Advanced study in patient counseling and aging studies is available through a dual degree and certificate program co-sponsored by the Department of Patient Counseling and the Department of Gerontology in the College of Health Professions.
The program allows students to earn a Master of Science in Patient Counseling with the accelerated chaplain certification concentration and a Certificate in Aging Studies with a minimum of 42 credits rather than the 45 credits necessary if the two degrees 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
- Prepare graduates to demonstrate ability to provide care with sensitivity and respect in a diverse population of older people
- Prepare graduates to work with interprofessional teams in organizations and institutions to benefit and support older people and caregivers
Among the many benefits offered by participation in the dual degree and certificate program are the following:
- Students holding these degrees will be more competitive in both hospital and long-term care institutions. This is especially notable as the aging population in the U.S. increases.
The diplomas for this dual degree and certificate program may be awarded sequentially. 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.
Admission requirements
Students must meet the admission requirements for each program. Admission into one program does not guarantee admission into the other.
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 Master of Science in Patient Counseling can be found on the program page.
Application procedure
Applicants may apply any time after acceptance into the Master of Science in Patient Counseling 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 M.S. comprises 30 credits while the certificate requires 15 credits. The dual degree and certificate program allows students to share two credits, therefore decreasing total credits to completion from 45 to 43.
Based on the equivalent knowledge acquired by successfully completing PATC 635 in the master’s program, GRTY 606 is satisfied in the certificate curriculum. Three credits of this course satisfy the requirements of the certificate, and two credits satisfy the requirements for the M.S.
Curriculum requirements
Course | Title | Hours |
| |
PATC 611 | Theory and Practice of Patient Counseling I | 5 |
PATC 612 | Theory and Practice of Patient Counseling II | 5 |
PATC 613 | Group Process I | 2 |
PATC 614 | Group Process II | 2 |
PATC 615 | Theory of Group Leadership | 2 |
PATC 617 | Supervised Clinical Practice I | 5 |
PATC 635 | Clinical Ethics (taken for three credits; satisfies GRTY 606 in certificate) 1 | 3 |
PATC 639 | Pastoral Care Management | 2 |
PATC 640 | Research Basics for Hospital Chaplains | 1 |
PATC 641 | Evidence-based Inquiry for Hospital Chaplains | 1 |
PATC 642 | Developing and Presenting Chaplaincy Research | 1 |
| |
| 2 |
| |
| |
| |
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 PATC 635) | 3 |
| 3 |
| |
| Problems, Issues and Trends in Gerontology | |
| Aging and Mental Disorders | |
| Long-term Care Administration | |
| Topical Seminar | |
| Independent Studies | |
Total Hours | 43 |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree and certificate program is 43.
Sample plan of study
Year one |
Semester 1 | Hours |
GRTY 603 | Social Gerontology | 3 |
PATC 611 | Theory and Practice of Patient Counseling I | 5 |
PATC 613 | Group Process I | 2 |
PATC 635 | Clinical Ethics () | 3 |
PATC 640 | Research Basics for Hospital Chaplains | 1 |
| Term Hours: | 14 |
Semester 2 | |
GRTY 601 | Biological and Physiological Aging | 3 |
PATC 612 | Theory and Practice of Patient Counseling II | 5 |
PATC 614 | Group Process II | 2 |
PATC 639 | Pastoral Care Management | 2 |
PATC 641 | Evidence-based Inquiry for Hospital Chaplains | 1 |
| Term Hours: | 13 |
|
Year two |
|
|
Semester 3 | |
GRTY 602 | Psychology of Aging | 3 |
PATC 615 | Theory of Group Leadership | 2 |
PATC 617 | Supervised Clinical Practice I | 5 |
PATC 642 | Developing and Presenting Chaplaincy Research | 1 |
| 3 |
| 2 |
| Term Hours: | 16 |
| Total Hours: | 43 |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree and certificate program is 43.
Contact
Jennifer Pryor
Program director, Department of Gerontology
pryorjm@vcu.edu
(804) 828-1565
Additional contacts
Angela Flack, M.Div.
Program director, Department of Patient Counseling
aflack@vcu.edu
(804) 623-3623