Undergraduate Minor in Gerontology The NMSU Department of Health Science

The Department of Health Science offers an online undergraduate Minor in Gerontology.

The Minor in Gerontology program is designed in part for non-traditional, location-bound students, who are working or otherwise occupied on a full-time basis.

Health and human service professionals, current students, and others who are interested in acquiring basic knowledge in a cross-cultural context about gerontology and geriatrics are encouraged to consider this program.

Description

The population in this country is diverse, aging rapidly, and with great disparities in health and barriers to proving services to health care. The Minor has a strong focus on cross-cultural aging in a diverse society with each course including topics of cross-cultural aging appropriate to the course content.

As the population ages the demand on services to meet the aging needs expands demanding health care professionals be prepared to care for an older diverse society. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Geriatrics and the various Gerontological fields are expected to grow by more than 35 percent through 2006, ranking among the most rapidly growing employment areas.

Program Benefits

• Increase career opportunities by increasing competency in a growing field.
• Increase awareness of issues related to aging, knowledge of the aging process, and gain skills that facilitate working with the older adult.
• Use of semester hours toward an NMSU degree or transfer hours to another institution.
• The on-line setup makes this course convenient allowing students to study as it suits their schedule.

Who Should Enroll?

The Minor is designed to increase your knowledge and help you achieve a level of competency in aging. It's best suited for:

• Health professionals (nurses, physicians, and pharmacists)
• Therapists (occupational, physical, and recreational)
• Social workers, counselors, and dietitians
• Administrators
• Direct health and social service staff
• Students

Delivery Method

Content for courses is primarily delivered through WebCT. Additional course development is currently underway to utilize other NMSU supported delivery technologies.

What are the costs?

$152.75 per credit hour. For more information on tuition and fees, please contact the NMSU College of Extended Learning.

In addition to basic tuition costs, which are set each year by the NMSU Board of Regents, students must plan for the cost and maintenance of a compatible computer system and for the costs of accessing the Internet/World Wide Web. This would include applications for managing word processing and presentation documents, PDF (Portable Document Format) files, and 2-way audio applications as needed.

Students must have access to a compatible computer system. This access must be under the student’s control. The system must be equipped to be compatible with the online course systems used by New Mexico State University, including WebCT and Centra.

Application Procedures

Students may apply for admission to NMSU by completing an on-line application, and submitting that, along with all college transcripts to the Office of Admissions at New Mexico State University.

Why Should You Enroll In The Program?

To increase competency by:

• Increasing knowledge of aging
• Increasing awareness of issues related to aging
• Expanding views of the aging process
• Developing skills to better work with the older adult

Program Requirements For the Undergraduate Minor

1. Program Requirements For the Certificate (Core Gerontology Courses; 12 credit hours):
• GERO 415 / MPH 515 Intro to Gerontology (3 cr.) Social, psychological, and physiological aspects of aging, with an interdisciplinary promotion. Demographic characteristics of the aging population.
• GERO 493 / MPH 593 Adulthood and Aging (3 cr.) Normal transitions in later life; those occurring from forty years of age until the end of life are discussed. Changes in interpersonal relationships and adaptations commonly made by individuals and meeting those alterations are presented through research findings, case studies, and auto bibliographies.
• GERO 456 / MPH 556 Biological Aspects of Aging (3 cr.) Aging - the developmental process of the body determined by cellular changes influenced by lifestyle, genetics, and environment. Investigates these changes, how health promotion influences them and when they are considered a disease.
• GERO 494 / MPH 594 Aging in a Multicultural Society (3 cr.) Study and comparison of aging in the Southwestern multi-cultural society with emphasis on health care.
2. Program Requirements For the Minor (18 credit hours)
• Students pursuing the minor must take all courses required for the certificate (12 credit hours above) plus:
• Two (2) courses from the following list (6 credit hours):
• GERO 451- Aging and Public Policy (3 cr.) Exploration of public policies relating to elders, historical development, current status and trends in public policy for this age group. Impact of political behavior of elders on policy making and implementing processes.
• GERO 450 / MPH 557 - Health Promotion for the Elderly (3 cr.) Common health concerns and lifestyle issues relevant to older adults. Facts about the content area, health behaviors, and practices to promote health and prevent disease; program development strategies applicable to a variety of settings.
• GERO 452 - Pro Dev in Aging
• GERO 455 - Res Mtd in Aging
• GERO 490 - Gero Practicum
• GERO 497 - Special Topics
• GERO 498 - Independent Study
• HLS 492 - Health Care of the Aged (3 cr.) General concepts and principles of aging. Introduces students to the aging process and assists them in understanding the various aspects of growing old. Same as MPH 592.
• FCS 448 The Aging Family (3 cr.) Research and theory related to the physical, mental, social, and emotional development of older adults. Attitudes, knowledge, and skills related to working with older adults in the family system, including normative, and non-normative transitions. Prerequisite: either 6 credits of social science and FCS 380 or consent of instructor.
• HNFS 406 Geriatric Nutrition (3 cr.) Nutritional needs, status, and problems of the elderly. Prerequisite: HFNS 163, HFNS 251, HFNS 350 or consent of instructor.
• NURS 324 Nursing Care Older Adults (3 cr.) Introduction to aging, health problems and issues associated with aging. Implications for nursing care of the elderly. Prerequisites: NURS 220, NURS 223, NURS 326, NURS 327, and NURS 328.
• ANTH 458 - Anth of Life Cycle
• CTFM 384 - Clth for Spec Needs
• HL S 468 - Coping/Loss/Grief
• HL S 488 - Health Dilemmas
• P EP 363 - Lifelg Outdoor Act (1)
• PSY 351 - Dev Adol to Old Age
• SPED 470 - Life Span/Trans

Course Offerings

For more information on this program, please contact:

Ronald Lucchino, Ph.D.
Online Gerontology Program Coordinator
rvluc@comcast.com
- or -
Department of Health Science
New Mexico State University
Room 102, Health & Social Services Building
1335 International Mall
P.O. Box 30001, MSC 3HLS
Las Cruces, NM 88003
Telephone 575-646-4300
Fax 575-646-4343