Interdisciplinary Studies

Director and Graduate Coordinator: Professor Shenk
Undergraduate Coordinator: Assistant Professor Peacock; Assistant Professor Bradley

The Interdisciplinary Program in Gerontology is designed to provide students with academic and field experiences in the area of aging. An understanding of the basic processes of aging and of its social consequences is valuable not only for students who wish to pursue careers directly related to gerontology but also for students interested in traditional careers in other areas. As the number of older persons in our society continues to increase, it will be important for people in every occupation and profession to have a basic understanding of the aging process. The goal of the program is to provide students with that basic understanding.

Gerontology is both an interdisciplinary and a multidisciplinary field. Invariably, the best research, training, and service programs in gerontology have developed when professionals from a variety of traditional academic disciplines have been afforded the opportunity to work together, each contributing a unique expertise while benefiting from the expertise of others. The minor in gerontology is built around a core sequence of interdisciplinary courses, supplemented by multidisciplinary primary electives that are taught by professionals from a variety of different academic disciplines. This approach is designed to bring together information from multidisciplinary sources, integrate theoretical and applied concepts in gerontology, and communicate to students the need for an integrated approach to meeting the needs of older persons.

GERONTOLOGY MINOR

The minor in gerontology is awarded only to students completing an undergraduate major at UNC Charlotte. A total of 18 hours in gerontology courses with an overall GPA of 2.5 in those courses is required. Two interdisciplinary courses (GRNT 2100 and 3600) form the core of the gerontology sequence and are required for all students completing the minor. Students must select at least two of the following primary electives: Aging Programs and Services (GRNT 4250), Health and the Aging Process (GRNT 3115), the Psychology of Aging (GRNT 2124) and the Sociology of Aging (GRNT 4110). Students select remaining courses from the primary electives and/or the approved list of secondary elective courses related to gerontology. Students should confer with the undergraduate gerontology coordinator as they plan their schedules and are encouraged to select elective courses from outside their major.

Students who have earned a bachelor's degree from UNC Charlotte may be readmitted to pursue a minor in Gerontology, just as they may be readmitted to pursue a second major. (For further information on readmission, see the admission section of this Catalog.)

Students who have earned a bachelor's degree from an institution other than UNC Charlotte may not receive a minor in Gerontology unless they earn a second baccalaureate degree from UNC Charlotte. Such students may request a letter from the program and/or a transcript notation which acknowledges completion of courses specified for the minor but indicates that the minor can only be awarded upon completion of the degree.

I. The two required courses are the following:

GRNT 2100. Introduction to Gerontology (C) (3)
GRNT 3600. Senior Seminar and Field Experience in Aging (W) (3)

II. Select at least two of the following primary electives:

GRNT 4250 Aging Programs and Services (3)
GRNT 3115 Health and the Aging Process (3)
GRNT 2124 Psychology of Aging (3)
GRNT 4110 Sociology of Aging (3)

III. Secondary elective courses should be chosen from the following list of approved courses related to gerontology:

ANTH 3132 Aging and Culture (XW) (3)
GRNT 3800 Independent Study in Gerontology (1- 8) [total of 3 credits can be counted toward minor]
GRNT 4050 Topics in Gerontology (1-4)
GRNT 4260 Women: Middle Age and Beyond (3)
GRNT 4270 Intergenerational Relationships and Programs (3)
HIST 2000 History of Aging (3)
PHIL/RELS 3201 The Meaning of Death (3)
PHIL 3228 Biomedical Ethics (3)
PSYC 3125 Older Worker and Retirement (W) (3)
SOCY 4130 Sociology of Health and Illness (3)
SOCY 4134 Families and Aging (3)
SOCY 4150 Older Individual and Society (VC) (3)
SOWK 4101 Social Work Practice with the Elderly (3)

The Gerontology Program offers both a Master's degree and a graduate certificate Program in Gerontology.

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