Gerontology required core courses and gerontology academic program success.

Gerontology, geriatrics, and aging studies (GGA) academic programs are charged to produce competent graduates to work in the field of aging. The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education recommends core courses that are required in GGA academic programs throughout the United States. This article reports findings on the role of the core courses in promoting GGA program success, as defined by graduates' employment status. Objective and subjective measures of the core courses were collected by mail questionnaire from 230 graduates of GGA programs in the largest U.S. public higher education system. Program success was apparent in graduates' timely attainment of employment, employment in aging-related jobs, and job satisfaction. Core courses were evaluated highly by graduates; they were related to program success directly, and indirectly through graduates' subjective evaluations.