The Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Aging offers students advanced educational opportunities in the field of aging. The program allows graduate and professional students an opportunity to gain specific expertise in the care of older adults through both required and elective coursework. The Specialization’s core curriculum focuses on the basic components of gerontology shared by many disciplines, while the electives allow students to pursue either a research agenda or a more clinically-oriented pathway. Students are exposed to a broad range of settings and must successfully complete at least 14 hours of course work from the Master List of Courses in order for the Specialization to be noted on their transcript.

Specialization Guidelines

Students must apply to enroll in this program and complete at least fourteen (14) hours of graduate coursework from the Master List of Courses, as follows:

• 7-8 credit hours from the core curriculum and a minimum of 6 credits from the elective courses
• Students are required to take the first two (2) core courses:
• Social Work 7610: Integrative Seminar I in Aging and Health
• Health and Rehabilitation Sciences 7650S: Case Studies in Clinical Gerontology
• Students must select either the practicum course or an approved research course:
  
• Medical College 7700.04 Interprofessional Seminar in Clinical Practice or
• Social Work 7702 Research Issues in Gerontology, Anthro 8193.07: Research Issues in Gerontology. or approved equivalent
• Students may take up to 3 hours of aging-focused Independent Study with the elective course requirements.
  
• 9 out of the 14 credit hours must be taken outside the student's major program, and coursework must involve two or more graduate programs outside the student's home program.
  
• A grade of B or better (or S when applicable) is required for each course comprising the specialization.
• Students must apply for the "transcript designation" once they have completed all of the required coursework.
  

Cynthia Dougherty, MSW, PhD

• Program Director
• Office of Geriatrics and Interprofessional Aging Studies
• Phone: (614) 293-4815 (Main) 
• E-mail: cynthia.dougherty@osumc.edu