Careers in Aging/Academic Programs
We live in an aging society, one in which the older population is growing both in absolute numbers and in proportion to all other age groups. Businesses, government agencies, service organizations, educational institutions, and self-employed professionals from every economic sector are recognizing the need for specialized knowledge and skills to meet the needs of this changing demography. People who are interested in this diverse field come from many disciplines, professions, and clinical areas, such as social work, nursing, counseling, recreation, public policy, long-term care administration, medicine, architecture, psychology, adult education, or rehabilitation therapy among others. Some people work directly with older persons in a wide variety of programs and services in the community. Others work on behalf of older persons in areas such as advocacy and education.
Gerontology is the multidisciplinary study of the aging processes and individuals as they grow from middle age through later life. It includes:
- the study of physical, mental, and social changes in older people as they age;
- the investigation of the changes in society resulting from our aging population; and
- the application of this knowledge to policies and programs.
It offers challenging and rewarding careers in an area that is growing rapidly, that needs people with a broad range of skills, and that will improve people's lives.
Portions of this material were adapted from Careers in Aging by the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.
Undergraduate Programs (on-campus)
The KSU Gerontology program is interdisciplinary, drawing from departments across campus to give the student a more thorough knowledge of the field.
Graduate Programs (online)
For more information on career opportunities and options in the field of gerontology please visit Careers in Aging or view our paper on the future of gerontology (Adobe Acrobat).