Long-term Care, Senior Housing & Aging Services

Graduate opportunities

The Department of Sociology at the University of North Texas is home to one of the nation’s oldest and best-known career training programs for professionals in gerontology. We instill in our students:

• a belief that the later years of life have intrinsic value and offer potential for human fulfillment
• a commitment to staying informed about new developments and research
• a sound understanding of aging processes

Embracing these philosophical beliefs enables you to meet the needs of America’s growing population of older adults.

Our Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees in Long-Term Care, Senior Housing and Aging Services allow you to pursue a career as either a licensed longterm care administrator or in the administration of community-based services. The innovative curricula include combining classroom study with an internship. This better prepares you to plan, develop, administer and evaluate residential and community-based programs and services for older people.

In addition, we offer a Specialist in Aging graduate certificate that complements the existing knowledge and skills for health and human service professionals or can be a valuable addition to academic credentials for faculty and doctoral candidates.

Prepare for the future

Our graduates are leaders in their communities and at the state and national levels in developing and administering programs, services, institutions and agencies serving older adults. Alumni are employed throughout the nation in:

• church programs
• community mental health centers
• governmental planning and regulatory agencies
• home health agencies
• long-term care and retirement communities
• senior centers

Research plays a vital role in our academic program. Faculty members are investigating:

• accessibility of health care delivery systems for adults and older adults
• aging and disabilities resource systems
• images of aging in film and literature
• integrating community-based and residential services for the aged
• long-term care policy
• mediation for professionals in aging
• physical activity and the elderly
• senior re-engagement and volunteerism
• sustainable senior communities

Gain new perspectives

Guest lecturers and adjunct instructors (professionals from long-term care and retirement facilities, community-based programs for the elderly, and government agencies) bring best practices to the classroom and enhance our curricula. The programs also have strong relationships with faculty members in other departments at the university.

UNT’s libraries hold one of the country’s most comprehensive collections about aging. The program also selects acquisitions for the Gerontological Film and Video Collection, which includes more than 700 videotapes, films and slide sets. Items in the collection are available for rent to organizations and agencies throughout the United States.

Attending UNT

Admission requirements

M.A. and M.S. programs

You must meet the admission requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School as well as the following:

• apply for admission to the Applied Gerontology Program
• have acceptable scores on the GRE’s verbal and quantitative sections (International students whose native language is not English may substitute completion of UNT’s Graduate Preparation course for their GRE verbal score.)

Admission requirements for the Toulouse Graduate School are available at their website.

Degree and certification programs

M.A and M.S. degree

• 27 to 31 semester hours of required course work
• 6 to 12 semester hours of electives
• 3 to 6 semester hours of a 500-clock-hour supervised internship (Those preparing for licensure as a nursing facility administrator need to complete an additional 500-clockhour internship in a licensed facility.)

Specialist in Aging graduate certificate

• 9 semester hours of core graduate-level courses covering social, physiological and psychological aspects of aging as well as government programs for the elderly
• 6 semester hours of applied gerontology electives

Financial assistance

The program and university offer various types of academic-based and need-based financial assistance. Several department-sponsored scholarships are awarded each year to full-time master’s students based on merit and potential for achievement. Research assistantships associated with faculty projects are often available.

Out-of-state and international students who attend full time and receive scholarships may be eligible to pay in-state tuition.

New graduate students who have participated in Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate programs are eligible for McNair fellowships that pay $9,500 for the first year of full-time study. Learn more about McNair fellowships.