Main Office
Chilton Hall, 273
P.O. Box 310919
Denton, TX 76203-0919
(940) 565-2765
Fax: (940) 565-4370
Academic Advising
Chilton Hall, 273C
(940) 565-3449
Professor Ingman. Associate Professors Lusky, Turner, Yeatts. Assistant Professor Harding.
Established in 1967, the Department of Applied Gerontology offers programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels to prepare students for careers in the field of aging. Career opportunities for graduates exist in retirement and long-term care facilities, government planning agencies and community service programs, as well as business and industry.
Flexible scheduling of courses allows currently employed professionals to earn either a degree or a certificate while maintaining their employment.
The department conducts research on various social, psychological and policy aspects of aging; organizes continuing education programs for people employed in the field of aging; and provides technical assistance to groups and organizations in the field.
The department offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the following areas:
The Bachelor of Science degree is designed to prepare students to work with older people in a wide variety of settings. A faculty adviser works closely with each student to develop an individualized, career-oriented course of study.
Candidates for the Bachelor of Science must meet the following requirements.
1. Hours for the Degree: Completion of a minimum of 128 semester hours; 42 hours must be advanced.
2. General University Requirements: See "General Degree Requirements" in the Academics section of this catalog.
3. University Core Curriculum: Minimum 47 semester hours. See specific degree plan for exact hours. The University Core Curriculum was being revised at the time this catalog went to press. Consult a degree program adviser or the university's Web site (www.unt.edu/catsched/).
4. Major/Minor Requirements (Professional Development Areas): Minimum of 42 hours in at least three areas, one of which must be applied gerontology; minimum of 12 hours in each area.
5. Occupational Specialization: 24-36 semester hours in related fields. Certain requirements of the UNT Core Curriculum may be included in the Occupational Specialization. The University Core Curriculum was being revised at the time this catalog went to press. Consult a degree program adviser or the university's Web site (www.unt.edu/catsched/).
6. Electives: Sufficient electives may be selected, with the approval of the academic adviser, to fulfill the 128-hour requirement for the degree.
7. Other Course Requirements: Minimum of 12 hours of laboratory science in at least two different fields.
BS with a Major in Applied Gerontology
FRESHMAN YEAR
ENGL 1310, College Writing I 3
HIST 2610, United States History to 186512 3
PSCI 1040, American Government 3
CSCI7 3
Laboratory Science11 4
Total 16
ECON 1110, Principles of Macroeconomics30 3
ENGL 2210, World Literature I 3
Laboratory Science11 4
Occupational Specialization 3
Professional Development Area II31 3
Total 16
ENGL 1320, College Writing II 3
HIST 2620, United States History Since 186512 3
PSCI 1050, American Government17 3
Oral Communication8, 30 3
Laboratory Science11 4
Total 16
ENGL 2220, World Literature II 3
MATH 1100, College Algebra10 3
Occupational Specialization 3
Occupational Specialization 3
Visual and Performing Arts13, 30 3
Wellness16 3
Total 18
AGER 3480, Psychology of Adult Development and Aging26 3
AGER 4060, Leisure and Aging25 3
Professional Development Area II28 3
Professional Development Area II28 3
Professional Development Area III28 3
Understanding of Ideas and Values3, 30 3
Total 18
AGER 4780, Aging Programs and Services 3
Occupational Specialization or Elective 3
Occupational Specialization or Elective 3
Occupational Specialization or Elective 3
Professional Development Area III28 3
Total 15
AGER 4020, Psychology of Death and Dying18 3
AGER 4550, Sociology of Aging18 3
Occupational Specialization or Elective 3
Professional Development Area II28 3
Professional Development Area III28 3
Understanding of Ideas and Values3, 30 3
Total 18
AGER 4840, Studies in Aging Field Practicum 3
AGER 4850, Studies in Aging Field Practicum 3
Elective 3
Professional Development Area III28 3
Total 12
Actual degree plans may vary depending on availability of courses in a given semester.Some courses may require prerequisites not listed in the above plan. See Community Service notes in supplement booklet for footnotes.Major/Minor (Professional Development Areas; includes courses in applied gerontology): 42
Occupational Specialization: 24-36
* Core:
English 12
United States History 6
Political Science 6
Wellness 3
Economics 3
Mathematics 3
Laboratory Science 6-8
Visual and Performing Arts 3
Understanding of Ideas and Values 6
Computer Competence: 3
Oral Communication: 3
Additional Laboratory Science: 4-6
Free Electives: 6-18
* The University Core Curriculum was being revised at the time this catalog went to press. Consult a degree program adviser or the university's Web site (www.unt.edu/catsched/).
42 hours must be advanced; 24 of the 42 must be taken at UNT.
24 of the last 30 hours must be completed at UNT.
Suggested Second and Third Professional Development Areas
Each Professional Development Area consists of a minimum of 12 semester hours. Suggested Professional Development Areas to complement the applied gerontology major include (but are not limited to) behavior analysis, business administration, communication studies, health promotion, merchandising and hospitality management, psychology, public administration, recreation, rehabilitation, social work, sociology, and speech and hearing sciences. Transfer students with sufficient semester hours of course work in other fields related to applied gerontology (e.g., mental health, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy) may use these fields as Professional Development Areas. Specific courses for the Professional Development Areas are chosen with the approval of the academic adviser.
AGER 4840-4850, Studies in Aging Field Practicum, should be taken at or near the end of the student's degree program. Students must complete AGER 3480, 4550 and 4780 before enrolling for AGER 4840-4850.
Undergraduate students majoring in such compatible fields as social and behavioral sciences, merchandising and hospitality management, recreation or administration may develop a multidisciplinary minor (18 semester hours) in applied gerontology in consultation with an adviser. AGER 3480, 4550 and 4780 are required for the minor.
The department offers the Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees with majors in administration of long-term care and retirement facilities, administration of aging organizations and applied gerontology. Graduate courses in aging are open to students in master's and doctoral programs in related fields. For information, consult the Graduate Catalog.
A certificate program is available for those desiring credentials in the field of aging. Eighteen semester hours of graduate-level courses in aging must be completed to qualify for the certificate.
The mission of the Minority Aging Research Institute (MARI) in the Department of Applied Gerontology is to increase scholarly and public awareness of contemporary aging issues facing minority populations at the local, state and national levels. MARI seeks to combine gerontology and minority aging issues, concerns and research. Both graduate and undergraduate students are involved in MARI's research and training efforts, and MARI staff are engaged in a variety of minority aging research projects.
All Courses of Instruction are located in one section at the back of this catalog.
The "Course and Subject Guide," found in the Courses of Instruction section of this book, serves as a table of contents and provides quick access to subject areas and prefixes.
Top | Undergraduate Catalog School of Community Service Contents | UNT Undergraduate Catalog Shortcuts | Additional Undergraduate Literature | Graduate Catalog School of Community Service Contents