Accreditation in the profession of psychology: a cautionary tale

Survey of master's gerontology students spanning over 40 years

The University of South Florida's master's degree in gerontology is a long-established program that focuses on a multidisciplinary approach to population aging. This study identifies graduate students' needs in preparation for a professional career in gerontology. An online survey was distributed to graduates and those currently enrolled (N = 56) in order to better understand expectations for the program, identify outcomes of graduation, and obtain program recommendations for future students. The program's 40 year history was well represented with participants ranging from the first graduating class to current students. Results indicated high satisfaction in students' expectations of the program, educational experience, and assessment of faculty. Further, 68% of graduates reported success in gaining age-related employment shortly after graduation. However, students echoed well-known barriers in gerontology, reporting tough competition for jobs versus those with licensure, and challenges in promoting their nonclinical gerontology degree to employers. Respondents recommended more applied coursework and assistance with career planning to enhance employment opportunities upon graduation. Implications of these findings are discussed in further detail.

Is gerontology ready for accreditation?

The authors review widely accepted criteria for program accreditation and compare gerontology with well-established accredited fields including clinical psychology and social work. At present gerontology lacks many necessary elements for credible professional accreditation, including defined scope of practice, applied curriculum, faculty with applied professional credentials, and resources necessary to support professional credentialing review. Accreditation with weak requirements will be dismissed as "vanity" accreditation, and strict requirements will be impossible for many resource-poor programs to achieve, putting unaccredited programs at increased risk for elimination. Accreditation may be appropriate in the future, but it should be limited to professional or applied gerontology, perhaps for programs conferring bachelor's or master's degrees. Options other than accreditation to enhance professional skills and employability of gerontology graduates are discussed.