In 2015, the Mount announced a new graduate program: the Master of Family Studies and Gerontology.

The department of Family Studies and Gerontology has long been offering graduate students the opportunity to pursue a thesis-based Master’s program, the Master of Arts in Family Studies and Gerontology. Now, the new course-based degree also offers new students an advanced education in the field, specially tailored for professionals who want to develop an advanced knowledge of family dynamic and development or individual and population aging without pursuing thesis research. And at the spring 2016 convocation, the first class of Master of Family Studies and Gerontology received their degrees.

Providing options for graduates
Stephanie Bennett and Nancy Stoddart are members of this first graduating class.

Stephanie originally began her graduate studies as a student in the thesis-based Master of Arts program, but the introduction of the new course-based degree gave her the opportunity to shift her focus to an applied study of the field. The course-based program has given her an exciting range of professional options now that she’s completed her studies.

“I focused my graduate studies on aging, but the Master of Family Studies and Gerontology degree gave me a strong understanding of family studies, too,” Stephanie explains. “It’s given me more options.” Equipped with her Master’s degree, Stephanie plans to work either in senior services or in a community centre.

Nancy also began her time at the Mount as a student in the thesis-based program, but the new Master of Family Studies and Gerontology was a better fit for her. While she was completing graduate coursework, Nancy worked as a research assistant at the Maritime Data Centre for Aging Research and Policy Analysis. This work gave Nancy the opportunity to research provincial Public Home Care policies, and to contribute to Health Canada documents. Now that she’s earned her Master’s degree, Nancy is looking forward to pursuing a career as a university professor.

Preparing to welcome a new class of grad students
As the inaugural class of graduates of the Master of Family Studies and Gerontology graduates, the department is preparing to welcome a new class of graduate students in September 2016—the department’s largest class of graduate students so far. All the best to the new graduates, and to the incoming class!