Prospective students interested in working in elderly care, hospice and retirement communities may pursue one of two online Master's degrees from the University of Southern California at Davis (usc.edu) in gerontology or long-term care administration. The gerontology degree is for students pursuing careers in agencies that specialize in health care or social services administration. Hospice care and nursing home administration is addressed in the Master's of long-term care administration. Both programs include an oral exam, while the gerontology program includes a thesis, and the long-term care administration includes a capstone project.
Two degree programs in human development are offered online by North Carolina State University in the same discipline of family and youth development (ncsu.edu). The Master's of science in family and youth development is appropriate for someone who might pursue doctoral work in the future, but North Carolina State also a Master's in family and youth development for those who plan no further academic study. Six specializations are offered in family life and parent education, gerontology, volunteer management and administration, administration and leadership of youth and family programs, youth development leadership, and family life coaching.
The University of Nebraska (nebraska.edu) offers three online programs in human development with a Master's of Science designation. These include family consumer sciences education, family financial planning and youth development. Youth development is a program that focuses on youth outreach and social services. The University of Nebraska also offers a specialization in family financial planning. Family consumer sciences education is also offered as a program for a teaching certification. All three programs include a practicum.
Because of the wide range of age groups that fall under human development, careful consideration is recommended in choosing a program that will best supplement career goals. Students may also want to examine time concerns and programs that have a required practicum that might take them away from current employment. If a student is already working in a human services career, the school may be able to allow continued practicum within that career, but may require students to accomplish the practicum in a situation without pay. Asking questions directly to each program will help determine which degree might be best suited to individual concerns.