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Aging (interfaculty option)

By 2026 one in five Canadians will be aged 65 or over. The Option in Aging was launched in 1992 in response to the growing demand for qualified individuals in the field of aging.

The Option in Aging is similar to a minor that helps students in multiple faculties graduate with skills that will help them serve Canada's aging population.

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Two older adults walking together in a lush green park.
  • icon house

    Faculty

    • Five participating faculties

  • icon award

    Degree

    • Option in Aging

  • icon graduate

    Duration

    • 18 credit hours

  • The Option in Aging is an opportunity to learn about the growing field of aging and expand your area of study into several faculties, classrooms and learning experiences.

    Participating faculties:

    • Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
    • Faculty of Arts
    • Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management
    • Faculty of Social Work
    • Rady Faculty of Health Science
      • Max Rady College of Medicine
      • College of Nursing

    By taking the Option in Aging you will gain an understanding of:

    • How individual and societal changes and decisions made today will affect people and our society in the future
    • How all sectors of society have to be responsive to a diverse and aging population in a rapidly changing world
    • The potential for age-related products, technology and services
  • Six smiling seniors balance on their elbows and toes performing plank exercises on black mats.

Program details

The option spans five faculties, each of which offers its own specialized and targeted courses on aging.

Expected duration: 18 credit hours

The Option in Aging consists of 18 credit hours of aging-related coursework within your undergraduate degree program.

All Option in Aging students must complete the following two core courses:

  • Health and Physical Aspects of Aging (3 credit hours, your course code will depend on your home faculty).
  • Social Aspects of Aging (3 credit hours, your course code will depend on your home faculty).

Students will also select an additional 12 credit hours of other aging-related courses. Each faculty has its own requirements and approved courses to choose from. These courses are offered on a rotational basis by the participating faculties. 

Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

In addition to the Option in Aging core courses, students taking the Option in Aging in the Human Nutritional Sciences degree are required to take:

  • HNSC 4364: Nutrition Option Practicum (6 credit hours) 
    • Application to register in practicum course required 
  • HNSC 2130: Nutrition through the Lifecycle (3 credit hours) 
  • HNSC 4310: Nutrition and the Elderly (3 credit hours) 

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

Faculty of Arts

In addition to the Option in Aging core courses, students taking the Option in Aging in the Faculty of Arts are required to choose an additional 12 credit hours from the following courses:

English, Theatre, Film & Media:

  • FILM 3420: Film Theory (3 credit hours)

Psychology:

  • PSYC 2360: Brain and Behaviour (3 credit hours)
  • PSYC 2490: Abnormal Psychology (3 credit hours)
  • PSYC 3070: Adult Development (3 credit hours)
  • PSYC 3350: Behaviour Neuroscience (3 credit hours)
  • PSYC 3490: Individual Differences (3 credit hours)
  • PSYC 3610: Memory (3 credit hours)
  • PSYC 4420: Neuroimaging: Imaging and Thoughts (3 credit hours)
  • PSYC 4430: Vision: Perception and Action (3 credit hours)
  • PSYC 4566: Psychology of Health and Aging (3 credit hours)

Religion:

  • RLGN 1410: Death and Concepts of the Future (3 credit hours)

Sociology and Criminology:

  • SOC 2310: Selected Social Problems (acceptable for credit only when topic is "Canadian Social Issues") (3 credit hours)
  • SOC 2490: Sociology of Health and Illness (3 credit hours)
  • SOC 2620: Sociology of Aging (3 credit hours)
  • SOC 3540: The Sociology of Health Care Systems (3 credit hours)

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management

In addition to the Option in Aging core courses, students taking the Option in Aging in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management are required to complete:

One of the following courses:

  • REC 4250: Leisure and Aging (3 credit hours) (Bachelor of Recreation Management and Community Development students; not offered every year)
  • KIN 3510: Physical Activity and Aging (3 credit hours) (Bachelor of Kinesiology students)

Plus 9 credit hours of electives:

  • Approved age-related courses offered by the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management or other Option in Aging faculties. A current list of applicable courses is available at the Faculty General Office.

Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management
Room 102 Frank Kennedy Centre
420 University Crescent
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

kinrec@umanitoba.ca
Phone: 204-474-9747

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

Faculty of Social Work

In addition to the Option in Aging core courses, students taking the Option in Aging in the Faculty of Social Work are required to complete:

  • One aging-related field placement (SWRK 3150 or SWRK 4120) 
  • One Field Focus of Social Work Practice course (SWRK 4200 or SWRK 4300) in aging. (Health and Aging)

Students are encouraged to take courses from the participating faculties other than Social Work.

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

Max Rady College of Medicine - Rady Faculty of Health Science

Students studying in the following Rady College of Medicine programs are eligible to take the Option in Aging:

  • Interdisciplinary Health Program 

In addition to the Option in Aging core courses, students taking the Option in Aging in the Max Rady College of Medicine are required to complete: 

  • At least 6 credit hours of discipline-specific applied work in the student’s department of registration.
    • Field placements and practicum courses like those required for this part of the option require students to submit an application
  • 6 credit hours of aging-related courses from participating faculties.

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

College of Nursing - Rady Faculty of Health Science

In addition to the Option in Aging core courses, students taking the Option in Aging in the College of Nursing are required to complete:

  • At least 3 credit hours of discipline-specific applied work in the student’s department of registration.
    • Field placements and practicum courses like those required for this part of the option require students to submit an application
  • 9 credit hours of aging-related courses from participating faculties.

For full course descriptions, please visit the Academic Calendar.

For more specific information about pursuing the Option in Aging, contact your faculty’s academic advisor.

A nursing student laughs while talking to a senior who is sitting in a wheelchair nearby.

Option in Aging transcript notation

Upon graduation, a student who has met all the requirements will have a comment added to their transcript that indicates they have completed the Option in Aging.

Gain a competitive edge

Graduates with the Option in Aging gain an edge in dynamic fields such as social work, nursing, fitness, leisure, Canadian and global issues of aging, family and community support, human nutrition, clothing and textiles, environment and psychological therapy.

Admission requirements

Talk to your faculty’s academic advisor about the steps you need to take to get your Option in Aging.

How to apply

In order to take the Option in Aging, you must first be accepted into one of the five participating faculties

  • Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
  • Faculty of Arts
  • Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management
  • Faculty of Social Work
  • Rady Faculty of Health Science
    • Max Rady College of Medicine
    • College of Nursing

For more information on how to apply to UM, please visit our Apply page.

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Mailing address
Undergraduate Admissions
424 UMSU University Centre
University of Manitoba
65 Chancellors Circle
Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada

Office location
Room 424 UMSU University Centre
65 Chancellors Circle
University of Manitoba (Fort Garry campus)

Submit a question
Phone: 204-474-8808
Toll-free: 1-800-224-7713 ext 8808