WESTMINSTER — The Center for the Study of Aging at McDaniel College has won approval from the Maryland Higher Education Commission to begin offering a Master of Science degree in Gerontology.

Students who pursue a Master of Science degree in Gerontology at McDaniel will acquire the knowledge and expertise that is critical to improving the quality of life for older adults.

With national demographic projections indicating a growing elderly population, employment opportunities likewise are expected to soar for those with an expertise in gerontology. Maryland planning officials estimate that the population of people over 60 will double by 2020. In Carroll County alone, the elderly population is expected to climb more than 120 percent. The neighboring counties of Howard and Frederick are projected to see increases of nearly 170 percent and 130 percent, respectively.

McDaniel's 36-credit master's program is designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the public and private sectors. The interdisciplinary program helps students develop an understanding of the complex interrelations among aging, health and social structure.

To earn the master's degree, students complete four required courses, five electives, a field experience and a six-credit thesis or extended capstone project. Courses are offered in both traditional and online formats.

Credits from another graduate or post-professional program, plan of study or curriculum can be reviewed for eligibility to transfer into the master's program. Undergraduate students at McDaniel may pursue a five-year plan of study through which they earn both bachelor's and master's degrees.

McDaniel College established the Center for the Study of Aging two years ago to help address the need for a knowledge-based workforce equipped to serve the growing demands of an aging population. Students trained in gerontology are prepared to enter a diverse selection of careers including health care, leisure and recreation, education, communication and research, policy formation, administration and legal services.

"All too often when one thinks of a career in gerontology, the thought of working in a nursing home comes to mind," said Diane Martin, academic director for the Center for the Study of Aging at McDaniel College. "However, there is truly a multitude of opportunities available. Some involving direct interaction with the older adult and others that are more behind the scenes."

Professionals already working as mental health therapists, social workers and physical therapists, among others, also can benefit from an advanced degree in gerontology. For example, a growing awareness of the mental health issues among the elderly has spurred an increased need for therapists who are trained in gerontology.

With the addition of the Master's program, the Center for the Study of Aging now offers professional and academic programs for students at all levels of study, including: two non-academic programs, one for professional caregivers who have no high school diploma and students who want to volunteer at facilities that provide services to older adults, and one that targets professionals in the community and agencies/facilities that work with the elderly. At the undergraduate level, the center offers a Gerontology minor that can complement nearly every major (such as social work, sociology, psychology, biology, business, exercise science, accounting, chemistry, communication). And a post-baccalaureate certificate program, which is an 18-credit hour program, provides a more detailed understanding than the minor of the bio-psycho-social aspects of aging.