Gerontology Minor | Montclair State University Catalog

The minor in gerontology provides a program of study for undergraduate students who want to learn about the complex health, social, economic, environmental, psychological, transportation, housing, spiritual, intergenerational, recreational and aesthetic needs of older adults, their families and caregivers. At a time when close to one out of seven Americans is 65 or older, there is an increasing need for professionals in family studies, sociology, biology, psychology, health, adult fitness and recreation, anthropology, ethics, philosophy, business, tourism, legal studies, financial planning, accounting, music therapy and the arts to be trained to work in multiple contexts with a diverse population of senior citizens and their families. This multidisciplinary minor in gerontology is appropriate for students from most majors and challenges students to think critically about various aspects of healthy adult development and elderhood. The minor is distinctive in that it includes several service-learning courses which integrate academic coursework with "hands on" learning opportunities in a variety of community-based organizations.

Many of these organizations have had long-term partnerships with Montclair State University, its students, faculty and staff who have collaborated to increase the quality and quantity of assets and services for older adults in the surrounding community. The minor also requires a part time, supervised internship in an organization that works with older adults. These service-learning and internship experiences enable students to clarify career goals and/or provide background knowledge for working with elders in a variety of community-based service, public, private and non-profit settings. The employment outlook for students with some background in gerontology, whether their career interests are in business, finance, law, health, entertainment, recreation, travel, housing, family studies, counseling, etc., will only increase for the foreseeable future. One course in the minor meets a general education requirement and other courses may also meet a major requirement, a fact important to students who want to have a minor and still graduate on time.

Program Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
FSHD 200	Introduction to the Content Areas in Family Science and Human Development	3
FSHD 202	Adult Development and Aging	3
FSHD 340	Aging and Social Policy	3
FSHD 360	Families in Later Life	3
Select two of the following:		6
ARTH 280	Introduction to Art Therapy
FSHD 305	Death and Bereavement in the Family
HLTH 440	Health Aspects of Aging
MUTH 100	Introduction to Music Therapy
PALG 322	Wills, Trusts and Probate Law
PSYC 268	Psychological Aspects of Aging
PSYC 302	Health Psychology
SOCI 309	Sociology of Health and Illness
Total Credits		18