Bachelor programs in gerontology offered in Mexico: An analysis from the perspective of the competencies recommended by the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education

Abstract

ABSTRACT Gerontology programs in higher education are needed and offered all around the world. In the past two decades, in Mexico there has been a rapid spread of bachelor programs in gerontology, and the number of programs continues to increase. The aim of this paper is to analyze the orientation of the bachelor programs in gerontology offered in Mexico from the perspective of the competencies suggested by the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) for bachelor programs in gerontology. Seventeen bachelor programs in gerontology officially recognized by the Secretary of Public Education were analyzed, their curricula were classified into the categories and domains of the gerontology competencies recommended by the AGHE. As a result, it was found that programs were mainly oriented to contextual competencies across fields of gerontology, specifically in domains related to health, mental health, social health, and well-being. The understanding of gerontology as a broader scientific field, the need for recognition of the gerontologist as a professional, and the relevance of education in the field of gerontology is discussed.