Graduate Degrees
Dual Degree Programs
The Davis School of Gerontology cooperates with six other
professional schools at USC and Hebrew Union College in offering
programs in which the student receives two master's degrees. These
degrees provide the student with the knowledge and skills of gerontology
as well as those of the other professional field. The dual degrees
require more course work than the M.S. alone, but offer the graduate
greater breadth of education and employment options.
Dual degrees currently available are the Master of Science in
Gerontology and the Master of Business Administration (M.S./M.B.A.) with
the Marshall School of Business; the Master of Science in Gerontology
and the Doctor of Dental Surgery (M.S./D.D.S.) with the School of
Dentistry; the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Juris Doctor
(M.S./J.D.) with the Gould School of Law; the Master of Science in
Gerontology and the Master of Public Administration (M.S./M.P.A.), the
Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Health Administration
(M.S./M.H.A.), and the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master
of Planning (M.S./M.Pl.) with the School of Policy, Planning, and
Development; the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of
Social Work (M.S./M.S.W.) with the School of Social Work; the Master of
Science in Gerontology and the Doctor of Pharmacy (M.S./Pharm.D.) with
the School of Pharmacy; the M.S. in Gerontology and the Master of Arts
in Jewish Communal Service (M.S./M.A.) with the Hebrew Union College.
Students must apply to both schools simultaneously and, if accepted to
both, participate in specially designed programs combining the courses
of each school.
Admission to Dual Degree Programs
Applicants to any of the dual degree programs must submit two
application forms to the Office of Admissions; one indicating
gerontology as the major and one indicating the other degree as the
major. Each of the schools must accept the student for admission.
Acceptance into one school's degree program does not imply acceptance
into the dual degree program.
Gerontology and Business Administration
The M.S./M.B.A. dual degree combines knowledge of the older population
with the skills of business management. The program prepares graduates
for a number of roles in both public and private sector organizations
including the marketing of products or services to seniors, human
resource development with older workers and retirement benefits.
Gerontology Requirements
The Master of Science in
Gerontology requires 30 units of course and fieldwork which covers the
core content of the M.S. program.
| Required courses | Units |
|---|
| GERO
510 | Physiology of Development and Aging | 4 |
| GERO 520 | Life Span
Developmental Psychology | 4 |
| GERO 530 | Life Span Developmental Sociology | 4 |
| GERO 540 | Social Policy and
Aging | 4 |
| GERO 555 | Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary
Approach | 4 |
| GERO 591 | Field
Practicum | 4 |
| Gerontology electives | 6 |
| | 30 |
Business Administration Requirements
The Master of Business
Administration will require 48 units of credit. Required courses
include: all courses required in an M.B.A. core program; MOR 548
Competitive Advantage Through People (3); one marketing elective chosen
from among MKT 512 Marketing and Consumer Research, MKT 525 Consumer
Behavior, MKT 560 Marketing Strategy and Policy and MKT 569 Contemporary
Marketing Problems (3); and additional graduate business electives
sufficient to bring the total units completed in the Marshall School to
at least 48. Dual degree students may not count courses taken outside
the Marshall School of Business toward the 48 units.
Program Adaptation
The Davis School of Gerontology will waive 18 units of electives, plus
GERO 593 Research Methods (4 units) and GERO 589 Professional Issues in
Gerontology (4 units), which are required in the regular M.S. program.
Students will be exposed to research and professional issues in business
administration course work.
Gerontology and Dentistry
The M.S./D.D.S. dual degree program extends over five years and is
offered cooperatively by the USC School of Dentistry and the Davis
School of Gerontology. The program addresses the challenges facing oral
health care providers as the number of older persons needing dental care
increases. With the evolution of care toward patients who live longer
lives, graduating dentists will be better prepared to provide service to
the aging population in community settings and health care facilities. See the
Dentistry section for a listing of School of Dentistry requirements for the D.D.S./M.S. dual degree program.
Gerontology and Pharmacy
The emerging impact of the elderly on the health care system has created
a need for health care providers who understand the unique needs of the
elderly. As drug therapy remains the primary therapeutic option for
chronic disease, the demand for prescription drugs will continue to
rise. There is a demand for pharmacists who are equipped to meet the
pharmaceutical care needs of this population. Geriatric pharmacy is
becoming increasingly recognized as a specialty. Pharmacists with
expertise in gerontology and geriatrics are in an excellent position to
play a leading role in health policy and direct patient care. The
Pharm.D./M.S., Gerontology program will provide extensive education and
training in the unique health care needs of older adults. It will allow
student pharmacists with a career interest in geriatrics or gerontology
to work with health care planning or delivery organizations to develop
and implement progressive pharmaceutical care programs for the elderly.
Application and Admissions Requirements
Students applying
for the dual degree program must meet the respective admission
requirements for each program. This includes having completed a
baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a
minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 and a minimum GRE score of 1000. Students will not
be given special consideration for admission to either program because
they are applying for the dual degree. Students may apply to the dual
Pharm.D./M.S. degree program in two ways. First, they may apply at the
time they submit their Pharm.D. application by concurrently submitting
applications to both programs. Students, who elect this approach, must identify themselves
on both applications as potential dual degree students. Students who are
admitted to both programs will be offered admission to the Pharm.D. and
will be offered admission to the dual degree program contingent on
passing all courses in their first year of the Pharm.D. with a minimum
3.0 G.P.A. Students who are accepted by only one program may choose to
attend that program, but will not be eligible for the dual degree.
Second, students can apply to the dual degree by submitting an
application to the M.S. in Gerontology program during their first year
of enrollment in the Pharm.D. prior to the M.S., Gerontology published
application deadline. Students, who elect this approach, must apply
through the School of Pharmacy. Students admitted to the M.S. program
using this approach will be offered admission to the dual degree
contingent on passing all courses in their first year of the Pharm.D.
with a minimum 3.0 G.P.A. Students accepted to the dual degree program
must maintain a minimum 3.0 G.P.A. in their gerontology and Pharm.D.
courses.
Graduation Requirements
Students must complete all
requirements for the Pharm.D. and M.S. degrees as listed in the
catalogue with a minimum cumula-tive 3.0 G.P.A. Students must complete
44 Gerontology units as indicated. The Davis School of Gerontology will
waive GERO 589 Professional Issues in Gerontology (4 units) because
students enrolled in this program will have a primary professional focus
on pharmacy. The Pharm.D. degree course requirements are listed in the
School of Pharmacy section.
| Gerontology requirements | Units |
|---|
| GERO
510 | Physiology of Development and Aging | 4 |
| GERO 520 | Life Span
Developmental Psychology | 4 |
| GERO 530 | Life Span Developmental Sociology | 4 |
| GERO 540 | Social Policy and
Aging | 4 |
| GERO 555 | Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary
Approach | 4 |
| GERO 591 | Field
Practicum (480 hours) | 8 |
| GERO 593 | Research Methods | 4 |
| Gerontology
electives* | 12 |
| | 44 |
Gerontology and Public Administration
The M.S./M.P.A. dual degree offers the student interested in management
of agencies and institutions the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge
of the administrative and organizational processes and management skills
necessary for the effective delivery of services to older persons. See the
School of Policy, Planning, and Development for course
requirements.
Gerontology and Health Administration
Students can specialize in health care administration (profit and
non-profit) through the dual degree with the USC School of Policy,
Planning, and Development's Health Administration Program. See the
School of Policy, Planning, and Development for course
requirements.
Gerontology and Planning
The M.S./M.Pl. dual degree is one of few in the nation which combines
the knowledge of the older population with the skills needed to plan
services for older people. The M.Pl. prepares the graduate for the
responsibilities involved in development of public and private
institutions and programs. The M.S. indicates a special focus on the
older person and the skills to analyze and design programs for this
growing population. See the
School of Policy, Planning, and Development for course
requirements.
Gerontology and Law
The M.S./J.D. dual degree combines the knowledge of the older population
with understanding of the legal system. The program prepares graduates
for a number of roles in both public and private sector organizations.
Students are required to complete 110 units of course work, 74 from the
USC Gould School of Law and 36 from the Davis School of Gerontology. The
first year is devoted to required law courses, and the second, third and
fourth years combine gerontology and law courses. To earn the J.D., all
students (including dual degree students) must complete 35 numerically
graded law units at USC after the first year. The associate dean may
make exceptions to the rule for students enrolled in the law school
honors program. See the
School of Law for course
requirements.
Gerontology and Social Work
The M.S./M.S.W. dual degree offers the student interested in direct
service or community organization the credentials most valued in
clinical and therapeutic practice. Taken in connection with the social
work degree, the M.S. focuses course and fieldwork on the older person
and prepares the student for social work with older persons and their
families.
In the M.S./M.S.W. dual degree program, the student enrolls primarily
in the first year program of the USC School of Social Work. During the
summer session, courses are taken in the School of Gerontology. Second
year courses are taken in both schools and fieldwork during the second
year is taken in the School of Gerontology. The research course is taken
through the School of Social Work in the student's concentration area.
The USC Davis School of Gerontology will waive GERO 589 Professional
Issues in Gerontology (4 units) and GERO 555 Integrating Gerontology: A
Multidisciplinary Approach (4 units) because students enrolled in this
program have a primary professional focus on social work.
| Gerontology Requirements | Units |
|---|
| GERO
510 | Physiology of Development and Aging | 4 |
| GERO 520 | Life Span
Developmental Psychology | 4 |
| GERO 530 | Life Span Developmental Sociology | 4 |
| GERO 540 | Social Policy and
Aging | 4 |
| GERO 591 | Field
Practicum | 8 |
| Gerontology electives | 8 |
| | 32 |
| Social Work Requirements | Units |
|---|
| SOWK
503 | Human Behavior and the Social Environment
I | 3 |
| SOWK 505 | Human Behavior
and the Social Environment II | 3 |
| SOWK 534 | Policy and Practice in Social Service
Organizations | 3 |
| SOWK 543 | Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families | 4 |
| SOWK 545 | Social Work
Practice with Groups and Complex Cases | 2 |
| SOWK 562 | Social Work Research | 3 |
| SOWK 586ab | Field
Practicum | 3-3 |
| SOWK 587ab
| Integrative Learning for Social Work Practice | 2-2 |
| SOWK 611 | Leadership in the Social Work Profession and Organizations:
Theory and Practice | 3 |
| 31 |
In the second half of the social work program, students may enroll in
one of four concentrations: Health; World of Work; Mental Health; or
Community Organization, Planning and Administration (COPA). All students
are required to take SOWK 611 Leadership in the Social Work Profession and Organizations: Theory and Practice. Required courses are selected based on the chosen concentration as
follows:
| Health | Units |
|---|
| SOWK 631 | Advanced
Theories and Clinical Interventions in Health Care | 3 |
| SOWK 632 | Program Planning
and Evaluation in Health Care | 3 |
| SOWK 636 | Policy in the Health Care Sector | 3 |
| world of work | Units |
|---|
| SOWK
671 | Clinical Intervention and Advanced Theories in
Work Settings | 3 |
| SOWK 672 | Improving Work Life Through Social Policy and Managing
Organizational Development and Change | 3 |
| SOWK 673 | Program Development, Training,
Grant Writing and Program Evaluation in Work Settings | 3 |
| Mental Health | Units |
|---|
| SOWK
605 | Human Development and Mental Health | 3 |
| SOWK 625 | Evaluation of
Research: Mental Health | 3 |
| SOWK 645 | Clinical Practice in Mental Health Settings | 3 |
| community organization, planning, and Administration (COPA)
| Units |
|---|
| SOWK 629 | Evaluation of
Research: Community Organization, Planning and Administration | 3 |
| SOWK 639 | Social Policy
for Managers, Planners, and Community Organizers | 3 |
| SOWK 648 | Management for Community and
Social Services | 3 |
Course selection is done only with an academic advisor's
approval.
Program Adaptations
The School of Gerontology waives 12
units. The research course is taken through the School of Social Work in
the student's concentration area, and GERO 593, the research course, and
GERO 555 are waived as well as one elective. The School of Social Work
waives 12 units.
Gerontology and Jewish Communal Service
The M.S./M.A. dual degree provides the student the opportunity to
combine training in gerontology with a perspective on human services in
the Jewish community. It prepares students for the delivery, planning
and administration of services to older people in primarily Jewish
settings. Students must apply for admission to both USC and Hebrew Union
College.
| Gerontology Requirements | Units |
|---|
| GERO
510 | Physiology of Development and Aging | 4 |
| GERO 520 | Life Span
Developmental Psychology | 4 |
| GERO 530 | Life Span Developmental Sociology | 4 |
| GERO 540 | Social Policy and
Aging | 4 |
| GERO 555 | Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary
Approach | 4 |
| GERO 591 | Field
Practicum | 8 |
| GERO 593 | Research
Methods | 4 |
| Gerontology electives | 8 |
| | 40 |
For information about Jewish Communal Service requirements contact
the Office of Admissions, Hebrew Union College — Jewish Institute of
Religion, 3077 University Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90007-3796.
Program Adaptations
The School of Gerontology waives 12 units of gerontology electives.
Thesis units for the Jewish Communal Service degree are taken at Hebrew
Union College. The Davis School of Gerontology will waive GERO 589
Professional Issues in Gerontology (4 units) because students enrolled
in this program have a primary professional focus on Jewish communal
service.
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