Mar 19, 2024  
USC Catalogue 2015-2016 
    
USC Catalogue 2015-2016 [ARCHIVED CATALOGUE]

USC Davis School of Gerontology


USC Davis School of Gerontology

 

At the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, students study the human lifespan by exploring all dimensions of adult life. Here, Michael Zuletta and Saemy Son discuss aspects of gerontology. Photo by John Skalicky.

 

 


The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology explores all aspects of human development and aging. Course work and research opportunities in biology, psychology, sociology, policy and aging services make up its multidisciplinary curriculum.

Founded in 1975, USC Davis is not only the nation’s premier school of gerontology, it is also the first. Named in honor of Leonard Davis, a philanthropist and businessman who pioneered insurance plans for the elderly through his involvement in AARP and his own company Colonial Penn Life Insurance, the school provides ground-breaking solutions to issues facing an aging population.

USC Leonard Davis School is committed to providing students with a broad theoretical understanding of lifespan development as well as dynamic post-graduate career placement. Students on all levels often enroll in semester-long internship programs. Working with our internship director, students can apply their gerontological knowledge to an array of industries such as health, medicine, business, finance, policy, direct services, program development, counseling and many other fields.

USC Leonard Davis School’s Bachelor of Science degrees can be pursued with a health science, a social science or a global emphasis. The school also offers five master’s degrees, seven dual master’s programs, a graduate certificate, and PhD programs in gerontology as well as in the biology of aging.

The School is located in the Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center and is home to the Center for Digital Aging, the Center for Global Aging, the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence, the Long Beach Longitudinal Study, the Longevity Institute, the USC/UCLA Center on Biodemography and Population Health and the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center.

USC Davis School of Gerontology
(213) 740-5156
FAX: (213) 740-0792
Email: ldsgero@usc.edu
gero.usc.edu

Administration

Pinchas Cohen, MD, Dean and Executive Director of the Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center

Kelvin JA Davies, PhD, DSc, Vice Dean and Director of the Ethel Percy Andrus Gerontology Center

Maria Henke, MA, Associate Dean, USC Davis School of Gerontology

Faculty

William and Sylvia Kugel Dean’s Chair in Gerontology: Pinchas Cohen, MD

AARP University Chair in Gerontology: Eileen Crimmins, PhD*

ARCO/William F. Kieschnick Chair in the Neurobiology of Aging: Caleb E. Finch, PhD*

James E. Birren Chair in Gerontology: Kelvin J.A. Davies, PhD, DSc*

The Golden Age Association/Frances Wu Chair in Chinese Elderly: Iris Chi, PhD (Social Work)

Edna M. Jones Chair in Gerontology: Valter D. Longo, PhD

Rita and Edward Polusky Chair in Education and Aging: Elizabeth M. Zelinski, PhD*

UPS Foundation Chair in Gerontology: Jon Pynoos, PhD*

Mary Pickford Foundation Professor of Gerontology: Kathleen H. Wilber, PhD*

Professors: Margaret Gatz, PhD (Psychology); Bob Knight, PhD; Martin Levine, PhD (Law, Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences); Mara Mather, PhD; John J. McArdle, PhD (Psychology); Michal Mor-Barak, DSW (Social Work); Roseann Mulligan, DDS (Dentistry); Mike Nichol, PhD (Pharmacy and Public Policy); Christian Pike, PhD; Victor Regnier, MArch (Architecture); Edward L. Schneider, MD; Lon Schneider, MD (Psychiatry and Neurology); John Tower, PhD (Biological Sciences); Bradley R. Williams, PharmD (Clinical Pharmacy)

Associate Professors: Maria Aranda, PhD (Social Work); Susan H. Enguidanos, PhD*; Jeffrey McCombs, PhD (Pharmacy); John P. Walsh, PhD*

Assistant Professors: Cleopatra Abdou, PhD; Sean Curran, PhD*; Tara Lynn Gruenewald, PhD; Natalie Leland, PhD (Occupational Therapy); Ana Marie Yamada, PhD (Social Work)

Research Professors: Todd Morgan, PhD; Albert Rizzo III, PhD

Research Associate Professors: Roseann Giarrusso, PhD; Jung Ki Kim, PhD

Research Assistant Professors: Donna Benton, PhD; Thomas Parsons, PhD

Adjunct Professors: Neal Cutler, PhD; Fernando Torres-Gil, PhD*

Adjunct Associate Professors: Joanna Davies, PhD; Janet Frank, PhD; Monika White, PhD

Adjunct Research Professor: Larry Rubenstein, PhD

Adjunct Research Assistant Professor: Tracy Armstrong, PhD

Adjunct Clinical Professor: Robert M. Tager, MD

Clinical Associate Professor: Raquel D. Arias, MD

Instructional Assistant Professors: Aaron Hagedorn, PhD; Carin B. Kreutzer, EdD; Freddi Segal-Gidan, PhD; George Shannon, PhD

Emeritus Professors: Vern Bengtson, PhD; James E. Birren, PhD

Emeritus Associate Professor: Phoebe Liebig, PhD

*Recipient of university-wide or college teaching award.

Programs

The Davis School of Gerontology offers a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging, a Bachelor of Science in Lifespan Health, undergraduate classes through the health and humanity major in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, two minors in gerontology and a progressive Master of Science in Gerontology open to all undergraduate students.

The School of Gerontology offers several graduate degrees including a Master of Science in Gerontology; a Master of Aging Services Management; a Master of Arts in Gerontology; a Master of Long Term Care Administration (with the Marshall School of Business and the Price School of Public Policy) and a Master of Science in Nutrition, Healthspan and Longevity. All master’s degrees are offered online and onsite. The School of Gerontology offers the premier PhD in Gerontology program in the nation. The program is not offered online. The school also offers a PhD in the Biology of Aging. Non-degree graduate students may complete 16 units of gerontology and be awarded a graduate level certificate in gerontology (also available online).

Master’s degree students may pursue one of several dual degrees, which are jointly offered with other professional schools. These are the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Business Administration (MS/MBA) with the Marshall School of Business; the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Juris Doctor (MS/JD) with the Gould School of Law; the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Public Administration (MS/MPA), the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Health Administration (MS/MHA), and the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Planning (MS/MPl) with the Price School of Public Policy; the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Social Work (MS/MSW) with the School of Social Work; and the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Doctor of Pharmacy (MS/PharmD) with the School of Pharmacy.

In addition to the degree and minor programs, overview courses in aging are offered for undergraduates enrolled in other units of the university. Many gerontology courses can be credited as elective units.

Honor Society

The student honor society is Sigma Phi Omega, the national honor society formed in 1980 to recognize the excellence of those who study gerontology. The organization seeks to promote scholarship and professionalism, and to recognize exemplary attainment in the field of aging. Undergraduates must have a GPA of at least 3.3 and graduate students a GPA of at least 3.5. Sigma Phi Omega is administered by the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education, an educational unit of the Gerontological Society of America.

Undergraduate Programs

Bachelor of Arts in Health and Humanity

The USC Davis School of Gerontology offers undergraduate classes through the Health and Humanity major in the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (see the Health and Humanity  page).

Progressive Degree in Gerontology/Master of Science in Gerontology

The progressive degree program allows high performing students to integrate their current undergraduate major with a Master of Science in Gerontology. Students with at least a 3.0 overall GPA may apply for admission to the degree program in their junior year.

Students will meet with the gerontology student adviser to develop a course plan that must be approved by the School of Gerontology and the student’s home department. Students admitted into the progressive degree program begin taking master’s level courses in their senior year and will complete the master’s degree in year five. For more information on the admission process, see the gerontology student adviser. For further details on progressive degree programs, see the Requirements for Graduation  page.

Minors in Gerontology

The undergraduate minor program gives students the option of combining their major with an emphasis in gerontology. The minors provide students with the opportunity to supplement their education with a life course perspective of aging processes.

The minor programs, which are multidisciplinary in nature, allow the student to survey the sociological, political, psychological and biological aspects of aging; to gain an understanding of the current services available to older persons; and to examine the contemporary policy issues facing the field.

Graduate Degrees

Progressive Degree in Gerontology

A progressive degree program allows qualified undergraduate students the opportunity to complete an integrated program of study joining a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in the same or different departments.

The progressive degree program in gerontology allows students in their junior year to apply for the Master of Science in Gerontology program and complete both degrees in five years. Students must fulfill all the requirements for both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree. The total number of units for the master’s degree, however, may be reduced by a maximum of one third. Students must obtain permission from both the bachelor’s degree granting program and the USC Davis School of Gerontology. This program may be particularly attractive to students majoring in biology, psychology, policy and sociology. For more information on progressive degrees, see the entry under Undergraduate Programs or Graduate and Professional Education .

Dual Degree Programs

The USC Davis School of Gerontology cooperates with six other professional schools at USC 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 MS 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 (MS/MBA) with the Marshall School of Business; the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Juris Doctor (MS/JD) with the Gould School of Law; the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Public Administration (MS/MPA), the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Health Administration (MS/MHA), and the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Planning (MS/MPl) with the Price School of Public Policy; the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Master of Social Work (MS/MSW) with the School of Social Work; and the Master of Science in Gerontology and the Doctor of Pharmacy (MS/PharmD) with the School of Pharmacy. 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

See USC Marshall School of Business  for requirements.

Gerontology and Public Administration

The MS/MPA 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 USC Price School of Public Policy , for course requirements.

Gerontology and Health Administration

Students can specialize in health care administration (profit and non-profit) through the dual degree with the Price School of Public Policy’s Health Administration Program. See the USC Price School of Public Policy , for course requirements.

Gerontology and Planning

The MS/MPl 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 MPl prepares the graduate for the responsibilities involved in development of public and private institutions and programs. The MS indicates a special focus on the older person and the skills to analyze and design programs for this growing population. See the USC Price School of Public Policy  for course requirement.

Gerontology and Law

The MS/JD 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 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 JD, 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 USC Gould School of Law  for course requirements.

Programs

Bachelor’s Degree

Minor

Master’s Degree

University Certificate

Dual Degree

Doctoral Degree