Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [Gerontological Studies] From Case Western Reserve University

Courses are drawn from three departments: Anthropology, Psychological Sciences, and Sociology. Students may choose from a variety of courses according to their own interests.  Some approved elective courses are not specifically gerontology courses but cover topics that contribute to the understanding of aging and the life course. The perspectives gained in the core courses will provide the student with the background needed to relate the material in the more general courses to gerontological issues. The program is firmly grounded in the liberal arts and thus provides the student with the challenge to think and communicate effectively and to integrate diverse information, theories, and practice.

Gerontological Studies is an appropriate major or minor for students with a wide variety of career goals. Persons with baccalaureate degrees in this field are eligible for entry-level positions in organizations that provide services to older people and that formulate policy related to aging and older adults. Many graduate and professional training programs now include an emphasis on aging for which a degree in Gerontological Studies would serve as useful preparation. Students planning to pursue professional degrees will find that an increasing number of their clients or patients will be older adults and that problems with which they must deal are related to aging. The perspective provided by participating in the Gerontological Studies Program provides students with excellent background for working with older populations.

Gerontological Studies faculty members  are engaged in a variety of funded research projects. These include studies of Alzheimer’s disease; cancer survivorship; health disparities and cumulative dis/advantage over the life course; patterns of care for the elderly; visual perception changes that accompany aging; the impact of high levels of physical activity on the biological aging process; grandparent-grandchild relationships; and stress, coping, and adaptation among institutionalized older adults and elderly residents of urban communities.