Academic Programs

Internship Program

The internship program is designed to help individuals "bridge the gap" between student and professional roles. It provides an opportunity to apply theories and concepts to actual work with or on behalf of the elderly. The program consists of two components: field-work experience and a practicum discussion class.

Field-work experience is available in a variety of settings. Placements are made by the internship staff, in collaboration with the students and the internship sites. Internships may focus on aspects of one or more of the following: social services, health services, policy, business, advocacy or administration. All field-work experience is supervised by qualified agency employees who serve as preceptors, giving hands-on direction, guidance and feed-back, as well as practical instruction. Because the School strives to provide quality learning experiences, internship settings and preceptors must be pre-approved by the internship staff, and all field-work experience is monitored through written evaluations and site visits.

Practicum discussion classes meet regularly and provide interns with a forum to discuss, debate, and resolve work-place issues using consultation, communication and case conferences methods. In addition, presentations by practicing professionals offer up-to-date perspectives on practical issues in the field of gerontology.

Undergratuate Internships

Undergraduate students complete their primary internships in their senior year. Students must have completed 16 units of gerontology courses prior to starting their internships, and are placed in the fall or spring semesters.

All undergraduates must complete a minimum of four units of internship credit, which requires 130 hours of field-work experience and participation in the practicum discussion class. Up to 4 additional units of elective credit may be taken as an internship.

All undergraduate internships will include some direct contact with elderly people. Undergraduate students are not paid for their internships.

"I enjoyed my internship experience at USC. As an intern at the LA County–USC Hospital Trauma Unit, I worked side by side with various health care professionals who shared their expertise with me. I believe that the connections that I made during my internship will be a great asset to my future career."

Yassaman Sobhani
B.S. (Health Science)
Class of 1998

Graduate Internships

Graduate students may begin their internships after completing 16 units of graduate credit. A minimum of 8 units of internship credit is required, which includes 480 hours of field-work experience and participation in the practicum discussion class. Students may elect to take up to four additional units of internship credit, which requires 240 extra field-work hours.

Graduate placements are very flexible, depending on each intern’s past experience and areas of interest. In some cases, graduate students have paid internships, or move into paid positions during their placements.