Undergraduate Certificate in Health Issues for the Aging Adult

UMUC's Undergraduate Health Issues for the Aging Adult Certificate is designed for students who seek the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively work with older adults in a variety of roles. The certificate integrates gerontology knowledge and skills from the fields of health/biology, sociology, psychology, and policy/services and provides the opportunity to apply these skills to work with older adults. Coursework may help students seeking a bachelor's degree in a variety of areas to integrate gerontology knowledge with their major area of academic study or prepare students who are vocationally oriented and not seeking a higher education degree to improve work skills.

Through a practicum or Co-op experience, students work with professionals to apply knowledge acquired through coursework to practical experience with aging individuals or aging issues in different settings that address the needs of older adults (e.g., assisted living centers, retirement communities, nursing homes, hospitals, senior centers, companies producing products and services for seniors, or area agencies on aging). Core coursework includes: Introduction to Gerontology, Sociology of Aging, and Cross-Cultural Perspectives of Aging. This certificate requires 18 semester hours to complete.