2011-2012 CATALOG

This is an archived copy of the 2011-2012 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.miracosta.edu

Gerontology

Gerontology is a multidisciplinary study of the human aging process. It examines the physiological, psychological, and social aspects of aging as well as how an aging population affects contemporary society. Professionals in the field work for community and human service organizations; retirement communities; federal, state, and local government agencies; educational and research institutions; and related organizations that work either directly or indirectly with aging adults.

Contact Information

Department Chair: Robert Kelley

Dean: Carlos Lopez

www.miracosta.edu/GERO

Department: Psychology

Office: Building 3100, 760.795.6871

Associate Degree

Associate in Arts Degree

Gerontology

The Gerontology Program offers lower-division preparation for students who plan on transferring to pursue a bachelor's degree in gerontology. Students planning to transfer and/or earn this associate degree may also need to complete additional requirements or electives required by the transfer institution, as many CSUs and UCs have unique admissions and preparation-for-the-major requirements. Students should meet with a MiraCosta College counselor to identify required courses and to develop a written plan for their targeted university.

Required courses:
GERO 101	Introduction to Aging	3
PSYC/SOC 104	Statistics for Behavioral Science	4
BIO 100	General Biology (Lecture and Lab)	3-4
or BIO 101	General Biology
PSYC/SOC 145	Psychology/Sociology of the Family	3
PSYC 101	General Psychology	3
or PSYC 101H	General Psychology (Honors)
HEAL 101	Principles of Health	3
Total Units		19-20

How to Read Course Descriptions

Courses listed in this catalog apply to the fall 2011, spring 2012, and summer 2012 terms. Courses are numbered numerically within alphabetically arranged subject areas.

The bolded first line begins with a capitalized abbreviation that designates the subject area. This subject-area designator is followed by the official course number and a descriptive title. The next lines indicate the course's unit value, prerequisites, corequisites, advisories, repeatability rules, enrollment limitations, UC/CSU credit acceptance, and lecture and lab hours followed by a Taxonomy of Program number in parentheses.

Prerequisites: This is a requirement that must be met before a student can enroll in the course.
Corequisites: This is a course the student must take in the same semester.
Advisories: This is recommended preparation the student is advised but not required to have before or in conjunction with the course.
Repeatability Rules: When a course belongs to a group of related courses, students can complete one course or a combination of courses within the group for a maximum of four completions.
Enrollment Limitations: Some courses place limitations on enrollment. These limitations prevent students from duplicating course work or from enrolling in two sections of the same course in any given semester.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU means the course is accepted for transfer at any California State University (CSU) campus; UC means it is accepted for transfer at any University of California (UC) campus. Some courses can be used to satisfy general education or major requirements while others transfer as elective credit. UC Credit Limitation means credit for the course may have UC transfer restrictions; these restrictions are identified at the end of the course description.
Lecture and Lab Hours: These are the number of hours the course meets for lecture and/or lab per week.
Taxonomy of Program (TOP) Number: The TOP number is identified in parentheses after the lecture and lab hours. This number serves an administrative purpose and is not intended for student use.

The course description summarizes the purpose and key topical areas of the course, and it includes special requirements if any exist. Some course descriptions end with information about whether the course was "formerly" another course, how many times the course may be repeated, if the course is offered pass/no pass, or what the UC credit limitation is.

How to Read Course Descriptions

Courses

GERO 101: Introduction to Aging

Units: 3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU, UC
Lecture 3 hours. (1309.00)

This course provides an introduction to the field of gerontology and the study of aging. Gerontology is an interdisciplinary field that includes theories and research from biology/physiology, psychology, and sociology. The course emphasizes the impact of increased life expectancy and aging on individuals, families, health care providers, and health care systems. Includes factors linked to gender, race, ethnicity, and cultural diversity. Changes and challenges for social and public services, public policy, and the politics of aging are studied. Gerontology is a growing field that links academic and scientific research with employment and practical applications in health care, fitness and wellness, social work, and social services.