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Minor in Gerontology

Specialized training in aging is available through an Undergraduate Minor in Gerontology offered by the Department of Human Development & Family Studies. The Minor offers undergraduate students preparing for careers in aging the opportunity to pursue a formally recognized program of study in gerontology. The 18-credit minor is open to all undergraduate matriculating students within the University of Connecticut, and consists of both course work and field experiences working in community settings serving older adults. Successful completion of the minor requires that a student earns a C grade (2.0) or better in each of the courses for the minor.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Three required courses (nine credits)
    HDFS 204: Human Development: Adulthood and Aging
    HDFS 248: Aging in American Society
    HDFS 250: Gender and Aging
  2. One course (three credits) from the following:
    HDFS 252: Death, Dying, and Bereavement
    HDFS 274: Public Policy and the Family
    HDFS 276: Planning and Managing Human Services
    AH 203: Aging: Implications for Health Professionals
  3. Six credits in HDFS 288
    HDFS 288: Fieldwork in Community Settings Working with Older Adults
    Students must successfully complete 6 credits of fieldwork in an approved aging setting. These six credits may consist of either two 3-credit field experiences during different semesters or one 6-credit experience. Fieldwork must be completed in an approved aging setting. A listing of recognized fieldwork sites is available at the Center on Aging and Human Development.
  4. Final Plan of Study:
    Upon completion of all requirements, each student must file a Plan of Study for the Minor in Gerontology. The Plan of Study lists all courses necessary to fulfill the requirements for the minor. Both the student's major advisor and the Director of the Center on Aging must sign the completed application. The completed plan must then be submitted to the Director of the Center on Aging and Human Development, room 335, Family Studies building, during the first four weeks of the semester in which the student expects to graduate.

APPLICATION

Applications for the Undergraduate Minor in Gerontology are available online  or in the Center on Aging and Human Development. The Center is located in Room 335 in the Family Studies building. Please call (860) 486-4285 if you have any questions.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Examples of the positions obtained by some of our recent graduates:

  • Planner, Area Agency on Aging
  • Access Coordinator
  • Resident Services Coordinator, Elderly Housing
  • Program Director Senior Housing
  • Outreach Provider
  • Information & Referral Consultants