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Department of Gerontology
2800 91ÅÝܽ Vancouver, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 5K3, 778.782.5065 Tel, 778.782.5066 Fax, gero@sfu.ca,
Chair
A.V. Wister HBA, MA, PhD (WOnt)
Graduate Program Chair
H. Chaudhury BA (B’desh Engin), MSC Architecture (Tex), PhD (Wisc)
Faculty and Areas of Research
See “Department of Gerontology” on page 114 for a complete list of faculty.
H. Chaudhury – design for dementia, place-based reminiscence, long term care and self in dementia
G.M. Gutman – seniors’ housing, long term care, dementia, health promotion/population health and aging, program evaluation
L. Lovegreen – built environment and aging, coping and stress in late life, health promotion, older adult education
B. Mitchell* – families and aging, intergenerational relations, youth transitions, quantitative methods, health promotion and social policy
N. O’Rourke – geriatric depression, personality and mental health, test construction/validation, caregiving
A. Sixsmith – technology for independent living, quality of life and health and their determinants, service provision for older people
A.V. Wister – social demography, healthy lifestyles, environment and aging, program evaluation, design and statistical methods
*joint appointment with sociology and anthropology
Advisor
Ms. A. Barrett BA (C’dia), 2800 91ÅÝܽ Vancouver, 778.782.5065
A master of arts degree with two concentrations is offered: environment and aging; health and aging. The program prepares students for professional roles with high level current knowledge, and substantial competence in research tasks necessary to undertake those roles. It also provides focused, interdisciplinary training for individuals in occupations offering services to older adults. Students will develop an appreciation of the complex ethical issues that are faced by persons working with older adults.
Each concentration covers specific problems and issues. The environment and aging concentration teaches planning, design, research and evaluation of working, living and recreational environments for older persons including families and community environments. Students will have backgrounds in architecture, interior design, urban and regional planning, social/human ecology, kinesiology, recreation and leisure studies, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, human factors, human geography, sociology or environmental or social psychology.
The health and aging concentration provides knowledge applied to research, evaluation and critical analysis of health care systems and specific health promotion strategies. Students with degrees in psychology, sociology, demography, health sciences, medical geography, social work, nursing, health education, physiotherapy, physical education or kinesiology would be probable candidates.
Students complete a core methods course and electives selected from the two concentrations. The program builds upon the expertise, research activities, clinical experience, and international reputation of the associated Gerontology Research Centre.
Admission Requirements
Applicants should consult the department’s website for application information, or contact the advisor.
Candidates who have not completed the post baccalaureate diploma in gerontology or have a minimum of five upper division courses with substantial aging content may be advised to complete courses from the diploma program prior to applying.
fall admission applications should be completed by January 30 of that year and applications for spring admission by September 30 of the previous year.
The following prerequisites, or their equivalent, are required for each concentration.
Environment and Aging
GERO 401-3 Environment and Aging
Health and Aging
one of
GERO 302-3 Health Promotion and Aging
GERO 404-3 Health and Illness in Later Life
GERO 407-3 Nutrition and Aging
Both or No Concentrations
three of
GERO 300-3 Introduction to Gerontology*
GERO 400-4 Seminar in Applied Gerontology*
GERO 409-3 Mental Health and Aging
GERO 420-4 Sociology of Aging
KIN 461-3 Physiological Aspects of Aging
PSYC 357-3 Psychology of Adulthood and Aging
*recommended
Students also complete at least one undergraduate methods course. Under special circumstances, the five prerequisite course requirement may be waived.
Curriculum and Description
There are four program components: a core methods course; electives; thesis or project; and internship. Students complete six courses (one core, and five electives chosen from the two concentrations) and complete a thesis or project. Students who complete a thesis in lieu of the project will complete one less elective course. (See Thesis or Project Option below).
Core Methods Course
Completion of one core methods course is required.
GERO 803-4 Analytical Techniques for Gerontological Research
Elective Courses from Areas of Concentration
Students select remaining courses from the concentration courses, other electives, or from outside the program if approved by the student's senior supervisor, and may build a concentration in environment and aging or health and aging. A concentration is considered to be at least two courses in one of the two areas.
Environment and Aging
GERO 810-4 Community Based Housing for Older People
GERO 811-4 Institutional Living Environments
GERO 822-4 Families, Communities and Health**
GERO 830-4 Human Factors, Technology and Safety
Health and Aging
GERO 801-4 Health Policy and Applied Issues in Gerontology
GERO 802-4 Development and Evaluation of Health Promotion Programs for the Elderly
GERO 820-4 Principles and Practices of Health Promotion
GERO 823-4 Mental Health and Illness in Later Life
GERO 840-4 Special Topics in Gerontology***
GERO 889-4 Directed Studies***
Electives Outside of Concentration
GERO 804-4 Advanced Qualitative Methods in Gerontology
GERO 805-4 Advanced Statistics for Behavioral Analysis in Gerontology
GERO 806-4 Interdisciplinary Theories in Gerontology
**may be used for either concentration
***may be used for either concentration depending on the topic
Project or Thesis Option
Students present a written thesis/project proposal to their supervisory committee. Project examples include: program evaluation for older adults; design and implementation of environments or services for elderly persons; and analyses of secondary data. A project will be evaluated by the supervisory committee and a qualified external reader. The project requirement must meet the guidelines set out in the “Graduate General Regulations” on page 219.
Students preparing for advanced graduate training may be permitted to select a thesis option and will complete one less elective course. The thesis provides high quality focused research. Original and innovative research is encouraged to meet this requirement. Committee selection and thesis proposal approval will follow the same steps as the project. The thesis requirement must meet the “Graduate General Regulations” on page 219.
Internship
Students lacking relevant work experience will supplement their program with an internship by working for an agency or organization in a position of responsibility for a maximum of one term.
Admission Requirements
Admission will require a gerontology master’s degree or a master’s degree from another discipline in which a significant amount of course work and/or thesis/project research deals with aging or the aged. Applicants will be evaluated on an individual basis. Those not meeting these requirements will need to complete preparatory course work that is equivalent to a master’s in gerontology or aging studies. It is recommended that applicants have a minimum 3.5 grade point average. In addition, there must be supervisory capacity in the department to support the candidate’s dissertation research.
In addition to program requirements, applicants meet University admission requirements to a doctoral program (see “1.3.4 Admission to a Doctoral Program” on page 220).
Supervisory Committee
A senior supervisor is assigned to each student upon doctoral program admission. Two additional departmental committee members and one external department member will be added by the end of the first year. At least two supervisory committee members must be department members.
Degree Requirements
Doctoral students complete five GERO graduate courses but may be required to complete up to seven additional courses if deemed necessary by the admissions committee. Two courses will be related to one of two streams that the student has selected as an area of expertise: environment and aging; or health and aging. Two courses will be methods/statistics courses, and one course will be a required theory course. (See “Gerontology GERO” on page 388 for course descriptions.)
After completion of course work, students will write two comprehensive examinations, and will also write and defend a dissertation.
Course Requirements
Streams
Environment and Aging Stream
GERO 810-4 Community Based Housing for Older People
GERO 811-4 Institutional Living Environments
GERO 822-4 Families, Communities and Health
GERO 830-4 Human Factors, Technology, and Safety
Health and Aging Stream
GERO 801-4 Health Policy and Applied Issues in Gerontology
GERO 820-4 Principles and Practices of Health Promotion
GERO 822-4 Families, Communities and Health
GERO 823-4 Mental Health and Illness in Later Life
Required Methods/Statistics Courses
Student complete any two* of
GERO 802-4 Development and Evaluation of Health Promotion Programs for the Elderly
GERO 803-4 Analytical Techniques for Gerontological Research*
GERO 804-4 Advanced Qualitative Methods in Gerontology
GERO 805-4 Advanced Statistics for Behavioral Analysis in Gerontology
*or equivalent courses
Required Theory Course
GERO 806-4 Interdisciplinary Theories in Gerontology
Note: Students may substitute up to three courses from other programs (especially the Faculty of Health Sciences) with departmental approval. Students may also complete one directed studies (GERO 899).
Comprehensive Examinations
After completion of all course work, students write two comprehensive exams based on reading lists developed with their supervisory committee. These will be defended orally.
One comprehensive exam will cover methods and statistics, and the second will cover the substantive literature in the dissertation field. Material covered in the comprehensive exams will be determined by the student’s supervisory committee.
A student who fails a comprehensive exam will have one additional chance for re-examination. Students failing either comprehensive exam more than once will not be allowed to continue in the program.
Dissertation
Students write and successfully defend a dissertation prospectus in accordance with the Graduate General Regulations (see “1.9.4 Preparation for Examination of Doctoral Thesis” on page 224 and “1.10.1 Thesis Examination” on page 225).
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