Overview of the Graduate Certificate in Leadership for an Aging Society

The Graduate Certificate in Leadership for an Aging Society is designed to teach students the fundamental components of the aging process and leadership skills needed to ethically manage an organization that serves older adults. Students will learn how to develop, implement, and assess organizational policy and lead teams that provide support services for older adults. The program also covers a variety of topics related to serving in a leadership role in the elder care industry such as the biological, psychological, and sociological impacts of aging; ethical issues surrounding older adults and their families living in community and/or facility settings (e.g., for-profit, nonprofit, government); and public policy development and approval processes at local, state, and national levels. Graduates will be prepared to lead and manage entities that serve older adults in a variety of settings, including private and public organizations.

This graduate certificate will principally serve two broad audiences:

• Current professionals whose organizations specialize in assisting/caring for older adults in public or private settings; and
• Graduate students enrolled in a degree program related to aging (such as sociology, engineering, agriculture, nutrition, public administration, or human development).

Admission Requirements

Degree seeking and non-degree seeking students will have to apply to the graduate certificate program.

 Degree seeking students will:

• Submit a Graduate Certificate Application
• Submit official transcript
• Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better

 Non-degree seeking students will:

• Submit a Graduate School Application for Admission
• Submit a Graduate Certificate Application
• Submit official transcripts
• Possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better

Students who have not earned a degree in the United States must submit:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 90 on the internet-based test (iBT) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.5
• TOEFL scores of 20 or greater in Listening, Writing, Speaking, and Reading subsections

Course Requirements

Curriculum Requirements

Students will be required to complete coursework to develop knowledge and skills related to organizational leadership, ethical principles, and public policy for the aging services network. Students will also be required to apply organizational leadership skills in a capstone project to develop, execute, and/or assess an elder care policy or program. Students will gain an understanding of the fundamental competencies needed to lead aging services organizations and manage teams that develop and implement policies and practices that address the care needs of older adults and their families.

Total Number of Credit Hours:

12 graduate credit hours

 Core Courses:

• LAHS 5004: Organizational Leadership for an Aging Society (3 credits)
• LAHS 5014: Ethics for an Aging Society (3 credits)
• LAHS 5024: Public Policy for an Aging Society (3 credits)
• LAHS 5034: Gerontology Leadership Capstone Project (3 credits)