REQUIREMENTS

The total credit hours required are:

18 credit hours for the Master's Level Gerontology Certificate.

At least 12 of these credit hours should carry 500 level or higher designation.
At least 3 credit hours must be completed on the College Park campus.

21 credit hours for the Doctoral Level Gerontology Certificate.

At least 15 of these credit hours should carry 500 level or higher designation.
At least 3 credit hours must be completed on the College Park campus.

 

Credit hours are obtained by completing the following courses:

1. Required courses with aging related content (9 credit hours).

Course that include physical bases of aging (3 credit hours)
Course that include psychological bases of aging (3 credit hours)
Course that include social bases of aging (3 credit hours)

 

2. Elective courses with aging related content  (6 credit hours).

Courses with aging content.
Courses to which an aging related component may be added by the student in consultation with the course instructor and the GGCP Coordinator.

3. Required Internship (3 credit hours masters; 6 credit hours doctorate).

The primary purpose of the internship is to integrate coursework and theory in an applied practice and/or research project. It is recommended that students complete the internship experience near the end of the Graduate Gerontology Certificate program or when most of their aging-related coursework is complete.

The student is expected to identify and pursue internship opportunities.  Opportunities for internship are offered by numerous organizations and agencies in the Washington D.C. area as well as the Department of Health Services Administration and the Center on Aging at the University of Maryland.   The student is required to consult with the GGCP Coordinator at least three months prior to beginning the internship to design an internship that meets the student’s career plans.

A 150 hour experience in an aging related internship per 3 hour credit course.
An internship work plan.
An internship final report.

(Note:  internship may be practice and/or research based).

4. Required Research

Students in the Graduate Gerontology Certificate Program are required to undertake research that is oriented toward gerontological topics.  This research is to be conducted as part of the courses taken for the certificate.

Requirements:

Degree and certificate:

Master’s degree: master's thesis on an aging related topic.
Doctoral degree: doctoral dissertation on an aging-related topic.

Certificate only:

Masters level certificate only: two research-based course papers on aging related topics.
Doctoral level certificate only: two research-based course papers on aging related topics.

Award of Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Gerontology Certificate is awarded after all certificate and degree requirements (when applicable) are met.