Graduate Certificate in Gerontology

The Graduate Certificate in Gerontology Program prepares professionals to work in the field of aging in a variety of settings, depending on the student's professional discipline and career goals. It integrates gerontology into the student's primary discipline by providing a substantive foundation in gerontology coursework.

Graduate students, individual practitioners and professionals currently working with the elderly, or desiring to work with the elderly, are invited to participate in this individualized program. The Graduate Certificate may be earned concurrently with a graduate degree or earned independently. Nearly 500 students have completed the Graduate Certificate or an earlier program, the Specialist Certificate in Aging, through the Institute of Gerontology .

Admission
   
Admissions Requirements and Procedures

For admission into the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology program, the student must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Meet Wayne State University Graduate School admission requirements and have a G.P.A. of 2.6 or above based on a 4.0 scale or have completed a graduate degree at Wayne State University .
   
2. If you are an international student, please visit this link before applying to this program.
   
3.  If you are not currently a Wayne State student, please submit an application for admission to the WSU Graduate School before applying to this program.
   
4. Complete Institute certificate program application. Contact the Director of Education for an application packet or use the online application form.
   
5. Complete a 1-2 page, double-spaced, personal statement briefly describing the student's interest in Gerontology and career goals.
6. Submit three letters of reference, one from an academic advisor and two from people who can speak to the student's interest in and ability to work with older adults.
7. Participate in a personal interview with the Institute's Director of Education to develop a Plan of Work.
8. Submit an official academic transcript for under- graduate and graduate programs (uncertified copies are acceptable).

Applications are accepted throughout the year and students may begin the program during any semester. For more information, please contact:

        Peter Lichtenberg, PhD, Director
        Institute of Gerontology
        87 East Ferry Street
        226 Knapp Building
        Detroit, MI  48202

Program Structure

Program Requirements

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology, the student must successfully complete 12 credits of approved courses for the Certificate Program. Course work consists of one core course, ISP7998, and nine other credits in three additional categories. In the personal interview, the student and the Director of Education develop the Plan of Work for the course work based on the student's background, major areas of concentration, and career goals.

The program must be completed within three years. Most students enroll in one or two courses per term. Courses are offered by departments throughout the university and may be offered in late afternoon or evening. Most courses are offered once per year. Up to nine of the 12 credits may by applied to both the Certificate and the graduate degree, subject to approval of the relevant academic department and the graduate school. 

If the student has already completed a master's degree, the certificate is awarded when the student has met all the certificate requirements. If the student is earning the certificate concurrently with a master's degree, the certificate is awarded when all the requirements of the certificate and the degree have been met.