2012-2013 CATALOG

This is an archived copy of the 2012-2013 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: Stephen J. Eso

Dean: Alketa Wojcik

www.miracosta.edu/GERO

Department: Psychology

Office: Building OC3100, 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
Part A: Elective Courses - Select a minimum of 6 units of the following courses.		6
COMM 215	Intercultural Communication
GERO 130	Caregiving: Techniques for Working with the Frail Elderly
GERO 292	Internship Studies
HEAL 101	Principles of Health
NURS 160	Certified Nursing Assistant
NUTR 100	Nutrition Today
PSYC/SOC 145	Psychology/Sociology of the Family
PSYC 170	Psychology of Aging: Adult Development and Aging
Part B: Elective Courses - Select a minimum of 9 units from the following list, including any courses listed above not used for Part A.		9
BIO 100	General Biology (Lecture and Lab)
or BIO 101 & 101L	General Biology and General Biology Laboratory
BIO 220	Human Physiology
COMM 207	Interpersonal Communication
PSYC 101	General Psychology
or PSYC 101H	General Psychology (Honors)
PSYC 103	Social Psychology
or SOC 103	Social Psychology
PSYC 104	Statistics for Behavioral Science
or SOC 104	Statistics for Behavioral Science
SOC 110	Comparative Cultures
Total Units		18

How to Read Course Descriptions

Courses listed in this catalog apply to the fall 2012, spring 2013, and summer 2013 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 introduces the interdisciplinary field of gerontology and the study of aging, with an emphasis on biology/physiology, psychology, and sociology. It emphasizes the impact of increased life expectancy and aging on individuals, families, and health care providers and systems. Topics include factors linked to gender, race, ethnicity, and cultural diversity as well as changes and challenges for social and public services, public policy, and the politics of aging. Gerontology is a growing field with practical applications in health care, fitness and wellness, social work, and social services.

GERO 130: Caregiving: Techniques for Working with the Frail Elderly

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

This course provides practical and theoretical information on age-related physical and cognitive changes and how to work with the elderly who are frail due to advanced age and/or chronic illness. It explores cultural diversity and its affect on caregiving, health consequences of caregiving, and available community resources. This course is specifically targeted for students interested in working in the field of aging or those who are caregivers for family members.

GERO 292: Internship Studies

Units: 0.5-3
Prerequisites: None
Corequisite: Complete 75 hrs paid or 60 hrs non-paid work per unit.
Enrollment Limitation: Instructor, dept chair, and Career Center approval. May not enroll in any combination of cooperative work experience and/or internship studies concurrently.
Acceptable for Credit: CSU

This course provides students the opportunity to apply the theories and techniques of their discipline in an internship position in a professional setting under the instruction of a faculty-mentor and site supervisor. It introduces students to aspects of the roles and responsibilities of professionals employed in the field of study. Topics include goal-setting, employability skills development, and examination of the world of work as it relates to the student's career plans. Students must develop new learning objectives and/or intern at a new site upon each repetition. Students may not earn more than 16 units in any combination of cooperative work experience (general or occupational) and/or internship studies during community college attendance.

GERO 296: Topics in Gerontology

Units: 1-3
Prerequisites: None
Acceptable for Credit: CSU
Lecture 1 hour.
Lecture 2 hours.
Lecture 3 hours. (2001.00)

This course gives students an opportunity to study topics in Gerontology that are not included in regular course offerings. Each Topics course is announced, described, and given its own title and 296 number designation in the class schedule.