PDF version of this chapterUndergraduate Degrees
Bachelor of Science in Gerontology
The Bachelor of Science in Gerontology prepares students for admission to a graduate or professional school with an emphasis on aging, such as medicine, law, dentistry, social work, occupational/physical therapy, public administration, urban planning, business or social gerontology. It also prepares students for entry level jobs in services for the aging in senior centers, corporations, nursing homes, nutrition programs, volunteer programs, area agencies on aging or other human services organizations.
Students planning to pursue a B.S. are urged to notify the school of this intent as early as possible during their undergraduate study. This will help ensure that the student receives proper advisement and that the student is alerted to any special requirements or program modifications.
During the freshman and sophomore years, students enroll primarily in general education required courses as specified by the university and the Gerontology gateway course (GERO 200).
During their junior and senior years, students enroll in required and elective courses in the School of Gerontology as well as other courses throughout the university. These courses are selected in consultation with an advisor and reflect the personal and professional interests of the students.
The honors program is available to students who maintain a GPA of 3.5 in gerontology and a GPA of 3.3 in other USC course work and are juniors. The honors program includes mentored training in research and course work relevant to research methodology and statistics.
A grade point average of at least C (2.0) on all units attempted at USC is required for undergraduate degrees. The School of Gerontology requires a minimum 2.0 grade point average in upper division major courses.
A health science track within the Bachelor of Science in Gerontology program has been designed for students who wish to pursue a career in medicine or other health related fields. Students will be able to meet medical school entrance requirements, while the program will also provide appropriate breadth and rigor of gerontology instruction and fulfill general education requirements. In addition, students will participate in a supervised practicum experience in which they will become directly involved with aging clients in a health care setting. Students interested in this program must make application to the department and be approved for admission to this specialized track. Upon acceptance, student progress will be closely monitored by a faculty advisor.
General Education Requirements
The university's general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This new program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing and diversity requirements, which are described in detail in General Education.
Foreign Language or Programming Skills (12 Units)
Students in the health science track must complete ITP 101x. All others must satisfy the skill level requirement in one language or complete ITP 101x and additional ITP 100-level programming courses to total 12 units.
Degree Requirements
| REQUIRED COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| GERO 200 | Gerontology: The Science of Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 320 | Psychology of Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 330 | Society and Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 340 | Policy, Values, and Power in an Aging Society | 4 |
| GERO 350 | Administrative Problems in Aging | 4 |
| GERO 416 | Health Issues in Aging | 4 |
| GERO 481 | Case Management for Older Adults | 4 |
| GERO 491 | Gerontology Practicum | 4 |
| GERO 492 | Senior Seminar in Aging | 4 |
| General Education | 24 | |
| Writing Requirement | 8 | |
| Foreign Language or Programming | 12 | |
| Gerontology electives | 12 | |
| One approved statistics course | 4 | |
| Electives in gerontology or related disciplines (8 units upper division) | 32 | |
Total: 128
Health Science Track in Gerontology
Requirements for Admission
The listed requirements for admission to the health science track in gerontology will not differ from existing requirements for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Gerontology. However, because health professional schools are very competitive, USC students interested in this program will be expected to have achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average (A = 4.0) and will be carefully reviewed by faculty before being admitted. Students entering the program from high schools or transferring from community colleges will also be expected to meet the minimum admission standards as well as undergo a faculty review. Current USC students will not be able to declare gerontology as their major and enroll in the health science track without specific admission by the gerontology faculty.
Degree Requirements
| SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| BISC 120L | General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution | 4 |
| BISC 220L | General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology | 4 |
| CHEM 105abL | General Chemistry | 8 |
| CHEM 322abL | Organic Chemistry | 8 |
| MATH 125 | Calculus I | 4 |
| PHYS 135abL | Physics for the Life Sciences | 8 |
| 36 | ||
| GERONTOLOGY UPPER DIVISION CORE COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| GERO 310 | Physiology of Aging | 4 |
| GERO 320 | Psychology of Adult Development, or | |
| GERO 330 | Society and Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 340 | Policy, Values, and Power in an Aging Society | 4 |
| GERO 414 | Neurobiology of Aging | 4 |
| GERO 495 | Practicum in Geriatric Care | 4 |
| 20 | ||
| ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | 24 | |
| Writing Requirement | 8 | |
| ITP 101x | Introduction to Information Technology | 4 |
| Gerontology upper division electives | 12 | |
| Electives in gerontology or related disciplines (8 units upper division) | 24 | |
| 72 | ||
Total: 128
Honors Program in Gerontology
The Leonard Davis School offers an honors program to outstanding students already pursuing studies for the B.S. in Gerontology degree. This program offers students an opportunity to participate in mentored undergraduate research, taking course work in research methods and statistics in aging, and experience in writing an honors thesis that summarizes the research project. Honors students are required to complete GERO 497abc for a total of 6-8 units, beginning in the fall or spring of the junior year. In the senior year, they must complete GERO 593 Research Methods with a minimum grade of B. GERO 593 is offered only in the fall semester. Completion of the program requires a minimum GPA of 3.5 in gerontology and 3.3 in other courses. The program leads to the designation on the transcript of Bachelor of Science in Gerontology with Honors.
The student takes two units of GERO 497a in the fall or spring of the junior year as a mentored research course to begin the process of developing an honors thesis. This would be in lieu of elective units. In the fall of the senior year the student would complete GERO 593 for four units and two units of GERO 497b, both in lieu of elective units. Also during the fall semester, the research design and methods for the honors thesis are finalized and the research project begun. In the spring, the student would register for 2-4 units of GERO 497c in lieu of elective units. The goal for that semester is to complete the research and write the honors thesis.
Degree Requirements
| REQUIRED COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| GERO 200 | Gerontology: The Science of Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 320 | Psychology of Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 330 | Society and Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 340 | Policy, Values, and Power in an Aging Society | 4 |
| GERO 350 | Administrative Problems in Aging | 4 |
| GERO 416 | Health Issues in Aging | 4 |
| GERO 481 | Case Management for Older Adults | 4 |
| GERO 491 | Gerontology Practicum | 4 |
| GERO 492 | Senior Seminar in Aging | 4 |
| General Education | 24 | |
| Writing Requirement | 8 | |
| Foreign Language or Programming | 12 | |
| Gerontology electives | 12 | |
| One approved statistics course | 4 | |
| Electives in gerontology and related disciplines | 20-22 | |
| 116-118 | ||
| GERONTOLOGY HONORS COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| GERO 497abc | Honors Seminar | 2, 2, 2-4 |
| GERO 593 | Research Methods | 4 |
| 10-12 | ||
Total: 128
Requirements for Completion of the Health Science Honors Track
| SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| BISC 120L | General Biology: Organismal Biology and Evolution | 4 |
| BISC 220L | General Biology: Cell Biology and Physiology | 4 |
| CHEM 105abL | General Chemistry | 8 |
| CHEM 322abL | Organic Chemistry | 8 |
| MATH 125 | Calculus I | 4 |
| PHYS 135abL | Physics for the Life Sciences | 8 |
| 36 | ||
| GERONTOLOGY UPPER DIVISION CORE COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| GERO 310 | Physiology of Aging | 4 |
| GERO 320 | Psychology of Adult Development, or | |
| GERO 330 | Society and Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 340 | Policy, Values and Power in an Aging Society | 4 |
| GERO 414 | Neurobiology of Aging | 4 |
| GERO 495 | Practicum in Geriatric Care | 4 |
| 20 | ||
| ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | 24 | |
| Writing Requirement | 8 | |
| ITP 101x | 4 | |
| Gerontology upper division electives | 8 | |
| Electives in gerontology and related disciplines | 16-18 | |
| 60-62 | ||
| GERONTOLOGY HONORS COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| GERO 497abc | Honors Seminar | 2, 2, 2-4 |
| GERO 593 | Research Methods | 4 |
| 10-12 | ||
Total: 128
Bachelor of Arts in Health and Humanity
The Leonard Davis School of Gerontology offers an undergraduate degree, Bachelor of Science in Gerontology, undergraduate classes through the Health and Humanity major in the USC College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and two minors in aging open to all undergraduate students. Students interested in pursuing gerontology courses as a part of their major program of study should consider this major (see the Health and Humanity section).
Minors in Aging
The undergraduate minor program gives students the option of combining their major with an emphasis in gerontology, the study of aging. The minors provide students with the opportunity to supplement their education with a life course perspective of aging processes.
The multidisciplinary nature of the minors allow the student to survey the sociological, political, psychological and biological aspects of aging; to learn about current public and private services available to older persons; and to examine contemporary policy issues affecting Americans of all ages.
Individuals, Societies and Aging
This minor is a fit for students in business, engineering, communication, cinema-television, or arts and sciences interested in developing a broad knowledge of issues in aging. Based largely on disciplines in the behavioral and social sciences, students learn how aging will impact their lives, families and careers. Upon completion of 20 units and graduation, the minor is noted on the student's transcript.Science, Health and Aging
The Science, Health and Aging minor is appropriate for students working toward careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, biological sciences, public health or other health related fields. Admission to the minor is only available to students who have completed 4 units of prerequisites (BISC 220L or BISC 221) as part of their major requirements. Upon completion of 20 units and graduation, the minor is noted on the student's transcript.Course Requirements
Individuals, Societies and Aging
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| GERO 320 | Psychology of Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 330 | Society and Adult Development | 4 |
| GERO 340 | Policy, Values, and Power in an Aging Society | 4 |
Select two from the following: |
||
| GERO 380 | Diversity in Aging | 4 |
| GERO 416 | Health Issues in Aging | 4 |
| GERO 435 | Women and Aging: Psychological, Social and Political Implications | 4 |
| GERO 437 | Social and Psychological Aspects of Death and Dying | 4 |
| GERO 481 | Case Management for Older Adults | 4 |
| GERO 491 | Gerontology Practicum | 4 |
| 20 | ||
Science, Health and Aging
| Required courses | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| GERO 310 | Physiology of Aging | 4 |
| GERO 414 | Neurobiology of Aging | 4 |
| GERO 416 | Health Issues in Aging, or | |
| GERO 496 | Introduction to Clinical Geriatrics | 4 |
Select two from the following: |
||
| GERO 415 | Neuroaffective Disorders of Aging | 4 |
| GERO 421 | Managed Care for an Aging Society | 4 |
| GERO 437 | Social and Psychological Aspects of Death and Dying | 4 |
| GERO 475 | Ethical Issues in Geriatric Health Care | 4 |
| GERO 495 | Practicum in Geriatric Care | 4 |
| 20 | ||