The minor consists of a minimum of twenty-nine (29) quarter units. Students must complete one lower-division course, five upper-division courses, one of which is an applied learning experience. Note: As gerontology is an interdisciplinary field, the number of age-related classes students take in any one discipline to satisfy the minor is capped at 2. For example, students who complete PSYC 1 and PSYC 196 cannot use PSYC 117 or another PSYC class as an elective for the minor.
Course Requirements
Lower Division requirements (1 course total):
- ONE of the following lower-division courses emphasizing different approaches to understanding aging :
- PHSC 21. Health and Aging (recommended)
- ANTH 3. Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology
- PHSC 1. Introduction to Public Health
- PSYC 1. Introduction to Psychology as a Natural Science
- PSYC 2. Introduction to Psychology as a Social Science
- SOCI 1. Principles of Sociology
Upper Division requirements (5 courses total):
- Two (2) upper-division courses gerontology courses:
- ANTH 172. Anthropology of Aging
- PSYC 196. Psychology of Aging
- Two (2) of the following courses with application of course content to age-related issues:
- ANTH 157. Family, Kin & Culture
- ANTH 159: Globalization
- BIOL 106/PHSC 124: Health Consequences of a Western Lifestyle
- PSYC 117. Health Psychology
- PSYC 120: Sensation & Perception
- SOCI 134. Globalization & Inequality
- SOCI 157. Sociology of Family
- SOCI 165: Human Services
- SOCI 172 or PHSC 172. Management of Healthcare Organizations
- SOCI 176: Care and Dignity Across the Lifecourse
- SOCI 180: Immigrant Communities
- TESP 157. Ethics in the Health Professions
- Any gerontology-related course with approval of the director
- A 100-hour service-learning course, internship experience, or other equivalent work directly engaged with older adults (equivalent to one course with a 5-unit allocation). Examples include:
- PSYC 198. Internship