Department of Human Services

Gerontology

Location: Gunter 1250

Telephone: 970.351.2403

FAX: 970.351.1255

Gerontology Faculty: Susan M. Collins, Ph.D.; Joyce Weil, Ph.D.

Gerontology M.A.

The Master of Arts in Gerontology prepares students for professional responsibility and leadership in the aging network. Students complete required courses that provide a multidisciplinary foundation in gerontology, and select program electives that will prepare them for working with or on behalf of older adults in direct service, management and administration, further scholarship, or similar professional endeavors.

Graduates find employment in health or mental health related positions, long term care residential or community settings, senior centers, recreation programs, agencies and organizations providing care management and/or administrating policy, community college teaching, industrial and business settings, or private consultation.

Admission. The student must send application materials directly to the Graduate School:

1. Two letters of recommendation using the UNC Letter of Recommendation for Graduate School form.
2. Provide a current resume.
3. A statement of interest covering the following topics (maximum 10 pages double-spaced):
   1. Why have you chosen gerontology? What factors and events motivated your interest in gerontology? Discuss your attitude and philosophy toward aging in general and your personal aging in particular. Also discuss your attitude or philosophy toward research, community change and advocacy.
   2. What past exposure have you had to gerontology? Include any coursework or work experience (paid or volunteer) you have had related to aging. If you have had none, provide a justification of your current interest in the field of aging.
   3. What are your career and educational goals? In what role and in what setting would you ultimately like to be employed? If you do not have a specific goal in mind, what are the areas of interest and what would you like to achieve during your graduate studies.
   4. How would you describe your strengths and weaknesses? This should cover such areas as academic ability, capacity to work with others, leadership and ability to cope with stress.

For degree and program requirements, see:

Gerontology M.A.

Gerontology Graduate Certificate Program

Rehabilitation

Location: Gunter 1250

Telephone: 970.351.2403

FAX: 970.351.1255

Rehabilitation Faculty: Jill Bezyak, Ph.D.; Erin Moser, Ph.D.; Joseph N. Ososkie, Ph.D.

Emeritus Faculty : James A. Bitter, Ed.D.; Jack A. Bowen , Ph.D.; John H. Cronin, Ed.D.; Garth M. Eldredge, Ph.D.; Juliet H. Fried, Ed.D.; Dennis A. Gay, Ph.D.; Raymond E. Nelson, Ph.D.; Richard Wolfe, Ph.D.

The Department of Human Services houses the only rehabilitation degree programs in Colorado. The following graduate degree programs are offered: Master of Arts: Rehabilitation Counseling; and Doctor of Philosophy: Rehabilitation Sciences.
Students in these programs are prepared at two professional levels to work with people with physical and/or mental disabilities. Both graduate programs include experiences through practica and internships.
Careers in rehabilitation are available in areas of direct service, administration, teaching, and research.

Admission: The student must submit materials directly to the Graduate School. Materials sent to the program will not be reviewed. In addition to application materials required by the Graduate School, the Rehabilitation Counseling program requires:

1. Two letters of recommendation.
2. Provide a current resume.
3. A statement of interest covering the following topics (maximum of 8 pages double-spaced)
   
   1. What factors and events motivated your interest in rehabilitation? Discuss your attitude and philosophy in general. Describe your attitude or philosophy toward research, community change and advocacy.
   2.  What are your career and educational goals? Why have you chosen rehabilitation counseling as your area of study? In what role and in what organizational setting would you ultimately like to be employed?
   3. What past exposure have you had to rehabilitation? Include any coursework or work experience (paid or volunteer) you have had. If you have had none, provide a justification of your current interest in the field.
   4. How would you describe your strengths and weaknesses? This should cover such areas as academic ability, ability to form effective counseling relationships, ability to work with individuals from various cultural backgrounds, capacity to work with others, leadership and ability to cope with stress.

Rehabilitation Counseling M.A.

All students who graduate will be eligible to earn the Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) designation and will be prepared to enter the professional Rehabilitation Counseling field in public and/or private rehabilitation programs.

For degree and program requirements, see:

Rehabilitation Counseling M.A.

Rehabilitation Sciences Ph.D.

This mission of the Rehabilitation Sciences doctoral program is to prepare professionals to assume leadership positions in disability research, education, and administration. The program offers a tailored approach where core rehabilitation principles guide individualized instruction and mentored practice. Students are provided opportunities for supervised practice according to their post degree goals through conducting research, instructing undergraduates, and supervising master’s level rehabilitation counselors in training. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of applied research methods and statistics proficiency, producing graduates who are competitive in contemporary rehabilitation professions. Each student has the opportunity to direct their own specialization through a chosen cognate and focus their professional experiences in research, teaching, supervision, and/or administration. The current cognates being offered include: Research Methods and Statistics, Gerontology, Community Health, Business Management: Healthcare Administrative Specialization, or a self-designed cognate.

 

Admission: Applicants must meet the following criteria for preliminary consideration:

 

1. Hold a master’s degree from an accredited college or university, in Rehabilitation Counseling or an allied discipline. The appropriateness of the degree will be determined by the graduate faculty of the school.

 

2. Have two years of work experience (or equivalent, as determined by the school’s graduate faculty) in the field of rehabilitation or an allied discipline.

 

3. Submit a statement of interest (double spaced, no more than 12 pages) addressing the following:

 

a. Describe your educational history and how it relates to this doctoral degree.

 

b. Describe your employment history and how it shaped your decision to pursue this doctoral degree. Include your experience in the field of disability and/or rehabilitation through internships, work, volunteer, or community activities.

 

c. Describe your primary interest areas within the field of rehabilitation including (1) your research interests and (2) the cognate you propose to pursue as a specialization area for your plan of study.

 

d. What are your short-term and long-term career goals? What do you hope to be doing when you earn your degree? Please include your interests in conducting scholarly research, teaching, administering programs, or working in the field.

 

4. Provide a current resume.

 

5. Participate in a personal interview, upon request.

For degree and program requirements, see:

 

See "Rehabilitation Sciences Ph.D.".