Master’s Degree in Applied Social Research, Aging & Health Major

Program Description

The population of the U.S. is rapidly aging, and the nation--and particularly the state of Florida-- needs trained social science professionals familiar with the issues confronting an aging population. A Sociology of Aging and Health major track within the Applied Social Research Master of Science degree program of the Department of Sociology offers students an option for gaining training and credentials in Aging and Health. This training will prepare students for careers in aging services organizations, government agencies, and public and private organizations that run senior centers, retirement communities, assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

The program includes courses in Aging, Health and Social Policy. Among the topics examined in these courses are the relationship between such issues as population aging, work and retirement in later life, care options for the frail elderly, widowhood, health and family relationships, living arrangements for the elderly, child-grandparent relationships and the basic policy decisions facing Social Security and Medicare. In addition to these specialized issues in aging, courses will examine more general topics relevant to health and to aging including social movements for health equality and for the aged, gender and race/ethnic differences in health behaviors, the causes and consequences of inequality in access to health care over the life course and the consequences of gender and racial inequality for mental health.

Upon admission to the program, the student will meet with an advisor to plan and approve the sequence of courses and to identify internship options in order to ensure timely progress towards degree completion.

Curriculum

The curriculum consists of 33 credit hours and is designed to be completed in a calendar year. Twenty-one hours are to be completed in the Sociology Department and up to 12 hours in other Social Science departments.

A 3-hour core course, Presenting and Interpreting Information, is required, along with 12 hours of internship. The remaining 18 hours will be in approved courses, including the following for 2009-10 (other options will be added in summer 2009):

SYP 5735	Sociology of Aging
SYA 6933	Health Care Regulation: Medicare and Medicaid
SYA 6933	Social and Health Aspects of Aging
SYA 5136	Lifecourse Epidemiology
SYO 5416	Stress and Mental Health
SYA 6933	Aging and the Lifecourse
SYA 6933	Aging Policy and Services

Admissions Requirements

The program is available to students of all majors who have passed with a grade of “C” or better a college-level course in social statistics and qualify on the other admissions criteria.
A minimum of a 3.0 grade point average for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and a total of 1000 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE.
A personal statement of goals and anticipated plans.
Three letters of recommendation, two must be from college faculty.
A copy of all transcripts, undergraduate and graduate, reflecting any academic work you have undertaken (copies to our Department can be unofficial but transcripts to FSU Graduate Admissions Office must be official);

Application Process

Download: Graduate Program Application Checklist (PDF Format)

Apply for admission online at the Admissions Office website.
Submit writing samples, references, transcripts, and test scores to:

Department of Sociology
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida 32306-2270
(850) 644-6416

Deadlines

For Fall Admission the deadline is May 1.

Financial Aid

Office of Financial Aid
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida 32306-2430
(850) 644-0539

Office of Graduate Studies
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida 32306-1410
(850) 644-3500

Cost

Tuition is adjusted each fall, depending upon state approved tuition rates. Contact the Office of Graduate Studies at (850) 644-3500.

Contact Information

sociology@fsu.edu