(1) Graduate standing in the University of Southern California.
(2) Academic promise, as evidenced by above average achievement in previous undergraduate and professional education. A minimum GPA of 3.5 on all prior graduate work is required. In addition, a 3.25 GPA in an appropriate undergraduate major and a baccalaureate degree is required.
(3) Personal qualities compatible with high level performance in gerontology and indicating a potential for leadership in the field. Applicants to the Ph.D. program must submit a resume of professional and academic experience, three letters of reference (academic and professional), a statement of objectives and examples of written work.
(4) Satisfactory performance on the Graduate Record Examinations -- existing test scores may be submitted if the GRE has been completed no more than five years prior to the date of application. A minimum score of 550 each on the Verbal and Quantitative GRE is required. A minimum score of 550 on the Analytic exam will be preferred but not required.
(5) Submission of application materials as required. Instructions for application to the Doctor of Philosophy in Gerontology may be obtained by contacting the director of the program.
(1) A basic scientific core area, taught by School of Gerontology faculty, will stress the physiological, psychological, sociological and theoretical dimensions of both individual and population aging. Required courses include GERO 610 The Aging Society, GERO 628 Theories of Aging, GERO 510 Physiology of Development and Aging and GERO 520 Life Span Developmental Psychology.
(2) A second core area of policy oriented courses, taught by School of Gerontology faculty, will draw upon course work in gerontology, political science, public administration, social work, sociology, and political economy. Required courses include GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging, GERO 650ab Advanced Seminar in Public Policy, GERO 645 Politics and Policy Processes in an Aging Society and GERO 655 Economic Foundations of Aging Policy.
(3) A third core area will focus on research and policy analysis skills, including both traditional social science research design, methods and statistics and a sequence of policy analysis skills and methods courses. Competence in advanced research methodology, statistics and policy analysis is required through satisfactory completion of GERO 593ab Research Methods, SOCI 621 Advanced Social Statistics, and PUAD 626 Seminar in Public Policy Processes and Analysis. In addition, the School of Gerontology requires all graduate students to demonstrate basic competency in statistics as a prerequisite of enrollment.
(4) A fourth area of courses will involve electives which allow students to concentrate in a particular policy or analytic field of inquiry. Areas of concentration include but are not limited to: (a) politics and policy processes; (b) policy analysis; (c) federalism and state policy roles; (d) social values and policy choices.
Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995