College of Education Health and Human Services
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
www.kent.edu/ehhs/ldes

About This Program

The Gerontology minor provides a comprehensive understanding of aging's impact on individuals and society. Through coursework and practical experiences, you'll learn about health, social policy and end-of-life issues. Read more...

Contact Information

• Kelly Cichy | kcichy@kent.edu |
  330-672-2449
• Speak with an Advisor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Admission Requirements

Admission to a minor is open to students declared in a bachelor’s degree, the A.A.B. or A.A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree (not Individualized Program major). Students declared only in the A.A. or A.S. degree or the A.T.S. degree in Individualized Program may not declare a minor. Students may not pursue a minor and a major in the same discipline.

To declare this minor, students must have attempted a minimum 12 credit hours at Kent State and earned a minimum 2.000 overall Kent State GPA. Students who have not attempted 12 credit hours at Kent State will be evaluated for admission based on their high school GPA for new students or transfer GPA for transfer students. Transfer students who have not attempted 12 credit hours of college-level coursework at Kent State and/or other institutions will be evaluated based on both their high school GPA and college GPA.

Program Requirements

Graduation Requirements

• Students are required to meet with the human development and family science program coordinator to discuss course selection and procedures for completing the minor.
• Some courses require prerequisites, please see course descriptions for details.

• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be upper-division coursework (30000 and 40000 level).
• Minimum 6 credit hours in the minor must be outside of the course requirements for any major or other minor the student is pursuing.
• Minimum 50 percent of the total credit hours for the minor must be taken at Kent State (in residence).

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Describe age-related changes in biological systems, social relationships, social roles (e.g., retirement), cognitive abilities and health and well-being.
2. Explain how gender identity, race, ethnicity, history, cohort, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status contribute to the experience of aging.
3. Describe the implications of population aging for individuals, families and society.

Admission GPA for Undergraduate Students

For admissions, the College of Education, Health and Human Services considers a student to have established a Kent State University GPA after the student has successfully completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours. Undergraduate students who have not completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours will be evaluated for admission into programs, Advanced Study, and the Professional phase based on their high school GPA for new freshmen, or transfer GPA for transfer students. Once a student has successfully completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours, only the student’s Kent State cumulative GPA will be considered for admission into a program, Advanced Study, and Professional Phase.

Students who have completed 12 or more credit hours of previous college-level coursework, either at Kent State University or at another accredited institution, need an overal GPA of 2.00 or higher to declare a College of Education, Health and Human Services majors, minors or certificates unless a higher minimum GPA is specified by the program. See specific programs in this catalog for more information on required minimum GPA to declare. Non-degree EHHS General can be declared without a minimum 2.00 overall GPA.

Transfer applicants who have completed fewer than 12 semester hours of college-level coursework will be evaluated on both collegiate and high school records.

Full Description

The Gerontology minor provides students with knowledge of the aging process and prepares students for professional positions in the diverse field of aging. Current predictions indicate that a "baby boomer" will turn 60 every seven seconds for the next 18 years. By 2050, it is estimated that one in five people will be over the age of 65, leading to an increase in demand for individuals with an understanding of the aging process.

The minor benefits students with a major or an interest in psychology, sociology, business, English, nursing, education, interior design, political science, speech pathology, audiology and recreation, parks and tourism management.