Gerontology is the interdisciplinary study of issues related to the older population, including social, behavioral, health and policy issues of relevance to aging and older adults. This field examines old age as a life-stage and aging as a life-long process, incorporating multi-disciplinary models and theories to understand the challenges and opportunities of population aging.

The department offers an interdisciplinary minor in Gerontology for students seeking to focus their academic work on aging-related issues. Students will find the minor useful if they are seeking careers working with older adults and their families, developing programs and policies of relevance to the older population or considering graduate programs in related areas. 

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to articulate and integrate multi-disciplinary models and theories commonly applied in the field of gerontology and critically evaluate major societal challenges and opportunities resulting from population aging. Students will also demonstrate how the field of gerontology studies old age as a life-stage and aging as a life-long process. Additionally, students will be prepared to describe bio-psycho-social changes that occur with aging as well as their plasticity and remediation.