Master of Science (M.S.) Major in Dementia and Aging Studies (Dementia and Long Term Care Concentration) | Texas State University

Skills & Competencies

Skills developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET via SOC 29-1141.03

Skills

MonitoringService OrientationSocial PerceptivenessReading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem Solving

Knowledge

Medicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal ServicePsychologyEnglish LanguageBiology

Abilities

Oral ComprehensionProblem SensitivityOral ExpressionDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningSpeech RecognitionSpeech ClarityWritten ComprehensionWritten ExpressionInformation Ordering

Tasks

Evaluate patients' vital signs or laboratory data to determine emergency intervention needs.
Monitor patients for changes in status and indications of conditions such as sepsis or shock and ins
Administer medications intravenously, by injection, orally, through gastric tubes, or by other metho

Technology

Medical softwareInformation retrieval or search softwareCloud-based data access and sharing softwareOffice suite softwareDocument management software

Tools

AngiocathsApnea monitorsArterial blood gas testing equipmentArterial line cathetersAutomated external defibrillators AEDAutomated medicine dispensing equipmentAutotransfusion systemsBed scalesBedpansBilevel positive airway pressure BiPAP ventilatorsBlood drawing syringesBlood glucometersBlood pressure monitorsBlood warming equipmentBulb syringes

Work Values

RelationshipsSupportAchievementIndependenceRecognitionWorking Conditions

Career Pathways

Occupations this program prepares you for

Auto-populatedfrom O*NET + BLS

Occupations matched to this program, with median wage, top wage, growth, and openings
SOC	Occupation	Method	Wage	Growth	Openings
Match confidence: medium29-1141.03	Critical Care Nurses	title_inference	—	—	—

Program Pathways

Credentials this program stacks toward

No program pathways.

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: advanced (Level 4)(based on Master's Degree)

Critical care clinical standards — lead the development and implementation of unit-level evidence-based protocols for hemodynamic monitoring, sepsis response, and emergency intervention across an ICU service line.
Nursing staff development — design and deliver competency validation programs for critical care nurses at all experience levels, embedding simulation and case-based learning in a hospital education framework.
Quality and safety performance — direct ongoing analysis of patient outcome data, adverse event trends, and near-misses to drive continuous improvement initiatives across the critical care department.
Interdisciplinary care leadership — chair complex case conferences and guide physicians, pharmacists, and allied health professionals in resolving high-stakes, multi-system patient management challenges.
Organizational resource prioritization — lead staffing, bed management, and resource allocation decisions during mass-casualty or surge events at the hospital operations level.
Policy and regulatory compliance — author and revise critical care nursing policies, ensuring alignment with Joint Commission standards, state board requirements, and institutional risk management goals.
Advanced technology integration — evaluate, select, and champion adoption of new medical software, remote monitoring platforms, and clinical decision-support tools for the critical care division.
Research and evidence translation — lead departmental nursing research initiatives, appraise emerging critical care literature, and translate findings into measurable practice improvements at the unit and system level.
Mentorship and succession planning — identify high-potential critical care nurses, provide structured mentorship, and build a pipeline of clinical leaders to sustain organizational expertise over time.
Stakeholder and executive communication — present critical care performance metrics, safety concerns, and resource needs to hospital leadership and board-level committees using clear, data-driven written and oral reports.

Course Pathway

24 courses in this program

Program Requirements

Courses required to complete this program

SOCI 5351Introduction to Dementia Studies

3 cr

SOCI 5352Dementia and Caregiving

3 cr

SOCI 5355The Social Psychology of Dementia

3 cr

SOCI 5383Seminar on Aging

3 cr

SOCI 5354Theoretical Perspectives in Aging and Dementia

3 cr

LTCA 5322Environmental Management in Long Term Care

3 cr

LTCA 5323Governance Management in Long Term Care

3 cr

LTCA 5324Personnel Management in Long Term Care

3 cr

LTCA 5325Resident Care Management in Long Term Care

3 cr

LTCA 5335Financial Management in Long Term Care

3 cr

CDIS 4420Diagnostic Audiology

4 cr

CDIS 4370Aural Rehabilitation

3 cr

CDIS 5336Motor Speech Disorders

3 cr

CDIS 5342Aphasia and Related Disorders

3 cr

CDIS 5344Advanced Clinical Practicum I

3 cr

CDIS 5345Advanced Clinical Practicum II

3 cr

CDIS 5346Advanced Clinical Practicum III

3 cr

CDIS 5347Advanced Clinical Practicum IV

3 cr

CDIS 5689Clinical Externship I in Communication Disorders

6 cr

SOCI 3307Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences

3 cr

SOCI 5307Advanced Statistics for the Social Sciences

3 cr

ANTH 5305Anthropological Statistics

3 cr

GEO 5301Multivariate Quantitative Methods

3 cr

PA 5311Introduction to Statistical Analysis

3 cr

Program Details

Detailed information about this program

No detailed information available.

Requirements

What you need to earn this credential

No requirements listed.

Financial Aid

Eligible funding programs

No funding information available.

Scholarships

No scholarships listed.