With a degree in gerontology, the study of aging and older adults, you will be able to work in a variety of settings interacting directly with older adults or in positions where you will be able to assist communities and policy makers to address the needs of this population indirectly through program development and public policy initiatives.
The Gerontology Program at BMCC is co-coordinated by the Health Studies Department and the Department of Social Sciences, Human Services and Criminal Justice. You will learn an interdisciplinary approach that addresses the social, psychological, biological and health-related changes of aging.
Field Work
Mandatory field work will further equip you with the skills necessary to respond appropriately to the needs of this elderly population. This experience will an advantage in future career choices.
Transfer Options
You can continue your education in this specialized area by pursuing a bachelor degree at a senior college with a gerontology program, such as CUNY at York College, SUNY at Oneonta College or St. John’s University. BMCC has articulation agreements to facilitate your seamlessly continuing your studies at several four year schools.
Explore Careers
BMCC is committed to students’ long-term success and will help you explore professional opportunities. Undecided? No problem. The college offers Career Coach for salary and employment information, job postings and a self-discovery assessment to help students find their academic and career paths. Visit Career Express to make an appointment with a career advisor, search for jobs or sign-up for professional development activities with the Center for Career Development. Students can also visit the Office of Internships and Experiential Learning to gain real world experience in preparation for a four-year degree and beyond. These opportunities are available to help BMCC students build a foundation for future success.
Contact
Professor Man Wai (Alice) Lun
Program Coordinator
mlun@bmcc.cuny.edu
Related Communities
Requirements
Gerontology Academic Program Maps
Required Common Core
| English Composition | 6 |
| Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning1,2 | 3 |
| Life and Physical Sciences1,2 | 3 |
| TOTAL REQUIRED COMMON CORE | 12 |
Flexible Core3
| Creative Expression1 | 6 |
| Individual and Society1 | 3 |
| Scientific World1,2 | 3 |
| U.S. Experience in Its Diversity1 | 3 |
| World Cultures and Global Issues1 | 3 |
| TOTAL FLEXIBLE COMMON CORE | 18 |
| TOTAL COMMON CORE | 30 |
Curriculum Requirements
- This course in health educations offers a comprehensive approach that provides students with the knowledge, skills, and behavioral models to enhance their physical, emotional, social, intellectual and spiritual health as well as facilitate their health decision-making ability. Areas of specialization include: alcohol, tobacco and abused substances, mental and emotional health, human sexuality and family living, nutrition, physical fitness, cardiovascular health, environmental health and health care delivery. HED 110 fulfills all degree requirements for HE 100. Students who have completed HED 100 - Health Education will not receive credit for this course.
- This course will investigate health issues related to aging from a global perspective. Students will understand how culture influences individual responses' to the elderly and the aging. The relationship between aging, chronic and degenerative diseases will also be reviewed with special consideration given to the effect of biological changes on elders' process, health functioning and prevention of the effects of physical and mental deterioration of the individual.
- This course introduces students to the field of Human Services and the profession of Social Work. Those human services which deal with social and personal problems are explored as well as the knowledge base, the skills base and the values base of the social work profession. Students are exposed to the methods of working with people as individuals, in groups and on a community level. This course meets the requirements as a liberal arts elective in social science.
- This course provides students with a basic understanding of the interrelationships between the physical, intellectual, social and psychological aspects of the aging process in contemporary society. Problems particular to aging are explored as well as policies and programs which have been developed to deal with them.
- This course will acquaint students with the social welfare system of the United States. An historical perspective helps to illuminate the evolution of current policies, programs and practices. Poverty in the U.S. is analyzed as well as the specific programs which have been developed to alleviate it. Cross-cultural approaches to social welfare are also examined. Prerequisite: POL 100
- Health educators promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health by assisting individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors. This is accomplished primarily through the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. The purpose of this course is to provide students with an overview of the field of community health education and an opportunity to develop skills in needs assessment and program planning. We will review the importance of health behavior as a contributor to current public health problems. Students will learn how to use the planning frameworks for conducting needs assessments and designing and evaluating health promotion programs. Theories of health behavior will be introduced and their applications explored. Examples of health education and health promotion programs will be presented from health care, community, school and workplace settings. Prerequisite: HED 110 or [HED 100 with an earned grade of "B" grade or above]
OR
- This course is designed to provide health education students with an understanding of theories and models upon which behavior change is based and with strategies to impact health behavior change. Students will acquire basic health behavior counseling and coaching skills and practice principles involved in motivation and program adherence and retention. Each student will gain experience working in the field of community health education through a field placement assignment.
Prerequisite: HED 110 or [HED 100 with an earned grade of "B" grade or above]
- This course will cover the psychology of death and dying in our society. Throughout the semester we will examine the attitudes and values about death and dying, the developmental processes on death and dying as well as the sociocultural-perspectives, both the legal and ethical concerns of death and dying, as well as the issues of grief and bereavement. The text and supplemental readings will provide the groundwork for the assignments and class discussions. Students will be expected to remain open to different experiences, feelings and values. Prerequisite: PSY 100
OR
- The course experience provides students, utilizing Dubos' Multidimensional Health Model, an understanding of death and dying from a physiological, emotional, spiritual, and behavioral perspective with additional emphasis on legal and ethical issues. Topics to be explored include: therapeutic care plans as they relate to diseases and disorders of the terminally ill; medical preparation for death, inclusive of DNI (do not intubate), DNR (do not resuscitate) and health proxy laws; an examination of the emotional and physiological impact on the health of the caregiver as well as that of the terminal patient,; an examination of funeral rituals and grieving practices involved in the healing process of bereavement, as well as unique circumstances of death involving suicide and euthanasia. Overall, the course explores death within the multiple dimensions of health and wellness on the continuum of the life cycle. Prerequisite: HED 110 or HED 100 for which a "B" grade or above has been earned.
3
XXX xxx
General Elective
Choose 6 credits from
- This course examines the use of licit and illicit drugs across cultures within the context of personal health and wellness. The historical, pharmacodynamics, psychological, emotional and social aspects of licit and illicit drug use, as well as drug abuse, will serve as the foundation for this examination.
- This course deals with the physiological, psychological and social aspects of human sexual development and functions.
- This health course is aimed to be a practical course for students and to affect their lives in a positive way. It provides an opportunity to gain information and insight into the physical, psychological, and social aspects of women's health concerns.
- Historical events and contemporary factors affecting the availability, control, and monitoring of American Health Care products and services are explored. Such factors include: the private and public financing of health care, public and private monitoring of health care; and the ethical issues of medical care in America. The purpose of the course is not to advocate any particular health care philosophy, product or service, but to provide the student with the skills and factual base for making informed decisions in the health care marketplace.
- This course examines what the National Academy of Sciences recommends for meeting onea??s nutritional needs. It examines the food, beverages, and supplements that comprise onea??s diet and assesses their impact on health following digestion, absorption, and metabolism. The course is designed to help students make health informed choices regarding nutritional needs and goals.
- Students in this course acquire knowledge essential for safe living, including the causes and preventions of accidents. The student learns the practical skills of first aid and cardio pulmonary resuscitation. Students are eligible for certification provided they meet Red Cross standards.
- This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the psychological, physical, and social understanding of the stress response. The course will explore the divergent ranges of the human stress response, while emphasizing the use of positive stress in an academic setting. Opportunities will be provided for students to learn concrete scientific measures, gain practical insights, and adapt viable stress management techniques. The purpose of the course is not to advocate any one particular technique, but rather to enable students to make informed decisions about stress management approaches toward enhancing health.
- This course focuses on the psychological and sociological aspects of disabling conditions, and the approaches to effecting the person's habilitation/rehabilitation through behavior change.
- This course follows the same format as HUM 301, Field Experience in Human Services I. Remaining in the same field placement, the student deepens his/her knowledge and strengthens his/her skills through continued practice and supervision. This course is open only to students enrolled in the Human Services curriculum. Please note: This course has 1 lecture hour and 7 internship hours per week. Prerequisite: HUM 301
- This course explores cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes across the lifespan. Attention is given to how biological sociocultural factors shape the individual. Prerequisite: PSY 100
- This course focuses on historical perspectives, contemporary trends, theoretical models and scientific research in the assessment and classification of mental illness. The etiology and treatment of psychological disorders are discussed with emphasis on the role of biological, cognitive, psychodynamic and sociocultural factors. Prerequisites: PSY 100
- This course analyzes the relationships between economic and social factors, and the delivery of health care services in urban communities. Attention is given to community needs related to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, mortality rates, prevention, and education. Guest lecturers and workshops are presented. Prerequisite: SOC 100 or ANT 100
30
Total Curriculum Requirements
60
Total Program Requirements
Notes
Please note, these requirements are effective the 2019-2020 catalog year. Please check your DegreeWorks account for your specific degree requirements as when you began at BMCC will determine your program requirements.
Footnotes
- Consult with an advisor on which courses to take to satisfy these areas.
- These areas can be satisfied by a STEM variant.
- No more than two courses in any discipline or interdisciplinary field can be used to satisfy Flexible Core requirements.
