Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging Booklet

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AND AGING

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

One major, two tracks, unlimited possibilities!

The Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging offers students a choice of two broad areas of focus: the Health Sciences track and the Social Sciences track.

HEALTH SCIENCES TRACK Applied science is the greatest tool we have in unlocking the full potential of the human body. The ability to study, manage, and heal the body across the lifespan is perhaps the most powerful of all disciplines. The challenge is immense, but so are the rewards.

Students who pursue the Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging degree along the Health Sciences track learn about the body’s lifetime of changes, turning their scientific expertise into real-world breakthroughs, advocacy work, and top-notch medical care. The interdisciplinary curriculum spans an impressive variety of fields and covers prerequisites for medical school admission, giving students a well-rounded education that helps them enter a variety of fields, including: ▪▪ Medical practice ▪▪ Health science industry ▪▪ University research and education Examples of subjects covered in the program’s required and elective courses include: ▪▪ Physiology of Aging ▪▪ Neuroaffective Disorders of Aging ▪▪ Practicum in Geriatric Care

courses and professors “ The not only focused on the biological aspects of diagnosis and treatment, but they also emphasized a holistic approach to patient care. Many of the medical schools I applied to were impressed with my degree in gerontology, and it gave me an edge.�

Karlton Wong, Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging (Health Sciences track) and Master of Science in Gerontology graduate, USC Keck School of Medicine graduate, and internal medicine resident at Los Angeles County-USC Hospital.

SOCIAL SCIENCES TRACK Aging is a universal experience and affects every part of our communities.

By focusing on the broad view of human development in the behavioral sciences, students in the Social Sciences track of the Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging program discover how their chosen profession—from policy and psychology to law and health administration— will intertwine with the human condition across the spectrum of age.

Completing the Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging degree along the Social Science track prepares graduates for careers in numerous gerontology-related organizations, including: ▪▪ Government agencies ▪▪ Nonprofit organizations ▪▪ Health science companies ▪▪ Long-term health facilities Examples of subjects covered in the program’s required and elective courses include: ▪▪ Psychology of Adult Development ▪▪ Society and Adult Development ▪▪ Policies, Values, and Power in an Aging Society

Davis School is the “ The best of both worlds: an

intimate school in a worldclass research university.

With such a rapidly aging population, gerontologyrelated opportunities are emerging in every field!�

Cameron Chalfant, Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging (Social Sciences track) graduate and senior analyst for Coldwell Banker.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS The 128-unit Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Aging program is typically completed in four years of full-time study (16 credits per semester). This degree includes a required practicum course, during which students discuss how to translate the theories of the classroom into everyday practices and gain real-life experience with internships (120 hours of fieldwork required for graduation).

PROGRESSIVE DEGREE PROGRAM The USC Davis School progressive degree in gerontology program allows undergraduate students in their junior year to apply for the Master of Science in Gerontology program or Master of Aging Services Management program and complete both undergraduate and master’s degrees in a total of five years. Students must fulfill all the requirements for both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree.

ADMISSION Admission to USC is competitive and is handled through the USC Common Application (admission.usc.edu). Prospective gerontology students must complete the Gerontology Supplemental Application section of the Graduate Application in order to be eligible for merit-based financial aid.

For more information or to start your application , visit gero.usc.edu, call (213) 740-5156, or email ldsgero@usc.edu.

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