The School of Gerontology cooperates with four other professional schools of 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 Graduate School of Business Administration, the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Public Administration (M.S./M.P.A.) and the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Health Administration (M.S./M.H.A.) with the School of Public Administration, the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Social Work (M.S./M.S.W.) with the School of Social Work, and the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Planning (M.S./M.Pl.) with the School of Urban Planning and Development. The School of Gerontology in cooperation with Hebrew Union College offers the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Arts in Jewish Communal Services (M.S./M.A.). 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 field work 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
or
GERO 555	Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach	8
GERO elective		4
and
GERO 540	Social Policy and Aging	4
GERO 570	Corporate Policies and Aging	4
GERO 591z	Field Practicum	4
GERO 594	Thesis	4

Elective courses (choose one from the following)		Units
GERO 444	Pre-Retirement Planning	2
GERO 513	Stress, Health, and Aging	2
GERO 545	Prevention, Rehabilitation and Health	2
GERO 592	Multidisciplinary Research Seminar in Aging	2
		____
Total units		30

Business Administration Requirements

The Master of Business Administration will require 48 units of credit. Required courses include: all first year courses required in the full-time M.B.A. program (36 units); GSBA 585 Business Field Project (3 units); MOR 548 Human Resource Management (3 units); 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 units); and one additional GSBA elective (3 units).

Program Adaptation

The School of Gerontology will waive 14 units of electives, plus GERO 589 Professional Issues in Gerontology (4 units), and GERO 593ab Research Methods (4 units), which are required in the regular M.S. program. The School of Business Administration will waive 15 units of elective and elective track emphasis courses.

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.

In the M.S./M.P.A. dual degree, students spend their first year taking the required courses in the School of Gerontology. The research course and the thesis, as well as the field practicum, are taken in the School of Gerontology. The student begins courses in the School of Public Administration during the second semester of the first year.

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
or
GERO 555	Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach	8
GERO elective		4
and
GERO 540	Social Policy and Aging	4
GERO 550	Administration and System Management in Programs for Older Adults	4
GERO 589	Professional Issues in Gerontology	4
GERO 591z	Field Practicum	8
GERO 593	Research Methods	4
GERO 594abz	Master's Thesis, or
Comprehensive exam and elective		4
		____
		40

Public Administration Requirements		Units
PUAD 500	Public Administration and Society	4
PUAD 512	Public Sector Economics	4
PUAD 514	Public Financial Management and Budgeting	4
PUAD 506	Administrative Research and Analysis, or
PUAD 525	Policy and Program Evaluation, or
PUAD 558	Quantitative Analysis I	4
PUAD 585	Human Behavior in Public Organizations	4
PUAD 595	Public Organization and Management Theory	4
PUAD 597	Public Organization and Management	4
		____
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Program Adaptation

For the M.S. in Gerontology, 12 units of electives are waived. For the Master of Public Administration, 12 units of gerontology courses are used as the substantive specialization.

Gerontology and Health Services Administration

The School of Gerontology provides the opportunity for students to specialize in health care administration (profit and non-profit) through the dual degree with the School of Public Administration's Health Services Administration Program. Students earn the M.S./M.H.A. and the certificate in Long Term Care Administration.

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
or
GERO 555	Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach	8
GERO elective		4
and
GERO 540	Social Policy and Aging	4
GERO 550	Administration and System Management in Programs for Older Adults	4
GERO 591z	Field Practicum	8
GERO 593	Research Methods	4
GERO 594abz*	Master's Thesis, or
GERO 589	Professional Issues in Gerontology	4
Comprehensive exam
		____
		36

*Students choose either a thesis or GERO 589 and a comprehensive exam.

Public Administration Requirements		Units
PUAD 509	Management of Long-Term Care Organizations	4
PUAD 530	Problems and Issues in the Health Field	4
PUAD 531a	Financial Management of Health Services	4
PUAD 536	Legal Issues in Health Care Delivery	4
PUAD 537	Economic Concepts Applied to Health	4
PUAD 551*	Financial Accounting in the Public and Non-Profit Sectors	4
PUAD 558	Quantitative Analysis I	4
PUAD 585	Human Behavior in Public Organizations	4
PUAD 593	Advanced Seminar in Health Services Administration	4
		____
		36

*Meets the accounting requirement for the M.H.A. portion of the M.H.A./M.S. dual degree program.

Any course substitutions are done by petition on an individual basis and should be part of a carefully developed course of study. The School of Public Administration should be consulted concerning this program of study.

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. The M.S., when taken in connection with the social work degree, focuses course and field work 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 School of Social Work. During the summer session, courses are taken in the School of Gerontology. Second year courses are taken in both the School of Gerontology and the School of Social Work. Field work during the second year is taken in the School of Gerontology. The research project is undertaken through the School of Social Work, and the research course and thesis of the School of Gerontology are waived.

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
or
GERO 555**	Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach	8
and
GERO 540	Social Policy and Aging	4
GERO 591z	Field Practicum	8
Gerontology electives		8-12
		____
		32

*Take 8 units of electives **Take 12 units of electives

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 533	Social Welfare I	3
SOWK 543	Social Work Practice I	3
SOWK 545	Social Work Practice II	3
SOWK 562	Social Work Research	3
SOWK 586ab	Field Practicum I	3-3
SOWK 650	Social Work Practice III	3
		____
		27

One course in the series		3 Units
SOWK 605	Human Development and Mental Health
SOWK 606	Human Development, Illness, and Disability
SOWK 607	Human Behavior in an Industrial Society
SOWK 608	Personal and Social Adjustments of Age
SOWK 609*	Human Behavior in Groups and Organizations

*Community Organization Planning and Administration (COPA) students must take 609; other students have a choice of substituting 699 Special Topics in Social Work for 605, 606 or 607.

One course in the series		3 Units
SOWK 625	Evaluation of Research: Mental Health
SOWK 626	Evaluation of Research: Mental Health in Mental Health Settings
SOWK 627	Evaluation of Research: The World of Work
SOWK 628	Evaluation of Research: Social Work in Aging
SOWK 629	Evaluation of Research: Community Organization, Planning and Administration
SOWK 695	Research Project I

One course in the series		3 Units
SOWK 635	Social Policy: Mental Health
SOWK 636	Social Policy: Health Care
SOWK 637	Social Policy: The World of Work
SOWK 638	Social Policy: Older Adults and Their Families
SOWK 639	Social Policy for Macro Practitioners

One course in the series		3 Units
SOWK 645	Clinical Practice in Mental Health Settings
SOWK 646	Clinical Practice in Various Health Settings
SOWK 647	Social Work Practice in Work Settings
SOWK 648	Clinical Practice with Older Adults
SOWK 649ab	Seminar in Community Organization
SOWK 650	Social Work Practice III

One course in the series		3 Units
SOWK 675	Community Practice in Mental Health Settings
SOWK 676	Community and Administrative Practice in Health Settings
SOWK 677	Community Organization and Administration in Work Settings
SOWK 678	Community Practice With and In Behalf of Older Adults
SOWK 679	Social Planning and Administrative Processes
		____
		42

Series course selection is done only with an academic advisor's approval.

Program Adaptations

The School of Gerontology waives 12 units. The School of Social Work waives 12 units.

Gerontology and Urban 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.

Requirements

Requirements for completion of the dual degree program are 66 units including 26 units in gerontology, 36 units in planning and a minimum of four units of thesis in either gerontology or planning, as follows:

Gerontology		Units
GERO 510	Physiology of Development and Aging	4
GERO 520	Life Span Developmental Psychology	4
GERO 530	Life Span Developmental Sociology	4
or
GERO 555	Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach	8
GERO elective		4
and
GERO 540	Social Policy and Aging	4
GERO 589	Professional Issues in Gerontology	4
GERO 591z	Field Practicum	6

Urban Planning and Development		Units
PLUS 501	Planning Theory, Process, and Implementation	2
PLUS 502	Statistics and Data Management	4
PLUS 505	Comparative International Development	2
PLUS 506	The Social Context of Planning	2
PLUS 507	Planning Analysis and Evaluation	2
PLUS 509	Legal Environment of Planning	2
PLUS 510	Historical Analysis of Urban Form and Planning Practice	2

Laboratory/Workshops: PLUS 676L (4 or 8) to total eight units.

Electives: 8 units of electives taken within the School of Urban Planning and Development.

Thesis: A thesis is required on a subject interrelating gerontology and urban and regional planning. Students must register in a minimum of four units of either GERO 594abz (2, 2, 0) or PLUS 594abz (2, 2, 0). Students must maintain continuous registration until completion of the thesis.

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
or
GERO 555**	Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach	8
and
GERO 540	Social Policy and Aging	4
GERO 589	Professional Issues in Gerontology	4
GERO 591z	Field Practicum	8
GERO 593	Research Methods	4
GERO 594abz	Master's Thesis	4
GERO elective		4-8
		____
		40

*Take 4 units of electives
**Take 8 units of electives

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 waived by Hebrew Union College.

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