundings. It is only through interdisciplinary study and analysis that students will gain the multidimensional insights and find the strategic solutions to meeting the needs of older people.
The Gerontology minor is an interdisciplinary course of study that encompasses all aspects of aging from biological processes to the most complex political processes. Specifically, Gerontology focuses on the study of the process of aging, and the effects that aging has on the individual and on society and vice versa. The minor helps students understand the complex biological, psychological, and social phenomenon of aging in preparation for careers in association with older adults (business, social services, recreation, health, government, counseling, and education).
Career Directions
Nursing home administrator
Assisted living center work
Recreation director for elderly
Programs
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