Master of Health Administration/Master of Gerontology 

Society needs skilled leaders to develop policy and practices addressing the distinct challenges that arise as a result of our aging populations.  The Master of Health Administration/Master of Science in Gerontology (MHA/MSG) dual degree fosters a contemporary skill set with which students can draw upon in their careers managing long-term care facilities or agencies providing services to the aging. This degree is conferred by the USC Price School of Public Policy and the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.

Students in the dual degree program must be admitted by both academic units and complete 78 units of post-graduate academic work.

For descriptions of the courses below, visit the USC Course Catalogue.

Gerontology (Total units: 36)

• GERO 510 Physiology of Development and Aging (Units: 4)
• GERO 520 Life Span Developmental Psychology (Units: 2 or 4)
• GERO 530 Life Span Developmental Sociology (Units: 4)
• GERO 540 Social Policy and Aging (Units: 4)
• GERO 550 Administration and System Management in Programs for Older Adults (Units: 4)
• GERO 555 Integrating Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary Approach (Units: 4)
• GERO 591 Field Practicum (Units: 1-12)
• GERO 593 Research Methods (Units: 4)

Health Administration (Total units: 42)

• PPD 506 Introduction to Microeconomics – Applications in Health (Units: 2)
• PPD 509 Problems and Issues in the Health Field (Units: 4)
• PPD 510a Financial Management of Health Services (Units: 4)
• PPD 512 Health Administration Residency Seminar (Units: 2)
• PPD 513 Legal Issues in Health Care Delivery (Units: 2)
• PPD 514 Economic Concepts Applied to Health (Units: 4)
• PPD 515 Strategic Management of Health Organizations (Units: 4)
• PPD 516 Financial Accounting for Health Care Organizations (Units: 4)
• PPD 517 Concepts and Practices in Managing Health Care Organizations (Units: 2)
• PPD 518 Quality of Care Concepts (Units: 2)
• PPD 545 Public and Nonprofit Organizational Behavior (Units: 4)
• PPD 558 Multivariate Statistical Analysis (Units: 4)
• PPD 601 Management of Long-Term Care Organizations (Units: 4)

Additional Requirements

Statistics: The statistics requirement for dual degree students is the same as those that apply to the Health Administration (MHA).

Program Adaptation: The USC Davis School of Gerontology will waive GERO 589 Case Studies in Leadership and Change Management because students enrolled in this program will have a primary professional focus in health administration.

Students enrolled in the dual degree are not required to take PPD 511 (as opposed to the stand alone MHA degree students) because they develop the necessary proficiencies related to their career goals in long-term care administration through other courses such as GERO 550, GERO 591 and GERO 593. In addition, PPD 601 is required for the dual degree (and not the stand alone MHA program) because most of these students will work in long-term care facilities and this course is critical for success in that market.

Students in the MHA stand alone program are required to complete a 1,000 hour residency at a health care organization, generally during the second year of study. Students in the dual degree program may be waived from this requirement with enrollment in GERO 591 which is a supervised experiential learning experience. Student in this situation may then waive PPD 512 and will take 2 units of Price electives for this dual degree.

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