The college offers a graduate certificate in gerontology for those who need additional or specialized training, but do not wish to pursue a master’s degree, or for current Southern Miss graduate students who wish to receive more than a minor degree. A graduate certificate in gerontology will provide students and professionals an opportunity to broaden their theoretical knowledge of aging, senior adults, and the policy-making process; keep abreast of changes in the field; meet new educational requirements for their jobs; or prepare for a new position. More detailed information is available in the dean’s office.
Admission Requirements for the Certificate Program
All applications for the graduate certificate program must be submitted to the Graduate School. In addition, all nondegree seeking students must submit the “Approval for Non-Degree Enrollment in a Graduate Course” form to the gerontology program coordinator.
The gerontology program coordinator and the Gerontology Faculty Advisory Committee make admission recommendations to the College of Health dean and Southern Miss Graduate School based on evidence of holding, at a minimum, a baccalaureate degree from an institution approved by a recognized accrediting agency, and being in good standing at the last institution attended.
Admission Deadline: Admission shall be on an ongoing basis - see www.usm.edu/graduateschool for specific details.
Plan of Study. Students must submit their signed, official Plan of Study Form to the Graduate School by the end of the first semester they are enrolled. The Plan of Study Forms are available at www.usm.edu/graduateschool/planofstudy.php - click on the “Plan of Study” link.
Program Requirements
- The student shall complete at least 15 semester hours with B or better in each course from the approved course list (see below) or in non-listed coursework that has been approved by the program coordinator.
- The student may repeat a class only one time if he/she received less than a B.
- Curriculum requirements consist of one core three-hour course (DPH 652 - Seminar in Critical Issues of the Aged /KIN 652 - Seminar in Critical Issues of the Aged /NSG 652 - Seminar in Critical Issues of the Aged /SWK 652 - Seminar in Critical Issues of the Aged ) and three hours of a gerontology practicum or supervised research in an approved field of study (to be determined with the gerontology program coordinator), with the remaining 9 hours selected from the course list below.
- The student admitted within the College of Health or College of Nursing shall work with a designated gerontology adviser from the department of their discipline. If the student is from another college, the gerontology program coordinator will serve as the adviser for the certificate program.
- The student shall complete requirements within four years.
- The student may transfer as many as six (6) credit hours of graduate credit in gerontology from other accredited institutions with the approval of the gerontology program coordinator and the graduate dean, provided that the coursework falls within the four-year period allowed for the program.
- No more than nine credits from the certificate program may be used toward a subsequent master’s degree.
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