As the University moves toward the much anticipated semester conversion this summer, the Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Aging has received approval of the conversion plan requested by the Specialization’s Coordinating Committee.
It is of note that the Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Aging was introduced in 1993 as the first interdisciplinary specialization offered at Ohio State! Many students have completed the Specialization and we look forward to offering this important aging education opportunity to many, many more students in the future.
According to the US Administration on Aging, the older population–persons 65 years or older–numbered 39.6 million in 2009 (the latest year for which data is available). They represented 12.9% of the U.S. population, about one in every eight Americans. By 2030, there will be about 72.1 million older persons, more than twice the number in 2008. The population 65+ is expected to grow to be 19% of the population by 2030. In Ohio alone, 1.6 million people were age 65 and over in 2010.
Workforce challenges in health and long-term care. An Institute of Medicine Report (2008) found that the healthcare and long-term care workforce for our aging society is insufficient for future needs. Attracting adequate numbers of students to gerontology and geriatrics as practitioners or researchers, whether in gerontology, long-term care administration, medicine, nursing, psychology, social service administration, social work, or more than 20 other different areas, has been a consistent issue of concern. Gerontology and geriatric workforce shortages of today, combined with the demographic changes documented above, indicate that we need to develop a cadre of aging specialists who can serve Ohio’s older adults in coming decades.
Interested in pursuing the Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Aging?
The changes to the Specialization in Aging are minimal and serve to re-position the Specialization to allow graduate and professional students the opportunity to complete the Specialization in tandem with their primary graduate or professional degree under the semester system. As for the details, following are a few of the highlights:
- Students will be required to complete 14 hours from the Master List of Approved Courses–with 7-8 credits from the core courses and a minimum of 6 credits from the elective courses.
- Students may take up to 3 hours of aging-focused Independent Study within the elective course requirements.
- Hours earned under the quarter system will be equated to semester values to calculate requirements for completing the program.
- Students who began the Specialization under the quarter system have had an opportunity to meet with the Office of Geriatrics and Gerontology to formulate a plan for completing the Specialization successfully throughout the conversion timeframe. Many students have taken this opportunity—we look forward to hearing from you if you would like to have a similar conversation.
- The Office of Geriatrics and Gerontology and the Coordinating Committee have made a commitment that the semester conversion will not impede students’ completion of the Specialization in Aging within their anticipated graduation timeframe.
We are working now to finalize the Master List of Approved Courses which will be effective beginning with Summer Semester. Soon you will find the updated Master List and all Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Aging information on the Office of Geriatrics and Gerontology web site. In the meantime, if you have questions, please feel free to contact Linda Mauger, Program Director, Office of Geriatrics and Gerontology, at linda.mauger@osumc.edu or 614-293-8031.
Additionally, if you are a faculty member who is aware of coursework in aging that might be appropriate within the Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Aging, please also contact Linda Mauger to share that information. This interdisciplinary specialization has courses from many colleges and departments on the approved Master List of Courses. We are always working to identify new courses of which we might not be aware.
We look forward to many more advances in aging education at Ohio State, and will provide continuing updates on the Specialization in Aging over the next several weeks.
Serving an aging population requires professionals from multiple disciplines working in teams to address the complex needs and interests of older adults.