GERO 301* is an introductory, undergraduate-level gerontology course. It will provide the student with an introduction and overview of the field of gerontology including terminology, theoretical perspectives, research and demography, public policy, ageism, history of the study of aging, cross-cultural study of aging, end-of‐life issues, career exploration and professional ethics.

Course investigations will include readings from texts and articles, accessing websites, interviews, and case studies. Course assignments will include projects that will require students to interact with aging adults and projects that will require students to explore personal value systems and perceptions of aging.

*GERO 301 fulfills the following category in the General Education Core curriculum: Global Awareness

GERO 305 centers on the effects of aging on body systems and the influence of such changes on health and function. It will include opportunities for designing strategies that facilitate healthy aging. Learning experiences will be connected to real-world situations and are designed to facilitate reflection, critical thinking, and application of principles learned.

GERO 310 examines aging from both macro and micro perspectives to explore how the aging individual is affected by social and cultural forces, and, in turn, how the aging population affects the greater society. Students will draw on sociological perspectives to increase understanding of applied and theoretical issues in aging, examine the social aspects of aging through roles and relationships, and explore aging as it is related to social institutions and the concept of community. Finally, we will consider patterns of diversity in the aging population as evidenced by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and gender. 

GERO 320 examines psychological aging in terms of change processes. Psychological theories of aging will be covered as well as the content areas of cognition, personality, and mental health. Students will examine normal and pathological psychological development in these domains, and some of the factors that may influence variations in aging trajectories (i.e., patterns of change over time), including interventions. In addition, several issues in the psychology of aging will be addressed, such as suicide and recognizing the differences between dementia, delirium, and depression.