Aging Studies, Graduate Certificate

Program Overview

MNSU's Certificate of Study in Aging Studies empowers professionals with leadership, policy development, and program administration skills. Offered online, the program equips candidates to navigate the challenges of an aging society, understand critical policies, and drive positive social change within communities and organizations. Through a comprehensive curriculum that integrates theory and practice, graduates gain the knowledge and expertise to excel in leadership roles within the field of aging.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

MNSU's Certificate of Study in Aging Studies

• Overview:
The Certificate of Study in Aging Studies grant upon the successful completion of 15 credits in Aging Studies and related coursework. The certificate program includes 5 specific courses designed to cultivate and elevate leadership, program administration and policy development proficiency. The program aims to empower candidates as transformational leaders who can effect positive social change pertaining to aging within communities and organizations. It's offered entirely online, enabling working professionals to advance their education without career disruption.
• Objectives:
• Understand critical policies impacting the aging experience.
• Engage with the practice of policy development.
• Learn to be a policy entrepreneur
• Explore innovations in aging policy globally.
• Gain integrated knowledge of theory and practice in gerontology
• Study the challenges involved in providing services to the elderly
• Examine ethical and advocacy-related issues in an aging society
• Critically examine leadership in aging organizations
• Explore the decisions and ideas of transformational leaders in the field both in the US and internationally
• Understand the implications of sociological knowledge for administering Human Services programs
• Learn theoretical and practical aspects of administration within social service systems
• Address theoretical and practical aspects of the planning and evaluation process within social service systems
• Utilize evidence-based methods for developing programs
• Measure program effectiveness in human services

Outline:

Common Core

• GERO 550 Innovations in Aging Policy:
This course explores the practice of policy development and the critical policies that impact the experience of aging. It will also help you understand how to become a policy entrepreneur and explore innovations in aging policy globally.
• GERO 600 Gerontology Theory and Practice:
This course provides students with an integrated understanding of theory and practice in gerontology. It will also examine the challenges involved in studying and providing services to the elderly and ethical and advocacy-related issues within an aging society.
• GERO 603 Transformational Leadership in Aging:
This course will examine the critical issues of leadership within the context of organizations serving older populations. It will also include exploration of the decisions, processes, and ideas exhibited by transformational leaders in the field of aging in the US and internationally.
• SOC 517 Program Administration:
This course explores the implications of sociological knowledge for the administration of Human Services programs. It will cover the theoretical and practical aspects of administration within social service systems.
• SOC 566 Program Planning and Evaluation:
This course addresses theoretical and practical aspects of the planning and evaluation process within social service systems.