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Studies & Degrees in Applied Gerontology

Gerontology is the study of ageing. The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology in the United States defines it as the study of the biological, psychological and sociological aspects of human development and of ageing across the lifespan. Applied gerontology takes that knowledge into practice: designing and running services for older people, managing care homes and day centres, planning housing and technology that support independent living, and shaping public policy on ageing.

The subject is not the same as geriatrics. Gerontology is a broad, multidisciplinary field, while geriatrics is the medical specialty that cares for the health needs of older adults and is practised by physicians, nurses and other health professionals. Students of gerontology take courses in the biology and psychology of ageing, health and long-term care systems, social policy, ethics and research methods, usually with a supervised placement in a service for older people.

Demand for this knowledge is growing. According to the World Health Organization (fact sheet of 1 October 2025), by 2030 one in six people in the world will be aged 60 or over, and between 2015 and 2050 the share of the world's population over 60 will nearly double, from 12% to 22%. The number of people aged 80 or older is expected to triple between 2020 and 2050, to 426 million. In 2050, 80% of older people will be living in low- and middle-income countries. The United Nations has declared 2021–2030 the Decade of Healthy Ageing.

Qualifications and levels

  • Vocational training. Direct care work is often learned in vocational programmes. In Spain, the intermediate vocational qualification (FP de grado medio) of Técnico en Atención a Personas en Situación de Dependencia lasts 2,000 hours and leads to jobs such as home-help assistant or floor supervisor in residences for older people.
  • Bachelor's degrees. Gerontology is rarely a first degree. Most students come from nursing, medicine, psychology, social work, physiotherapy or occupational therapy. A few specialised schools teach it from the start: the USC Leonard Davis School offers a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging and a minor in ageing.
  • Master's degrees. This is the usual level for applied gerontology. The titles show the range: the same school lists a Master of Arts in Aging Services Management, a Master of Science in Applied Technology and Aging and a Master of Arts in Long-Term Care Administration, with online options. In Europe a master's degree usually has 90 or 120 ECTS credits, at 60 credits per year; official Spanish master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120.
  • Doctorates. Research on ageing leads to a PhD, in gerontology itself or in a related discipline.

Many universities also run their own postgraduate courses in gerontology. In Spain the law requires universities to keep such lifelong-learning qualifications clearly apart from official university degrees, so ask each school what recognition its qualification has.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 2 active schools for applied gerontology, one in Ukraine and one in Russia. Both are medical universities: Bukovinian State Medical University in Chernivtsi and Rostov State Medical University in Rostov-on-Don. Bukovinian State Medical University trains students in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, paediatrics and medical psychology, and states that it teaches in Ukrainian and, for foreign students, in English. At medical universities the care of older people is normally taught within the medical and nursing curriculum and in postgraduate training, so ask the school directly whether it offers a separate gerontology course, in which language, and what qualification it awards.

Programmes in gerontology also exist under other names, such as ageing studies, ageing services management or long-term care administration. Before applying, check whether the programme is aimed at health professionals or is open to graduates of any field, how many hours of practical placement it includes, and whether the qualification is recognised in the country where you plan to work.

Careers

Gerontologists come from many professions. The Gerontological Society of America, founded in 1945, describes itself as the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organisation in the field of ageing, and its members include social scientists, physicians, nurses, biologists, psychologists, social workers, educators, economists and policy experts. Typical workplaces are residential and day-care services, home-care providers, hospitals, local social services, public health bodies, charities and companies that design products for older people.

For the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of social and community service managers to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, and employment of medical and health services managers to grow 24 percent. It notes that social and community service managers typically need at least a bachelor's degree and work experience.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between gerontology and geriatrics?

Gerontology is the multidisciplinary study of ageing. Geriatrics is a medical specialty focused on the health care of older adults, practised by physicians, nurses and other health professionals.

Do I need a health degree to study gerontology?

Not necessarily. People enter the field from nursing and medicine and also from psychology, social work, economics and policy. Each master's programme sets its own entry requirements.

Can a gerontology degree lead to medicine?

It can be a first step. The USC Leonard Davis School notes that aspiring geriatricians may earn a gerontology degree before attending medical school, but the degree does not replace medical training.