M.S. in Gerontology

As a student in Gerontology, you will develop the skills necessary to assume a professional leadership role in the delivery of service to older people. You will be learning in a program that brings together theory and practice in the field through classroom instruction, service-learning, internships, and other experiential activities.

Gerontology

Gerontology is the study of aging . People are living longer and healthier lives and knowledge about aging and older adults is important to everyone! Gerontology is essential not only for careers in Health and Human services, but also for everything from business and leisure to finances, education, and politics!

Students study the physical, cognitive and social changes that are the hallmarks of aging. Through innovative and experiential learning approaches, the SCSU Gerontology Program helps prepare students with the skills and expertise needed to participate in the field of aging as professionals, leaders, and collaborative partners.

The program is committed to fostering integrity, civic reesponsibility and recognition of the value in and working with diverse and global community.

Program Highlights

• Designed to accommodate both part-time and full-time students.
• Many service-learning and internship opportunities available.
• Most classes feature a service-learning option or requirement.
• The advance care planning facilitators certification class is co-taught with the Department of Nursing Science.
• Students become certified advanced care planning facilitators.
• The program offers a graduate certificate in gerontology .

Program Distinctions

• State-of-the-art experiential learning equipment including age-simulation suits, vision impairment goggles , and empathy lungs designed to enhance understanding of the physical, social, and cognitive changes that may accompany the diverse experiences of aging.
• Strong commitment to partnerships throughout the community.
• Member of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.
• Graduates are in high demand with a more than 90 percent job placement rate for program graduates.
• Professor Rona Karasik was named a 2010 Distinguished Teacher by the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.

Student Organizations

• Gerontology Club
• Sigma Phi Omega

University Facts & Statistics

• 90 graduate programs leading to graduate certificates, master’s and doctoral degrees
• More than  300 graduate assistantships awarded per year
• Graduate assistants receive up to a $9,250 stipend per year and tuition reimbursement for up to eight graduate credits per semester.

Graduate Certificate

In the graduate certificate program for Gerontology, you will receive specialized training in aging studies. Your certificate complements and supplements other graduate majors. You will acquire knowledge that can be used across numerous agencies, institutional settings, and professions.

Participation in the Gerontology certificate program provides you with advanced professional educational opportunities while also creating opportunities to develop professional networks. The coursework will give you a great expansion of knowledge and expertise in your professional development.

Gainful Employment

Certain undergraduate and graduate certificates at St. Cloud State prepare students for employment in specific fields and do not result in a degree. The Minnesota State Chancellor's office has provided this report containing data associated with those programs of study, including approximate program costs, program length and employment statistics.

We're on a mission to unleash all that's within you.

Futures that begin here might seem unassuming at first, but like the mighty Mississippi River that flows alongside our campus, they quickly gather strength. Growing. Surging. Until they're seemingly unstoppable.

At St. Cloud State, an education is about far more than an education. It will be an opportunity to explore ideas, seek out unique perspectives and embrace new challenges – all of which will help you unlock your true potential.

If you're looking for choice, we've got that covered. We have more than 200 undergraduate programs of study and more than 60 graduate programs, holding nearly every available national accreditation.

Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State has evolved into a comprehensive university on our 100-acre campus along the scenic Mississippi RIver. We're on a mission to unleash ideas, imagination, promise, and purpose.

At a Glance

Quick facts by the numbers

• Founded in 1869
• More than 10,000 students
• 100-acre campus located along the banks of the Mississippi River
• Beaver Islands , a group of more than 30 islands are immediately downriver from campus
• 200 majors, minors and pre-professional programs
• More than 60 graduate programs and degrees
• Three  doctoral degree programs
• 24th on Forbes magazine's “Best Small Places for Businesses and Careers."
• Forbes magazine's " America's Top Colleges ."
• 200+ clubs and organizations
• Hundreds of courses offered online each semester
• 5-time Division II National Champions , Huskies Wrestling

St. Cloud Community

St. Cloud offers big-city culture and small-town charm on the banks of the Mississippi River in Central Minnesota.

Known as "The Granite City," St. Cloud is Central Minnesota's hub for arts, entertainment, health care, and education. The university campus is within walking distance of theater, live music and more.

The St. Cloud metropolitan area is 20th on Forbes magazine's 2019 “Best Small Places for Businesses and Careers." The City of St. Cloud has earned multiple awards for livability, city services, and amenities.

Local mass transit is free for St. Cloud State students on the Metro Bus system. The Metro Bus station near campus makes it easy to get to and from local stores and attractions. Through much of the year, there is a weekly farmers' market where you can buy locally-grown food.

Located an hour northwest of the world-class arts, entertainment, and shopping of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the University is also just a short drive from the best of what Mother Nature has to offer - including lakes, forests, and rivers.

Accreditations and Memberships

St. Cloud State University is a member of many academic and professional associations, including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and Council of Graduate Schools in the United States.

It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504, 800-621-7440). It is also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

College of Liberal Arts

• The mass communications department is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC).
• The Applied Sociology concentration in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology is accredited by The Commission on Applied and Clinical Sociology (CACS).
• All College of Liberal Arts teaching licensure programs (Communication Arts and Literature, English, French, German, Spanish, History, Art and Music Education) are accredited by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).

School of the Arts

• St. Cloud State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD).
• The music department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

College of Science and Engineering

• All College of Science and Engineering teaching licensure programs (Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Technology Education) are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Minnesota Board of Teaching.
• The chemistry program is approved by the American Chemical Society.
• The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program is provisionally accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

School of Computing, Engineering and Environment

• The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program offered by the Computer Science Department is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of ABET. The program also follows the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) guidelines on the curriculum.
• The Atmospheric and Hydrologic Sciences department provides a meteorology program which meets the standards set forth by the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Service.
• The Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, and the Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, offered by the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET.
• The Technology Education degree is accredited by the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) and the Council of Technology Teacher Education (CTTE).
• The Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Department offers bachelor of science degrees in Manufacturing Engineering and Mechanical Engineering that are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET.
• The Master of Engineering Management (MEM) program in the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Department is certified by the American Society of Engineering Management (ASEM).

Herberger Business School

• The Herberger Business School is accredited by the AACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business at both the bachelor's and master's degree levels.
• The Bachelor of Science in Information Systems, offered by the Herberger Business School Information Systems Department, is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of  ABET . The Bachelor of Science in Information Systems program also follows the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) guidelines on curriculum.

College of Education and Learning Design

• The College of Education and Learning Design is a member of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).
• The Teacher Education Unit and all teaching licensure programs are approved by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).
• The Educational Administration programs are approved by the Minnesota Board of School Administrators (BoSA).

College of Health and Wellness Professions

• The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at St. Cloud State University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.
• The Applied Behavior Analysis program in the Department of Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy is accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis (ABA).
• The master's program in Rehabilitation Counselor Education in the Department of Community Psychology, Counseling and Family Therapy is accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education.
• The School Counseling and Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
• The baccalaureate degree in the nursing program at St. Cloud State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, D.C. 20001. 202-887-6791.
• Athletic Training Education Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). St. Cloud State University Bachelor of Athletic Training is currently on probation by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE), 6850 Austin Center Blvd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731-3101. The program has chosen to Voluntarily Withdraw its Accreditation effective August 12, 2022. The program will remain on probation until the Withdraw is effective and the program is closed.
• The Department of Social Work is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
• The Medical Laboratory Science program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
• The clinical part of the Nuclear Medicine Technology program is accredited at our partner hospitals by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT). The clinical part of the Radiologic Technology program is accredited at our partner hospitals by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT).

School of Public Affairs

• The School of Public Affairs teaching licensure program (Social Science Teaching) is accredited by the Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).

Academic and Student Services

• Counseling and Psychological Services is accredited by the International Association of Counseling Services, Inc.
• Medical Clinic and Pharmacy Laboratory is accredited by the Commission on Office Laboratory Accreditation (COLA).
• Lindgren Child Care Center is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
• Medical Clinic and Pharmacy is accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).
• The Senior to Sophomore Program has been awarded the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) Accreditation.