The course is designed to address real world questions about aging and the natural progression of life, taking answers from diverse subjects in the field of gerontology and providing applied contexts. Theoretical models will be utilized to explore lifespan opportunities and encourage debate, challenging preconceptions about aging societies. The course will have a central theme of application and employability, demonstrating the application of knowledge and the pathways to employment after education.
PROGRAM DATES
November 25, 2024
December 9, 2024
December 23, 2024
January 6, 2025
January 20, 2025
February 3, 2025
February 17, 2025
March 3, 2025
March 17, 2025
March 31, 2025
FORMAT AND COURSE LENGTH
Combined coursework of recorded lectures, readings, and assignments is approximately 20-25 -hours to be completed at the student’s own pace. Students are expected to complete the course in two to four weeks.
ELIGIBILITY
Students must be at least 14 years old or older and enrolled in a high school or secondary program. International applicants must demonstrate English proficiency.
Recent high school graduates, students taking a gap year or time off from college and are older than 18 can request an exemption to apply by emailing precollegeonline@usc.edu and include a short paragraph (no more than 200 words) stating your interest and how this program will add value to your academic or career plans.
TUITION
$1990 USD
$35 application fee
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Featured Topics
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Demography
- Biology
- Social Policy
- Nutrition
Sub-topics
- Dementia
- Caregiving
- Pension & Financial Planning
- Physiological Change Retirement
- Ageism
- Loneliness & Social Isolation
- Aging Society & End of Life Care
Learning Outcomes
Following the completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Relate the core biological, psychological and sociological approaches within gerontology to applied lifespan contexts
- Develop critical and analytical skills, evidencing the ability to distinguish between research and opinion
- Identify application of gerontology within new and emerging career areas, demonstrating the understanding of aging as a central tenet across sectors
- Cultivate an appreciation of research, the fundamentals of conducting research and the importance of evidence based policy
Format and Course Length
The course is structured around 5 critical questions, addressing the current applied areas of research within Gerontology. Each of the topics comprises specialized areas where students will be exposed to lecture style content, industry interviews, expert panels and audio-visual resources to create multi-modality learning. Recorded content will be presented alongside live discussion based delivery to allow students the opportunity to share and explore their own learning. Continuous and varied, summative and formative assessment will enable students to gauge their own development and knowledge acquisition whilst compiling a portfolio to both demonstrate this and also provide a resource for future reference.
Combined coursework of recorded lectures, readings, and assignments is approximately 20-25 -hours to be completed at the student’s own pace. Students are expected to complete the course in two to four weeks.
FEATURED FACULTY
In this course, you’ll be taking class with USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology faculty member, Paul Nash, PhD. Nash gained his doctoral degree in Psychology from the University of Glamorgan whilst working as a researcher at Swansea University in the Centre for Innovative Aging. He has coordinated national research projects in Wales (UK), working across sectors with private organizations, the public sector and older people to create publications and reports to influence government policy.
Nash has held several leadership positions in the UK including being the Honorary Secretary for the British Society of Gerontology (2016/17) and Chair of Trustees for Age Cymru Swansea Bay (2013-2017). He continues to work closely with colleagues and organizations in the UK to continue the ‘older person-centered approach that directs both his teaching and research philosophies.
Informing his teaching practice is the commitment to research, epitomized by his work on ageism with the World Health Organization (WHO). Nash is actively pursuing research on interventions to address both implicit and explicit ageist prejudice as well as continually developing challenging curriculum to reflect the dynamic nature of the field.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Applicants who submit a completed application can expect an admission decision within 3 – 5 business days.
- Include basic contact information from you and your parent(s) or guardian.
- Tell us why you want to take the course and a little about yourself through a short-answer essay.
- Share a piece of writing, video or social media content that reveals something about yourself (optional).
- Submit the $35 application fee.
- Students must be at least 14 years old or older and enrolled in a high school or secondary program.
INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
In addition to the requirements listed above, international applicants are expected to be proficient in English. International students who successfully complete an online course will receive a digital Certificate of Completion and by request a USC Pre-College Program transcript at no additional cost.
PROGRAM START DATE AND APPLICATION DEADLINES
| PROGRAM START DATES | APPLICATION & TUITION DEADLINE |
|---|---|
| Monday, November 25, 2024 | Wednesday, November 20, 2024 |
| Monday, December 9, 2024 | Wednesday, December 4, 2024 |
| Monday, December 23, 2024 | Wednesday, December 18, 2024 |
| Monday, January 6, 2025 | Friday, December 20, 2024 |
| Monday, January 20, 2025 | Wednesday, January 15, 2025 |
| Monday, February 3, 2025 | Wednesday, January 29, 2025 |
| Monday, February 17, 2025 | Wednesday, February 12, 2025 |
| Monday, March 3, 2025 | Wednesday, February 26, 2025 |
| Monday, March 17, 2025 | Wednesday, March 12, 2025 |
| Monday, March 31, 2025 | Wednesday, March 26, 2025 |
CANCELLATION AND REFUNDS
Application fees are nonrefundable. All course cancellations requests must be made in writing to precollegeonline@usc.edu. Any tuition paid to the university will be refunded, not including fees, if requested no more than three (3) days past the course start date. Requests to drop the course more than three (3) days after the start date will not be eligible for a refund.
The university will not refund tuition for Pre-College Online Exploration courses for students who are removed from the program due to a violation of our Letter of Understanding for Online Participation and our Student Code of Conduct.