Introduction to Gerontology: Thinking about Aging

Course Description

Students think critically about aging in the current US context and develop proposals for change to ensure their ideal old age will be possible. Required for minor in Gerontology.

Syllabus

Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:

Students successfully completing this course will be able to:

  • Locate information relevant to the aging experience and communicate it effectively to others.
  • Describe the variety of aging experiences using perspectives from more than one discipline.
  • Analyze the current opportunities and constraints on how people age using theories from more than one discipline.
  • Interpret data and apply theories of aging to identify areas where change is needed to meet the needs of older adults in the future.

Course Grading Information:

Activity/Performance Measure Percentage/Points
Exam 150 points
Exam 250 points
Exam 350 points
Exam 450 points
Discussion Boards120 points
Course Guide Review Quiz5 points
Journal Article Reflection20 points
Interview with an Older Adult Reflection50 points
Living Arrangements Paper40 points
Your Ideal Old Age Reflection Paper65 points
Total500 points

Letter grades will be assigned according to the following point structure:

Grading Scale

Percentage Letter Grade
465 – 500 pointsA
450 – 464 pointsA–
435 – 449 pointsB+
415 – 434 pointsB
400 – 414 pointsB–
385-399 pointsC+
365-384 pointsC
350-364 pointsC-
300-349 pointsD
299 points and belowF

Attendance/Participation:

Attendance/participation is not a graded component included in the student's final grade for this course.

Course Materials Purchased by the Students:

Sugar, J. A. (2019). Introduction to aging: A positive, interdisciplinary approach (2nd ed.). Springer Publishing.

Scholarly Perspectives

This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.