Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

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As our aging population changes their way of living, working, and simply being, options for working with older persons are also changing. Gerontology today has moved beyond the geriatric model to embrace a life course perspective and to celebrate the diversity of ways in which the world grows old. The focus has shifted from illness and loss to enabling people to stay active and engaged.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts job growth in gerontology-related professions to grow between 15 and 40% through 2028.

Why choose Gerontology at PCC?

Portland Community College¡¯s Gerontology program is designed for those who are:

• Ready to develop meaningful careers in the field of aging
• Already employed or active in age-related fields who want to enhance their career paths
• Ready to make career changes that can seize new opportunities being created for tomorrow¡¯s aging society

Our program offers unique student supports for Encore Learners

Two-thirds of our Gerontology majors are 40-plus years of age and half of them are 50-plus, so we offer the following to help them succeed:

• Open enrollment and flexible scheduling to fit complex lives
• Interactive online courses and virtual meetings
• Empowering advising and mentoring
• Presentations and panels on state-of-the-art practice in the field offered virtually on Gerontology Mondays
• Intentional internships within the field

Degrees and certificates

Awards with a icon can be earned completely online, or you can choose a mix of online and on-campus classes.

What will you learn?

Graduates will develop essential gerontological skills with solid interdisciplinary core courses enhanced by targeted electives. Our intentional internships, nationally-recognized mentorships, and career coaching can prepare you to create your individualized career path.

What will you do?

Traditionally, careers in aging were concentrated in healthcare that was viewed through the geriatric medicine lense of “diagnose and treat.” While demand in that field will continue to remain high, the nature of healthcare employment options has made the exciting, irreversible shift toward prevention, promotion of healthy behaviors, and active self and team-management of chronic disease conditions. The long-term care field itself is undergoing a culture change emphasizing person-centered, person-directed care that in turn is radically altering the employment environment for care workers.

In addition to healthcare, opportunities for working with older adults will flourish in industries related to:

Join our listserve

Stay up-to-date with the PCC Gerontology program and receive career opportunities within the field. Sign up for our listserve by emailing gero@pcc.edu.