Further Your Career in Aging with a Master's Degree in Gerontology

If you want to work with aging populations, consider earning a master's degree in gerontology. Many colleges now offer online gerontology degrees, so finding time to study is easier than ever.

by Jane Smallman
College Search Engine Columnist

If you want to make aging your career, why not expand your job opportunities by equipping yourself with a master’s degree in gerontology? A number of gerontology programs are available online, so it is now easier than ever to fit your degree studies around your other life commitments.

Career Opportunities in Aging

As the number of people living into old age increases every year, so does the need for people who are trained to care for them, and aging is now an area of expanding career opportunities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment for people with a background in gerontology is likely to increase at a faster than average rate for the rest of the decade.

If you want to devote your working life to improving the lives of the elderly, earning a master’s degree in gerontology will equip you with the knowledge that you need to do the job well and train you to work at the highest level as a skilled administrator, planner, or practitioner.

Studying Online For a Master’s Degree in Gerontology

Online programs leading to a master’s degree in gerontology are now on offer from a number of long-established and well-respected schools, colleges, and universities. Most of these institutions were offering traditional face-to-face teaching for gerontology qualifications long before online study became so popular, but have now adapted their degree programs to accommodate busy professionals who want to earn a master’s but don’t have the time to attend or travel to regular classes.

If earning a master’s appeals to you but you have work or family commitments that prevent you from participating in a campus-based degree program, why not consider studying gerontology online? By accessing most (or all) of your course materials through the Internet you avoid the time and expense needed to travel to scheduled classes, and in most cases you can study at any time of the day or night that is most convenient to you.

So go on! Opportunities to study gerontology online are growing all the time, so take advantage of them and boost your career opportunities by earning a master’s degree.

Sources

The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author

Jane Smallman combines free-lance writing with running a mountain guiding business with her husband. She has a bachelor and master’s degree in social sciences.

Posted on June 20, 2007 at 1:03 PM

Share this article: