 |
|
BURNABY – The Province has approved a new doctoral degree in gerontology at Simon Fraser University, Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell announced today.
Gerontology is the study of the social, psychological and biological aspects of aging and is a rapidly developing field due to the growth in population aging. The four-year doctoral program will coincide with the two current streams of study in SFU’s gerontology master’s program - aging and environment, and health and aging.
“Post-secondary
education plays an important role in ensuring there are highly trained people
to fill the many positions that will be left vacant by the wave of retiring
baby boomers,” said Coell, who approves all new degrees in B.C. “With this new
degree program we are also ensuring support for B.C. society in dealing with
aging issues.”
Students will be required to complete a minimum of five graduate courses in gerontology, including two in methods/statistics and one in required theory. To graduate, students must also take two comprehensive exams and write and defend a dissertation. Graduates will be prepared for academic or professional careers in leadership, research, and policy.
“This doctoral program will help to train a new generation of gerontologists needed to respond to the needs of rapid population aging in B.C. and Canada as the baby boomers move into their golden years,” said Dr. Andrew Wister, SFU department chair. “It is a cutting-edge program, due to the interdisciplinary training from both basic and applied scientific perspectives.”
Simon Fraser University’s Gerontology Research Centre will benefit from the doctorate, giving PhD students an enriched educational and training experience and opportunities to apply their skills in a research setting.
Since
2001, more than 22 new undergraduate and graduate degrees have been approved at
Simon Fraser University, including five PhD degrees, seven master’s
degrees and 10 bachelor’s degrees. These new programs are helping to improve
B.C.’s competitiveness and productivity.
-30-
|
contact: |
Communications Manager 250 952-6400 250 812-4418 cell |
|
|
|
||
|
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
||
