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The Gerontology Option is 32-35 units (1-2 years if a full-time student) program of study with the goal of professionalizing students in the field of gerontology.  The option is interdisciplinary in focus and provides courses and internship opportunities in many career areas and aspects of the aging fields.  Senior center administration and services, daycare for older persons, nursing home specialists, home care and hospice, multi-purpose centers, retirement planning, case-management, outreach and social services, and research and educational careers in aging are all possible career routes after graduation.

Once admitted, students must complete their program with a grade-point average of at least 3.0.  All courses used to fulfill the requirements for the master’s degree must be passed with a grade of “C” or better.  No more than 9 units can be included from other departments or universities, be completed prior to formal admission to the program, or have course numbers below 500.  No courses can be numbered below 300.  Students must be in continuous attendance as defined in the University Catalog.  No course completed as part of another degree, and no course completed more than five years before the date of graduation from the program can be included.

All other university requirements specified in the University Catalog must be met (see the Graduate Degrees and Post baccalaureate Studies section).

Degree students must complete a final project; either a thesis, a project, or take a comprehensive examination.

The Gerontology comprehensive examination is divided into two parts: a preparation period and the actual exam.  The exam will be given over a five-hour period once a year, usually in the spring semester.  Students should register for the exam by the second week of the semester.  A student who selects either the thesis or the project can sign up for the comprehensive exam only with the written permission of the current thesis/project committee members.  No semester units are awarded.  The exam is usually given once a year during spring semester.

The Student Alumni Gerontology Association (SAGA) provides an opportunity for both current students and alumni of the Gerontology Option to network and exchange information about the Gerontology profession.