GERO 100 is a three-credit UMGC introduction to the study of aging from a life course perspective, focusing on the older adult. It fulfills the general education requirement in the behavioral and social sciences.
UMGC describes it as a multidisciplinary exploration of aging in the 21st century, emphasizing policies, evidence-based approaches and attitudes that promote healthful aging. Students build skills in locating and reading scholarly sources, creating presentations in different modalities, and communicating with and on behalf of older people.
It is also the listed prerequisite for GERO 306 and GERO 342, so many gerontology students take it first. It is demanding in a particular way: it asks you to question assumptions about age, then support your views with research.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) |
| Course code | GERO 100 |
| Credits | 3 |
| General education | Behavioral and social sciences |
| Subject area | Gerontology |
| Skills named in catalog | Scholarly sources, presentations, communicating with older people |
What GERO 100 Covers
| Catalog theme | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Life course perspective | Aging as a process across a lifetime, shaped by earlier experience |
| Multidisciplinary view | Biology, psychology, sociology, policy and health perspectives |
| Policy and evidence-based approaches | Using research and policy to support healthy aging |
| Attitudes | Ageism and how views of aging influence outcomes |
| Skill building | Locating and reading scholarly sources; presentations; communicating with and for older people |
The word "contemporary" matters. Expect to link what you read to current debates, such as how societies support longer lives, rather than treating aging as a fixed biological story.
Key Concepts Explained
The Life Course Perspective
This view treats later life as the product of earlier life events, social conditions and historical context. A person's health at 75 relates to education, work, income and care access earlier on.
Example: Two 75-year-olds may differ in health because one had steady work with insurance and the other did not. A life course explanation traces the reasons across decades, instead of blaming individual choices.
Ageism
Ageism is stereotyping or discrimination based on age. Name it when you see it in media, policy or workplaces, and offer evidence that challenges the stereotype.
Reading Scholarly Sources
Start with the abstract, then the methods and findings. Note who was studied, how many, and what the authors say they cannot conclude. The table below turns that into a repeatable routine.
| Step | Question to answer |
|---|---|
| Abstract | What did the researchers ask and find? |
| Method | Who took part and how were they studied? |
| Findings | What was the main result, in one sentence? |
| Limits | What can the study not tell us? |
| Relevance | How does it connect to older adults' wellbeing or policy? |
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
The catalog does not list assessments, so check your syllabus. The skills it names suggest work like the following.
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Source-based writing | Finding and using scholarly sources | Use databases from the UMGC Library and cite as instructed |
| Presentations | Communicating in different modalities | One message per slide, with evidence and a clear audience |
| Discussions | Applying concepts | Link a reading to a real example |
| Advocacy or communication tasks | Speaking with and for older people | Use respectful, person-first language |
Planning a Presentation for a Specific Audience
Because the course asks for presentations in different modalities, practice adapting one message. A short narrated slide set, a poster and a handout for older adults all need different choices of words, type size and detail.
Start by naming the audience. A presentation for policymakers leads with evidence and costs; one for older adults and families leads with practical steps and plain language. Write your single main message in one sentence, then cut anything that does not support it.
Example: Message: "Regular walking groups help older adults stay independent." For a policy audience, add research findings and program cost. For a community audience, add where and when groups meet, and a note on safe footwear.
Issues You Might Be Asked to Discuss
The course title says "contemporary issues", so expect assignments that connect research to something happening now. The catalog does not list the issues, so treat the table as a way to prepare, not as the syllabus.
| Issue area | Angle a strong response takes |
|---|---|
| Longer lives | What longevity means for work, families and services |
| Ageism | Where stereotypes appear and what evidence challenges them |
| Healthful aging | Evidence-based approaches that support independence |
| Policy | How rules and funding shape older adults' options |
For each issue, practice three moves: define it, give one piece of evidence, and state one implication for older people or for services. That pattern works for discussion posts, short papers and presentations.
Example: Issue: loneliness. Define it as the feeling of lacking connection. Evidence: cite a peer-reviewed study on its link to health. Implication: community programs that connect older adults with neighbors may reduce risk. Three sentences, each with a job.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Personal opinion without evidence. Support each claim with a scholarly source.
- Generalizing about all older adults. Show diversity by health, income, culture and gender.
- Weak sources. Choose peer-reviewed work and reputable agencies over general websites.
- Presentation overload. Cut text and keep one idea per slide.
Study Tips for GERO 100
- Keep a glossary: ageism, life expectancy, longevity, cohort.
- Use person-first language, such as "older adults", rather than "the elderly".
- Save citations as you read to avoid last-minute searching.
- Connect each topic to policy, since later courses build on this.
How We Help with GERO 100
Send the prompt, rubric, readings and feedback. We help with source searching, outlining, custom papers and presentation structure. For discussion posts, see how to write a discussion board post.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, UMGC lists it as fulfilling the behavioral and social sciences requirement.
A way of studying aging as a lifelong process shaped by earlier events and conditions.
UMGC lists it as the prerequisite for GERO 306 and GERO 342.
The catalog says students create presentations in different modalities; your syllabus gives details.
Yes, locating and reading them is a stated skill.
Yes, we give feedback and model examples.