Advanced study in health related sciences and aging studies is available through a dual degree and certificate program sponsored by the College of Health Professions.
The program allows students to earn a Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences and a Certificate in Aging Studies with a minimum of 63 credits rather than the 66 credits necessary if the two plans of study were pursued separately. This efficiency lowers the overall cost of tuition while also reducing time to earning both degrees.
Program goals
The objectives of this dual degree and certificate program are to:
- Prepare graduates to address the complex needs of a diverse aging population using holistic knowledge of the biopsychosocial aging process
- Provide graduates with an understanding of empirically and theoretically based components contributing to optimal aging using evidence-based, best-practice approaches
- Provide students with the ability to understand and conduct research in health related sciences with a focus on the older adult population
- Provide students with the ability to analyze alternatives and develop responses in their disciplines to improve health care experiences for older people
- Provide students with the ability to examine current issues and future changes in gerontology from an interdisciplinary perspective
Among the many benefits offered by participation in the dual degree and certificate program is the following:
- Prepares students for a variety of health-related interdisciplinary positions specifically working with or on behalf of older adults and their family members. These positions represent a variety of settings including private, public or academic organizations and institutions.
The diplomas for this dual degree and certificate program may be awarded simultaneously. However, students must complete a separate graduation check out for each program.
Student learning outcomes
See the individual program pages for student learning outcomes.
Other information
Advising
The student is assigned an adviser from each program to develop a plan of study. Advisers from each program will provide guidance on course requirements for their respective programs.
Students in the Ph.D. program will be assigned an adviser who has the content knowledge to support mentoring the student through the dissertation process. The student could be mentored by faculty in any of the College of Health Professions departments. As a result, the Ph.D. adviser could be from outside of gerontology or within gerontology.
Admission requirements
The Certificate in Aging Studies program is open to qualified students who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university or the equivalent and who have met all general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School.
The admission requirements for the Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences can be found on the program page.
Application procedure
Students can apply to both programs during the same time period (but they require separate applications). Students may also apply to the certificate program any time following acceptance into the Ph.D. program.
Students may contact VCU Graduate Admissions to have their transcripts and letters of recommendation from the Ph.D. application attached to their certificate application. A new personal statement is required.
Dual degree and certificate requirements
As standalone programs, the Ph.D. comprises 51 credits while the certificate requires 15 credits. The dual degree and certificate program allows students to share three credits, therefore decreasing total credits to completion from 66 to 63.
Based on the equivalent knowledge acquired by successfully completing ALHP 708 in the Ph.D. program, GRTY 606 is satisfied in the certificate curriculum.
Curriculum requirements
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ph.D. requirements | ||
| • Interdisciplinary courses | ||
| ALHP 701 | Health Services Delivery Systems | 3 |
| ALHP 702 | Finance and Economic Theory for Health Care | 3 |
| ALHP 708 | Health Science Ethics (satisfies GRTY 606 in certificate) | 3 |
| ALHP 712 | Instructional Design and Evaluation for Health Sciences | 3 |
| ALHP 716 | Grant Writing for Health Science Research | 3 |
| ALHP 718 | Health Informatics | 3 |
| • Research methods | ||
| ALHP 760 | Descriptive and Univariate Statistical Methods for Health Sciences | 3 |
| ALHP 761 | Health Science Research Design I | 3 |
| ALHP 762 | Multivariate Statistical Methods for Health Sciences | 3 |
| ALHP 763 | Health Science Research Design II | 3 |
| • Independent study | ||
| ALHP 781 | Doctoral Seminar | 3 |
| ALHP 792 | Independent Study (three credit hours required) | 1-4 |
| ALHP 793 | Research Practicum | 3 |
| • Dissertation | ||
| ALHP 890 | Dissertation Seminar | 3 |
| ALHP 899 | Dissertation Research | 9 |
| Certificate requirements | ||
| GRTY 601 | Biological and Physiological Aging | 3 |
| GRTY 602 | Psychology of Aging | 3 |
| GRTY 603 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| GRTY 606 | Aging and Human Values (satisfied by Ph.D. requirement ALHP 708) | 3 |
| Restricted elective | 3 | |
| Select from: | ||
| Problems, Issues and Trends in Gerontology | ||
| Aging and Mental Disorders | ||
| Long-term Care Administration | ||
| Topical Seminar | ||
| Independent Studies | ||
| Total Hours | 63 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree and certificate program is 63.
Sample plan of study
| Year one | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| ALHP 701 | Health Services Delivery Systems | 3 |
| ALHP 712 | Instructional Design and Evaluation for Health Sciences | 3 |
| ALHP 760 | Descriptive and Univariate Statistical Methods for Health Sciences | 3 |
| GRTY 601 | Biological and Physiological Aging | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| ALHP 702 | Finance and Economic Theory for Health Care | 3 |
| ALHP 761 | Health Science Research Design I | 3 |
| ALHP 762 | Multivariate Statistical Methods for Health Sciences | 3 |
| GRTY 602 | Psychology of Aging | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Year two | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| ALHP 718 | Health Informatics | 3 |
| ALHP 763 | Health Science Research Design II | 3 |
| ALHP 781 | Doctoral Seminar | 3 |
| GRTY 603 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
| Methods comprehensive exam | ||
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| ALHP 708 | Health Science Ethics (satisfies GRTY 606) | 3 |
| ALHP 716 | Grant Writing for Health Science Research | 3 |
| ALHP 890 | Dissertation Seminar | 3 |
| Restricted GRTY elective | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 12 | |
| Year three | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| ALHP 792 | Independent Study | 3 |
| ALHP 793 | Research Practicum | 3 |
| ALHP 899 | Dissertation Research (minimum of nine credits required for Ph.D.) | 1-9 |
| Term Hours: | 9 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| ALHP 899 | Dissertation Research | 1-9 |
| Term Hours: | 3 | |
| Year four | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| ALHP 899 | Dissertation Research | 1-9 |
| Term Hours: | 3 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| ALHP 899 | Dissertation Research (if needed to complete minimum requirement) | 1-9 |
| Term Hours: | 0 | |
| Total Hours: | 63 | |
The minimum total of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree and certificate program is 63.
Contact
Jennifer Pryor
Program director, Department of Gerontology
pryorjm@vcu.edu
(804) 828-1565
Additional contact
Lauretta Cathers, Ph.D.
Program director, Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences
s2lasaff@vcu.edu
(804) 827-0912