Twenty Years of Gerontological Education: A Report on the Experience of One Program

Abstract

The Center for Studies in Aging at the University of North Texas has been in existence for over 20 years. Data were collected from 339 of the 493 students who completed its program between 1967 and 1987. Data suggest that: levels of both initial employment and retention in the field of aging are high; gender differences in salaries exist among program concentrations and year of completion; and former students report high levels of involvement in collateral activities.

Egrontology Graduates’ Employment Opportunities

“…The telephone follow-up yielded an additional 19 questionnaires. A total response rate of 70.2% was thus achieved, which was similar to the response rates of the previous student surveys (Friedsam & Martin, 1980;Hays, 1982;Mangum & Rich, 1980;Martin et al, 1991;Peterson, 1985) Moving, inaccurate forwarding addresses, and disconnection of telephone numbers made it impossible to locate the remaining 29 of the program's graduates.…”

“…In the 1980s and early 1990s, no fewer than six surveys were conducted of graduates of various gerontology programs throughout the nation (Friedsam & Martin, 1980;Hartford, 1980;Hays, 1982;Mangum & Rich, 1980;Martin et al, 1991;Peterson, 1985). The results of these surveys provide a profile of the average gerontology graduate as a white female who was about 30 years of age when she entered a gerontology program.…”

“…She has earned a master's degree and upon graduation has found full-time employment within the field of aging, in which she intends to stay. Her salary ranges from $21,000 to $39,500 annually (Martin et al, 1991). Peterson (1985) reported on "a 1983 survey of master's degree graduates in gerontology from 17 colleges and universities" (p. 514).…”

“…There are more than 100 programs available that confer degrees at all levels or award graduate certificates (Rich, 1990). Students are entering and graduating from these programs in increasing numbers (Mangum & Rich, 1980;Martin, Folts, Friedsam, & Blanchard, 1991).…”

“…Several studies have been undertaken in the last decade to address the total number of graduates and the fields the students are entering (Martin et al, 1991;Peterson, 1987) and, to a lesser extent, job satisfaction (Krause, 1987). Few studies have evaluated the students' desired employment or taken an in-depth look at the reasons for a student's interest in the field of aging.…”