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Department of Health Professions
The Aging Services Leadership minor focuses on knowledge of aging, eldercare, and gerontology.
Watch the video to learn more about our new minor.
Seniors school students from MSU Denver on Vimeo.
MISSION:
To provide students with specific knowledge and skills needed to respond professionally and effectively to an aging population.
VISION
- To establish a foundation and overview of study in the field of aging services and gerontology to complement the student’s major discipline
- To establish a broad, interdisciplinary perspective in approaching the delivery of aging services
- To explore content, methods, and practice in aging services research and delivery
- To develop critical thinking and leadership skills to assist students in utilizing diverse approaches in determining solutions for issues related to an aging population
EDUCATIONAL GOALS AND OUTCOMES
Upon completion of the Aging Services Leadership minor, the student will be able to:
- Examine sociological, psychological, and biological/physiological theories of aging
- Describe the underlying biological/physiological processes associated with aging and the challenges these present
- Describe the effects that ethics, economics, and policy decisions have on the biological/physiological, sociological, psychological, and cultural aspects of aging and the resulting challenges
- Investigate the changes occurring in society resulting from our aging population
- Apply aging theories, ethics, economics conditions, and aging related policy decisions to a practical experience involving the aged or services for the aged
- Examine attitudes toward older culturally diverse people to discover ways that aging is portrayed
- Provide direct services to older culturally diverse people and their families, administer and plan programs and services, or work to modify social institutions and policies
- Understand the cultural, physical, and social aspects of aging along with the aspects of how aging affect populations
- Apply administrative principles required in the management of aging services such as nursing home, long term care settings, and home health services
ADVISING:
- Students can contact the Department of Health Professions for advising at 303-615-1200.
- New or transfer students interested in the Aging Service Leadership minor can also seek advising through the College of Professional Studies Advising Office at 303-615-1099.
PLEASE NOTE:
- Completion of this minor does not guarantee admission into any nursing or health professions graduate program.
- Students are responsible for contacting the nursing or health profession graduate program to which they are applying regarding specific prerequisite courses required by that program.
- Students should also explore the requirements for Licensure as a Nursing Home Administrator in their state.
- Students may select a gerontology topics course or an independent study course that deals with aging if it is appropriate for their selected orientation and approved by the gerontology advisor.
Students must complete all of the following core course requirements and at least 9 credit hours from either the liberal arts orientation or the professional services orientation.
REQUIRED CORE COURSES (12 CREDIT HOURS)
| Course Number | Course Description | Course Credit(s) | Semester Offered |
| SOC 1040 | Introduction to Social Gerontology | 3 | Refer to SOC Department |
| HCM 3150 | Health Care Organization and Management | 3 | FA, SP, SU |
| HCM 3800 | Long Term Care: Managing Across the Continuum | 3 | FA, SP, SU |
| SOC 3040 | Contemporary Issues in Gerontology | 3 | Refer to SOC Department |
ELECTIVE COURSES (Choose from at least 6 CREDIT HOURS from the following courses)
(at least 3 hours must be upper division)
| Course Number | Course Description | Course Credit(s) | Semester Offered |
| ANT 3480 | Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness | 3 | Refer to ANT Department |
| CJC 4220 | Criminal Justice and the Elderly | 3* | Refer to CJC Department |
| FIN 3450 | Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits | 3 | Refer to FIN Department |
| FIN 4400 | Estate Planning | 3 | Refer to FIN Department |
| HCM 3030 | Health Care Jurisprudence | 3* | FA, SP, SU |
| HCM 3700 | Health Disparities in the U.S. | 3 | FA, SP, SU |
| HPS 3790 | Fitness Programming for Children, Adolescents and Older Adults | 3* | Refer to HPS Department |
| ITP 1700 | Medical Terminology | 2 | FA, SP, SU |
| ITP 2950 or HPS 2700 | Wellness Coaching I | 3** | FA, SP, SU |
| ITP 3100 | Health Education and Counseling | 3* | FA, SP, SU |
| ITP 3200 | Ethics in Health Care | 3* | FA, SP, SU |
| ITP 3700 | Physiology of Aging | 3* | FA, SP, SU |
| ITP 4400 or HPS 4700 | Wellness Coaching II | 3* (**) | FA, SP, SU |
| NUT 3050 | Concepts of Lifecycle Nutrition | 3* | Refer to NUT Department |
| PSY 2270 | Death and Dying | 3* | Refer to PSY Department |
| PSY 3270 | Adulthood and Aging | 3* | Refer to PSY Department |
| PSY 3540 | Cognitive Aging | 3* | Refer to PSY Department |
| RECR 2320 | Advocacy, Leisure, and the Aging Adult | 3 | Every other SP |
| RECR 4630 | Recreation Programs for the Older Adult | 3 | Every other SP |
| SOC 3100 | Death and Dying | 3* | Refer to SOC Department |
| SOC 3810 | Population Issues | 3* | Refer to SOC Department |
| SPE 4760 | Communication and the Elderly | 3* | Refer to SPE Department |
| SWK 3030 | Social Work with the Aging | 4 | Refer to SWK Department |
TOTAL HOURS REQUIRED FOR MINOR = 18
- *Courses requiring additional prerequisites
- ** Credit will be granted for only one prefix: HPS or ITP