The School of Gerontology cooperates with four 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 Law School, 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 Service (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 Gerontology elective 2 GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging 4 GERO 570 Corporate Policies and Aging 4 GERO 591z Field Practicum 4 GERO 555 Integrating Gerontology: An Interdisciplinary Approach 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 ____ 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 (31 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 additional GSBA electives (11 units).
Program Adaptation
The School of Gerontology will waive 12 units of skill related courses and 6 units of electives, plus GERO 593ab Research Methods (4 units), which are required in the regular M.S. program. The Marshall School of Business will waive 15 units of elective and elective track emphasis courses.
Gerontology and Dentistry
The M.S./D.D.S. dual degree program extends over five years and is offered cooperatively by the School of Dentistry and the Leonard 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.
The student spends the first year taking required D.D.S. courses in the Dental School. Gerontology course work will be introduced in the second year and continues through the fifth year.
Gerontology Requirements
The Master of Science in Gerontology requires 38 units of course and field work taken in the School of Gerontology which covers the core content of the M.S. program.
Required courses Units GERO 475 Ethical Issues in Gerontology Health Care 4 GERO 519 Biological Processes and Aging 4 GERO 520 Life Span Developmental Psychology 4 GERO 530 Life Span Developmental Sociology 4 GERO 555 Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach 4 GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging 4 GERO 591z Field Practicum 6 GERO 593 Research Methods 4 Elective Courses - choose one from the following list in consultation with the advisor:
GERO 513 Stress, Health and Aging 4 GERO 522 Counseling the Elderly 4 GERO 545 Prevention, Rehabilitation and Health Promotion 4 GERO 546 Health Assessment and Client Management 4 GERO 550 Administration and System Management in Programs for Older Adults 4 GERO 561 Education for the Older Adult 4 Dentistry Requirements
See Dentistry section for a listing of Dental School requirements for the D.D.S./M.S. dual degree program.Program Adaptation
The Leonard Davis School of Gerontology will waive 14 units of credit: GERO 589 Professional Issues in Gerontology (4); GERO 510 Physiology of Development and Aging (4); GERO 591 Field Practicum (2) and GERO elective (4). These requirements will be replaced by INTP 651 (4), INTP 502 (4), GSPD 610 (1), GSPD 612 (1) and INTX 502e (1).
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 (GERO 593) and the capstone course (GERO 555) 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 Gerontology skills related elective 4 GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging 4 GERO 550 Administration and System Management in Programs for Older Adults 4 GERO 555 Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach 4 GERO 591z Field Practicum 8 GERO 593 Research Methods 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 Professional Practice of Public Administration 4 ____ 28 Program Adaptation
For the M.S. in Gerontology, 8 units of skill related courses and 4 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 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 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 GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging 4 GERO 550 Administration and System Management in Programs for Older Adults 4 GERO 555 Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach 4 GERO 591z Field Practicum 8 GERO 593 Research Methods 4 ____ 36 Public Administration Requirements Units PUAD 509 Management of Long-Term Care Organizations 4 PUAD 512 Public Sector Economics 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 ____ 40 *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 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 Law School and 36 from the School of Gerontology. The first year is devoted to required law courses, and the second, third and fourth years combine gerontology and law courses.
Gerontology Requirements
The Master of Science in Gerontology will require 36 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 GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging 4 GERO 555 Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach 4 GERO 591z Field Practicum 8 GERO 593 Research Methods 4 Gerontology elective 4 ____ 36 The Davis School of Gerontology will waive 16 units of electives which are required in the regular M.S. program.
Law School Requirements
The Law School requires 74 units of credit.
Required Courses, First Year Units LAW 502 Procedure I 4 LAW 503 Contracts 4 LAW 504 Criminal Law 3 LAW 505 Legal Profession 3 LAW 507 Property 4 LAW 508 Constitutional Law I 4 LAW 509 Torts I 4 LAW 510 Legal Research 0 LAW 511ab Introduction to Lawyering Skills 1, 1 LAW 512 Law, Language and Ethics 3 Elective Course Work The second and third years of law study are primarily elective with one requirement. Students must satisfy the upper division writing requirement, either by completing a major, faculty-supervised writing project such as a dissertation, or by taking a course with a substantial writing component.
The Law School will waive 14 units of electives which are required in the regular J.D. program.
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 capstone course 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 GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging 4 GERO 591z 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 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 ____ 24 In the second half of the social work program, students may enroll in one of four concentrations: Mental Health; Health; Industry; or Community Organization, Planning and Administration (COPA). Required courses would be selected based on the chosen concentration as follows:
One course in the series Units SOWK 605 Human Development and Mental Health 3 SOWK 606 Human Development, Illness, and Disability 3 SOWK 607 Human Behavior in an Industrial Society 3 SOWK 609* Human Behavior in Groups and Organizations 3 *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 Units SOWK 625 Evaluation of Research: Mental Health 3 SOWK 626 Evaluation of Research: Mental Health in Mental Health Settings 3 SOWK 627 Evaluation of Research: The World of Work 3 SOWK 629 Evaluation of Research: Community Organization, Planning and Administration 3 SOWK 695 Research Project I, or SOWK 697 Research Project II 3 One course in the series Units SOWK 635 Social Policy: Mental Health 3 SOWK 636 Social Policy: Health Care 3 SOWK 637 Social Policy: The World of Work 3 SOWK 639 Social Policy for Macro Practitioners 3 One course in the series Units SOWK 645 Clinical Practice in Mental Health Settings 3 SOWK 646 Clinical Practice in Various Health Settings 3 SOWK 647 Social Work Practice in Work Settings 3 SOWK 649a Seminar in Community Organization 3 One course in the series Units SOWK 650 Social Work Practice III 3 SOWK 649b Seminar in Community Organization 3 One course in the series Units SOWK 675 Community Practice in Mental Health Settings 3 SOWK 676 Community and Administrative Practice in Health Settings 3 SOWK 677 Community Organization and Administration in Work Settings 3 SOWK 679 Social Planning and Administrative Processes 3 ____ 42 Series course selection is done only with an academic advisor's approval.
Program Adaptations
The School of Gerontology waives 12 units. The research project is undertaken through the School of Social Work, 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 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 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 Gerontology elective 4 GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging 4 GERO 591z Field Practicum 6 ____ 26 Urban Planning and Development Units PLUS 501 Planning Theory 2 PLUS 502 Statistics and Arguing from Data 4 PLUS 505 Comparative International Development 2 PLUS 506 The Social Context of Planning 2 PLUS 507 The Urban Economy 2 PLUS 509 Legal Environment of Planning 2 PLUS 510 Historical Analysis of Urban Form and Planning Practice 2 ____ 16 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 planning and development. Students must register in a minimum of four units of 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 GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging 4 GERO 555 Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach 4 GERO 591z Field Practicum 8 GERO 593 Research Methods 4 Gerontology elective 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.
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