Core Program Learning Goals
The interdisciplinary Aging Studies Major will draw on Ithaca College’s unique combination of liberal arts and professional programs to provide students with a liberal arts foundation, a broad-based understanding of individual and social aspects of aging, and professional skills relevant to their career goals. The Major prepares students to attain a position in the field of aging or to pursue graduate education in gerontology or a related discipline
Through a liberal arts foundation, interdisciplinary gerontology coursework, experiential learning, and a concentration, the Ithaca College Aging Studies Major will prepare students to:
1. apply theoretical perspectives related to the study of aging;
2. integrate information and perspectives from various disciplines to understand the biological, psychological and social aspects of aging;
3. conduct basic research and present results; read, analyze and use research-based information;
4. understand the development of US aging policy and its impact on programs and services for older adults; and
5. apply knowledge from aging courses and their chosen focus area in a work or educational setting.
General Education Learning Goals
Students who graduate with the Aging Studies degree will be able to demonstrate the following competencies:
1. Critical Thinking: apply critical thinking skills to complex problems
2. Communication Proficiency: express ideas effectively in oral presentations and written work
3. Diversity Appreciation: articulate the ways in which characteristics such as race, ethnicity, social class, and gender (among others) may impact the accumulation of advantages and disadvantages over the life course
4. Global Awareness: explore and describe cultures outside the United States and the challenges and opportunities of globalization
5. Arts Appreciation: describe how visual or performing arts reflect and inspire the richness of human expression
6. Ethical Understanding: analyze ethical issues and apply knowledge to the field of aging
7. Self and Society Awareness: explore and describe how we, as individuals, come to act and believe as we do, how we relate to one another, and how we govern ourselves within our communities
8. Economics and Policy Analysis: examine intersections between economics and policy and describe the effects of both on individuals and groups in the United States
