Gerontology, M.A.

In addition to meeting the admission requirements of the College of Arts & Sciences, a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 is preferred for this program. No GRE exam is required.

Required Core Courses (15 hours)

• Seminar in Gerontology (3)
• Research Methods in Gerontology (3)

Choose 3 more (of these 5) core courses:

• Aging Policy and Services (3)
• Heath and the Older Adult (3)
• Sociology of Aging (3)
• Diversity and Aging (3)
• Psychology of Aging (3)

4 Elective courses (12 hours)

Concentration (9 hours)

Administration Concentration:

• Aging Program Administration (3)
• Gerontology Internship (3)
• Capstone Seminar (3)

or

Research Concentration:

• Approved Advanced Methods course (3)
• Thesis Research (6)
• A thesis approved by the student’s thesis committee and the Director of the Gerontology Institute.

To view details of the program, go to the course catalog.

About half of incoming students will be offered a graduate assistantship, which includes a tuition waiver and a $6,000 annual stipend in exchange for working as a graduate assistant for eight hours per week.

A 2020 survey of current students showed that:

The vast majority of current and past students feel that their program is helping or has helped them: write clearly and effectively; conduct research; be aware of historical contexts; demonstrate Gerontological competence; and understand practices in the field. The vast majority also believe that their program is or was challenging and that faculty members expect high quality work. They feel that requirements are clear and that sufficient research opportunities exist within the Institute. The majority rate the overall quality of the program as excellent, especially faculty preparedness. Not surprisingly, students are very positive about their interactions with faculty, including one who noted, "This is a new approach to learning for me. We are fortunate to have great leaders like Drs. Morgan, Mingo, Kemp, and Burgess." The overwhelming majority indicated that faculty members are prepared, up-to-date, accessible, help to motivate, and fair. They also feel administrative staff members are helpful, that the Institute promotes an environment of inclusiveness and respect, and they would recommend the Institute to other students. Student comments include, "Excellent diversity, inclusiveness, and respect from this Institute" and "The diversity and collegiality of the students and faculty is one of the best things about this department. There are many opportunities given by faculty for professional growth and engagement with leaders in the field of aging. The faculty ARE leaders in the field of aging."

Graduate Employment Outcomes:

The majority of our MA and graduate certificate alumni are employed and hold positions in areas related to health, older adults, and aging policy and services. Our MA alumni gained employment with a variety of employers including non-profits (for example, Second Wind Dreams, Georgia Council on Aging), state government (for example, Georgia Division of Aging Services), aging services (for example, Atlanta Regional Commission, DeKalb Senior Services) and a variety of long term care services and support organizations (for example, Prosper Home Care, Visiting Nurse Health System, Park Springs Communities). Our recent alumni already hold a variety of leadership roles (for example, Senior Living Director, Program Manager, Lifestyle Services Supervisor) in a myriad of aging services, health care, government and non-profit organizations.

Enrolled students will have the opportunity to apply for a variety of scholarships and awards each spring semester.

For more details, go to the Scholarships and Awards page.