Applied Sociology students have the option of concentrating in one of the following programs: the Graduate Certificate in Gerontology, the Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution and the Concentration in Counseling.

Graduate Certificate in Gerontology
The Graduate Certificate in Gerontology provides students with a broad overview of issues in gerontology. Applied Sociology students can earn this certificate by completing five substantive 3-credit courses in gerontology, in addition to completing the Sociology MA requirements. Only two of these courses can be counted toward the MA degree, so students seeking the Gerontology Certificate must complete three additional courses. All gerontology courses are offered through the University’s Ph.D. Program in Gerontology.

The following gerontology courses can be used to satisfy the graduate certificate requirements (enrollment is only with permission of course instructor).

GERON 611: Health and Physical Aspects of Aging
GERON 614: Issues Concerning Specialized Populations of the Elderly
GERON 621: Social Aspects of Aging
GERON 623: Issues in Aging Policy
GERON 626: Economic Issues in Aging Populations
GERON 628: Psychology of Aging
GERON 631: Families of Later Life
GERON 721: History and Political Economy of Social Policy Toward the Elderly
GERON 724: Ethnic and Racial Diversity in Aging Societies
GERON 734: Law and Health Policy for the Elderly
GERON 761: Advanced Policy Analysis
GERON 771: Seminar in Long Term Care

Interested students may also be able to design an internship and/or a capstone experience (thesis, research paper, or comprehensive exam) in the area of gerontology.

Students wishing to earn a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology must have completed at least one semester in Applied Sociology. In addition, they must receive a formal recommendation from the Applied Sociology Graduate Program Director as well as approval from the Gerontology Center.

Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution
The Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution focuses on dispute resolution skills for professionals who manage conflict in their work. Completion of the graduate certificate requires completion of 12-credit hours in four courses, as well as a 6-credit internship. Only two of the four courses can be counted toward the MA degree, so students seeking the Dispute Resolution Certificate must complete two additional courses. All dispute resolution courses are offered through the University’s Graduate Program in Dispute Resolution.

The following dispute resolution courses must be completed to satisfy the graduate certificate requirements.

DISRES 600: Negotiation
DISRES 601: Mediation
DISRES 602: Theories of Conflict Resolution
DISRES 603: Advanced Mediation and Negotiation
DISRES 698: Internship (6 credits)

Applicants to the Graduate Certificate Program in Dispute Resolution must have had some experience managing conflict. See the Graduate Studies Bulletin or the University’s web site for details.

Concentration in Counseling
Applied Sociology students interested in counseling can concentrate in this area by completing two courses that are offered by the University’s Graduate Counseling Program. Although Applied Sociology students can complete more than two Counseling courses, only two will be counted toward the Applied Sociology MA. Eligible courses are:

COUNSL 604: Foundations of Mental Health Counseling
COUNSL 607: Theories of Personality
COUNSL 608: Abnormal Psychology
COUNSL 614: Counseling Theory and Practice I
COUNSL 620: Clinical Application of Human Development
COUNSL 629: Representations of Gender
COUNSL 672: Substance Abuse Counseling and Therapy