Innovations in Aging

Graduate Certificate

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Quick Facts

Credits Required: 13

Cost Per Credit: $700.00

three happy older aged adults hiking and laughing

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Graduate College

Program Details

This fully online, interdisciplinary program explores local and worldwide challenges to offer you a foundational knowledge of gerontology and how to implement innovations in your career. The Innovations in Aging (IIA) graduate certificate requires 13 graduate credits. It prepares you to take a culturally competent, ethical, humanistic, and interdisciplinary approach to address the unique needs of the aging population. The program can be completed in one year.

Whether you choose to participate in the graduate certificate program on its own or concurrently with your master's, Ph.D., or professional program, the choice is yours. The online certificate is stackable with the IIA Master of Science (MS) Degree, allowing you to fully apply credits to the completion of the MS and constitute one-third of the course requirements. This flexibility empowers you to earn both a Graduate Certificate and a Master's Degree in IIA, shaping your learning journey according to your needs and aspirations.

The program will help you expand your career opportunities by developing a highly valued skillset that complements your existing skills, education, and professional experience. You can pursue careers in various industries and acquire and apply new knowledge about advancing positive change to benefit older adults and the industries in which they work.

The curriculum aligns with the rigorous standards set by the Association of Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE). This alignment ensures that you receive the highest quality of education and the necessary experience to apply for professional certification through the National Association of Professional Gerontologists (NAPG), giving you a competitive edge in the job market and instilling confidence in the relevance of your education.

This graduate certificate is one of 20 Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs (GIDP) approved and established by the Arizona Board of Regents. GIDPs transcend departmental boundaries, creating unique opportunities for students to pursue new research opportunities.

The certificate program is also affiliated with the Arizona Center on Aging, which works to improve the quality of life for older adults through comprehensive programs in research, education and training, clinical care, and community engagement.

View detailed program information

Prospective students must have at least either a bachelor’s degree (BS/BA) in any discipline or graduate status (e.g. PharmD students).

*Residents of some U.S. Territories may not be eligible. Please see our Eligibility & State Authorization page for more information.

Courses

Courses

The graduate certificate program consists of 13 units of graduate credit, offered in a series of one-credit, 5-week online courses over the span of two semesters—or spread out over time to accommodate your busy schedule. The following are examples of courses:

This introductory course sets the stage for a human and experiential understanding of aging and the life experience of older adults. Learning will take a practical, theoretical and humanistic look with emphasis on ageism, life course, person/environment interaction, autonomy, self-determination, inter-dependence, and inter-vulnerability.

This course will provide a high-level review of everyday ethics along with special attention to issues related to aging and older adults such as elder protection. Emphasis will be placed on professional standards, so students are able to distinguish between and communicate around ethical issues while working with older adults and their families.

The focus of this course is on understanding aging as a biological and psychological phenomenon. Students will explore biological explanations for how and why aging occurs and normal versus abnormal aging changes as well as biological and psychological phenomena. Finally, psychological perspectives will be considered including stages of growth and development.

This course is designed to assist students in exploring aging as a socio-cultural phenomenon. Sociological theories of aging will be explored. Life-course theory and ethnogerontological theory will be used to frame aging from the perspective of human diversity. Students will explore ways in which aging and the experience of aging differs based on gender, race, socio-economic status, and culture.

This course looks at aging as it is portrayed and communicated through cultural and artistic artifacts such as movies, books, art, theatre and music. Students will be challenged to reflect on their own experience with such artifacts as well as integrating this experience with other perspectives on aging.

The goal of this course is to provide students with a beginning understanding of research strategies used with older adults so students are able to evaluate new information on aging and its sources (popular media and research publications) and to determine the appropriateness and applicability of research evidence.

This course provides an opportunity for students to synthesize biological, psychological, sociological and humanistic perspectives of aging and apply it in real-world and relevant scenarios. Additionally, new theoretical models and tools will be introduced to aid students in thinking about and reflecting on the aging process.

Students will learn about terminology and common derogatory communication patterns that present in discussions with or about older adults. Students will also learn how to apply the skills necessary to find, engage and participate in interdisciplinary and community collaboration in the areas of research, policy, provision of support, services and other opportunities.