Winter 2025 Issue

Advanced Degree Programs: Advanced Degree Programs for Gerontology
By Keith Loria
Social Work Today
Vol. 25 No. 1 P. 28

Preparing Students to Address the Needs of Older Adults

The number of older adults in America is projected to nearly double within the next 30 years, and the demand for quality care and assistance is going to increase as well.

Gerontology has become one of the most critical fields driving change in health care, policy, and social systems, which has led to more universities enhancing their advanced degree programs in the field.

Many of the top programs equip students with cutting-edge knowledge in age-related health, psychology, and social care, fostering a multidisciplinary approach to aging that addresses the diverse needs of older adults and supports sustainable, age-friendly communities.

Here are some of the top schools offering advanced degrees in gerontology.

University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
The master’s program at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology started in 1975, considered a pivotal year for aging.

“It was the first educational program of its kind, and its beginning coincided with the founding of the National Institute on Aging,” says Orli Belman, chief communications officer of the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. “This was a period of growing recognition that aging was becoming a significant societal issue, at the national and global levels.”

The first program offered was the Master of Science in Gerontology (MSG), designed to train individuals in the biopsychosocial model, which takes a whole-person approach to aging, addressing not just the biological but also the psychological and social aspects of the aging process, as well as the broader societal needs. Later, it expanded to offer a bachelor’s degree, and eventually, a PhD program was developed.

“Our program is housed at a Research 1 university, which is quite rare for gerontology programs,” Belman says. “Another key differentiator is our close connection to cutting-edge research. While many gerontology programs teach from textbooks and established studies, our students have direct access to research happening in real time. Our labs are actively conducting studies every day, and those new discoveries are immediately integrated into the classroom.”

The MSG program offers a comprehensive curriculum that integrates multiple aspects of aging, ensuring students gain a deep understanding of the biological, psychological, and social facets of the aging process. Some of the key classes include physiology of development and aging, psychology of adult development, social policy and aging, research methods, gerontology and the family, and field practicum.

The program is designed to equip students with the knowledge to utilize gerontological frameworks to examine all aspects of human development and aging—financial, medical, psychological, emotional, and beyond—preparing them to address the complex needs of an aging society.

“Our ultimate goal is to prepare students for meaningful careers in aging where they can make a real impact,” Belman says. “Whether consulting, influencing policy, or working in government, nonprofits, or business, we want our graduates to help guide society in creating products, services, programs, and policies that enhance the lives of older adults.”

Notable alumni include Laura Trejo, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Aging and Disability; Cynthia Hutchins, known as the first financial gerontologist; and Brett Anderson, a former rock star with The Donnas, now working in social work for older adults.

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)
The Department of Gerontology at VCU was founded in 1976 to meet community-identified needs and serve the diverse workforce within the aging network. Throughout its history, it has taken varying forms, responding to the dynamic and emergent needs of our local community and society at large.

VCU offers a variety of degree programs based on an interdisciplinary approach using the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model.

“What makes our programs stand out from others is that we place a strong emphasis on identifying and disrupting ageism in all of its forms from the personal level up to the systems level,” says Jennifer M. Yañez Pryor, MA, MS, LALFA, program director for VCU’s gerontology program. “We then replace that with putting more of a spotlight on elderhood, which is a unique developmental stage characterized by continued growth, development, and purpose. These two pillars are threaded throughout our entire curriculum, which allows our students to implement positive change in any career, role, or sector they enter postgraduation.”

The program aims to achieve two objectives: professional and career growth and development and personal growth and development.

“By the time students graduate from our programs, they are well poised to apply their gerontology training based on our holistic, antiageism model within their careers as well as their personal lives,” Pryor says.

For instance, Ashley Staton, who has her MSW and is a graduate of VCU’s Certificate in Aging Studies program, serves as the dementia education specialist for the Virginia Center on Aging at VCU.

When she learned VCU offered a dual certificate program, the combined MSW and Certificate in Aging Studies, it piqued her interest.

“I knew it would be a good fit for me since I love working with older adults and it would give me an advantage when I entered the field after graduation,” she says. “I chose this program because it was a great compliment to my social work coursework and did not require many extra credits.”

The key classes allowed Staton to see various opportunities for engagement and prepared her for the career she has now.

“Every course I took expanded my knowledge about the aging population while building on the social work ethics that I obtained in that program,” she says. “Psychology of aging was especially interesting, as it offered a different perspective into the aging process. Social gerontology really emphasized how aging fits into society and helped me identify places where change could be implemented.”

Staton recommends VCU’s Master of Science in Gerontology as it encourages interdisciplinary opportunities, leading to better care for everyone.

“The faculty and staff within this program are extremely passionate about their work, and that passion and drive is contagious, inspiring anyone who encounters them and their work,” she says.

University of Denver
The University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work has had a focus on gerontology curriculum for its Master of Social Work students and the community in many forms over the last 30 years. Currently, it offers an aging services and policy pathway for students.

The goal of the program is to focus on career preparation for diverse pathways for social workers and to meet the increasing demand for the geriatric workforce. Some of the key classes of the program include aging policy, intergenerational justice, and assessment and interventions in aging.

“Our program is unique in that it prepares social work students for common roles in health care while also emphasizing a macro approach on policy and program development and intersectional and social connections,” says Leslie Hasche, PhD, MSW, a professor in the Graduate School of Social Work at the university. “Many graduates go on to create their own programs and response to support older adults and their families in innovative roles, policy settings, and new nonprofits.”

Additionally, many of its students are involved in community outreach and research activities through the University of Denver’s Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging.

“Social work jobs serving older adults are plentiful, and geriatric social work is among the nation’s top 20 careers in terms of growth potential,” Hasche says. “With an MSW specialization in aging services and policy, career options include counseling and care management in hospice, community mental health centers, long term care, and private practice settings [to name a few].”

Alumni of the program have gone on to develop social work programs within nonprofits, such as Jared Bloomfield at Wish of a Lifetime and Chandra Matthews as executive director at the Chanda Center for Health. Others have launched their own clinical care management programs, including Jill Eelkema at Western Care Partners.

— Keith Loria is a D.C.-based, award-winning journalist who has been writing for major publications for nearly 20 years on topics as diverse as real estate, travel, Broadway, and health care.