Mar 28, 2024  
2010-2011 Graduate Studies Bulletin 
    
2010-2011 Graduate Studies Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Gerontology, M.S.


Adjunct Professor Rosenfeld, Graduate Program Director, (516) 463-5785

This degree program is designed to prepare graduate students to pursue careers which will help older adults make better decisions about their own lives. The education and practical skills gained through this degree program will provide students with an interdisciplinary base of knowledge and experience which will increase their effectiveness in assisting older adults.

Students graduating from this program will have obtained a competency in gerontology with a subspecialty in either Administration of Services for the Aging or Counseling of the Aging. These subspecialties, or tracks, provide students with an opportunity to pursue a program of study that is reflective of their individual needs and interests, as well as the needs and interests of older adults.

Students opting for a concentration in administration are expected to gain the necessary knowledge and skills related to management, public policy, social and health service planning, program development and evaluation of services for the aging. These skills are applicable in a variety of settings including business, education, health care, real estate and public service.

Students concentrating in the counseling subspecialty are expected to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to provide direct therapeutic services to older adults. This would include vocational and health counseling, individual and family counseling and preretirement planning. The program prepares students who work with traditional populations of elderly people, but also includes strategies for counseling the “new old” (e.g. Baby Boomers), as well as the “very old” (e.g. centenarians).

Admission Requirements



  1. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from a fully accredited college or university with a minimum 2.5 grade-point average.
    1. Admission to the Administration of Services for the Aging subspecialty requires experience or equivalent in administration and/or business and direct services.
    2. Admission to the Counseling of the Aging subspecialty requires a bachelor’s degree in a behavioral science or mental health discipline.
  2. An interview with the Program Director or representative.
  3. One letter of recommendation from recent employers or undergraduate professors. 
  4. Students with less than a 2.5 grade-point average must meet with the Graduate Program Director to determine additional entrance requirements.

Program Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 39


Track I: Administration of Services for the Aging


Internship - Semester Hours: 6


Experienced candidates may substitute 6 s.h. of electives.

Master’s Essay - Semester Hours: 3


Track II: Counseling of the Aging


Internship - Semester Hours: 6


Electives - Semester Hours: 6


3 semester hours free electives, 6 semester hours from the following:

Master’s Essay - Semester Hours: 3


Free Electives


Free electives options regardless of specialization, under advisement:

Graduation Requirements


  1. The completion of 39 semester hours of graduate study in addition to any specified prerequisites; satisfactory completion of course work; and
  2. Successful completion of a comprehensive examination or departmentally authorized equivalent. (No degree credit.)
  3. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 in overall graduate course work.

The Master of Science degree may be completed on a part or full-time basis. Courses are normally offered during the fall and spring semesters, with special seminars or workshops offered during the January or summer sessions.