The undergraduate Certificate in Healthy Aging is for individuals interested in working with adults and older adults as it pertains to health and wellness in adulthood. Students will explore theoretical and research-based information related to healthy aging practices and are introduced to prevention and intervention approaches to the physical, mental, and social health of adults and older adults. Students completing the Certificate in Healthy Aging will have a strong foundation in contextual, cultural, and systemic factors impacting individuals’ experiences across the adult years, including social determinants of health.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this certificate, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of theories, research, and practice related to healthy aging including physical, mental, and social health and wellness.
- Acquire content knowledge related to social determinants of health impacting adults, including individual, family, and community factors related to healthy aging.
- Apply knowledge of healthy aging to observations in applied settings.
- Evaluate prevention and intervention evidence-based programming for adults and older adults as it relates to diverse contexts.
Effective Fall 2026
Additional coursework may be required due to prerequisites.
A minimum of 9 credits must be upper division. Some elective courses are restricted to majors or honors students. Other related courses may be substituted upon approval of the certificate advisor. Students may not earn both this certificate and the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Minor. Additionally, students may double-count a maximum of 6 credits towards this certificate from any of the following programs of study: the HDFS Minor, the HDFS Major, and the Certificate in Disability & Neurodiversity.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational/Required Courses | ||
| HDFS 201 | Current Topics in Healthy Aging | 3 |
| HDFS 312 | Adult Development and Aging | 3 |
| HDFS 412 | Mental and Physical Health in Adulthood | 3 |
| Elective Course | 1-3 | |
| Nutrition and Aging | ||
| Nutrition in the Life Cycle | ||
| Disability Across the Lifespan and Culture | ||
| Death, Dying, and Grief | ||
| Lifespan Intervention and Prevention Science | ||
| Population Health and Disease Prevention | ||
| Theory of Health Behavior | ||
| Physical Activity Throughout the Lifespan | ||
| Introduction to Music Therapy 1 | ||
| The Disability Experience in Society | ||
| Health, Medicine, and Society | ||
| Learning and Memory | ||
| Cognitive Psychology | ||
| Fields of Practice: Social Gerontology | ||
| Select a minimum of 3 credits directly related to aging from the following 2 | 3 | |
| Human Services Internship: Gerontology | ||
| Practicum: Human Development and Family Studies 2 | ||
| Practicum: Pre-Health Professions 2 | ||
| Practicum: Prevention and Intervention Sciences 2 | ||
| Practicum: Leadership and Advocacy 2 | ||
| Internship: Human Development and Family Studies 2,3 | ||
| Internship: Pre-Health 2,3 | ||
| Internship: Prevention/Intervention Science 2,3 | ||
| Internship: Leadership 2,3 | ||
| Research: Human Development 2 | ||
| Research: Family Studies 2 | ||
| Practicum–Adult Fitness 2,3 | ||
| Senior Honors Thesis 2,4 | ||
| Practice-Based Learning 2,3 | ||
| Program Total Credits: | 13-15 | |
- 1
Restricted to music therapy majors only.
- 2
Only practica, internships, research assistantships, and theses focused on healthy aging and/or adult development and aging are eligible and must be verified by the HDFS department.
- 3
Restricted to majors only.
- 4
Restricted to honors students only.