Course offered online
AGNG 600: Social & Economic Context of Aging [3 credits]
This course presents an overview of the many changes at all levels, from individual to societal, driven by the aging of the population in the United States. An interdisciplinary synthesis is the basis for understanding normal human aging in a cultural and community context and examining the harmful effects of stereotypes and ageism.
AGNG 604: Policy Foundations of Aging Services [3 credits]
The course operates on two parallel tracks. First, it examines fundamental and theoretical underpinnings of public policy goals, the strategic construct of problem identification and definition, processes of policy initiation, development and advocacy and specifically, how to construct and implement a strategic plan to successfully advance policy initiatives. Secondly, and in the process, significant emphasis is placed on discussions of current policy issues affecting older adults and the organizations that provide services to them.
AGNG 610: Leadership, Management, & Organization I [2 credits]
This course focuses on advancing the understanding and development of individual and organizational leadership models that result in building dynamic enterprise in government, business, and in non-profits with a special focus on aging service organizations. AGNG 610 focuses on leadership and the “Self.” Measurements and tools are introduced to enable individuals to better understand their individual strengths and weaknesses around issues of leadership.
AGNG 611: Leadership, Management, & Organization II [3 credits]
Students will begin to explore, acquire and apply the skills needed to drive larger organizational change. AGNG 611 focuses on effective tools and resources necessary for developing strategy and tactics to manage change in aging service organizations. The course divides into three segments around leadership: organizational assessment, strategy development, and managing change.
*This course is a HYBRID course
AGNG 612: Finance & Accounting [3 credits]
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of financial accounting and its use in managerial control systems to enhance organizational performance, with a particular focus on the aging services industry. Emphasis is placed on strengthening the students’ ability to interpret and apply financial information as opposed to an in-depth study and application of accounting theory and practice.
AGNG 620: An Overview of Dementia & Dementia Care Services (OL) [3 Credits]
This course will provide an overview of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The curriculum is based upon a strengths-based, person centered approach to dementia and this framework will be used to explore the experience of those living with and impacted by dementia. This course will analyze the underlying approaches to dementia and the impact of these approaches on persons living with dementia, their supporters, care and service provision, and policy. Learners in this course will be challenged to examine their own personal views and understanding of dementia and apply this to their own academic and professional practice.
AGNG 621: Policy Foundations in Dementia Care Services (OL) [3 Credits]
National, state/regional and local governments are paying more attention to the problem of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia, frequently designating staff to facilitate dementia planning processes or implement programs. Forty-nine (49) states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico have dementia plans and 7 states are updating plans that are 5 years old. Iceland just became the 32nd nation with a national plan; the World Health Organization (WHO) has established a target of all nations having a plan or substantial Alzheimer’s disease policy or program within a broader national policy frame such as a non-communicable disease plan in the next 5 years. Long-term services and supports providers and health systems are re-defining how they will or will not provide specialized services to persons with dementia. This course offers aging services professionals training in Alzheimer’s disease/dementia care issues, information about effective policy approaches, and resources to mobilize activities that make sense at different levels. Students will be provided with the tools to identify a relevant, real-life dementia policy problem, formulate an achievable solution and present their solutions to decision-makers. The session will culminate in a mock presentation to a decisionmaker for critique and assessment for future action.
AGNG 622: Leadership & Innovation in Dementia Care Services [3 Credits]
This course builds on the learner’s existing knowledge of Alzheimer’s and dementia diseases, and focuses on the innovative solutions that currently exist to support individuals with these conditions. This course will provide local and global examples of dementia care services, allow for analysis of these innovations, and teach methods for the implementation of similar solutions within their own business or organization. AGNG 622 will include a wide survey of existing innovative products and services, analysis of goods and services, development of an implementation plan, and an in-depth understanding of the tools needed to execute innovations to support dementia care and those living with dementia.
AGNG 624: Strategy, Marketing, & Service Delivery [3 credits]
This course examines the role of strategy in successful organizations. Insights into how to identify and develop an organization’s strategy and to understand its implications for execution and marketing are explored. The need for in-depth analysis of broad environmental forces and the anticipation of future developments are stressed. It considers how government, technology and other environmental factors can impact organizational performance and how leaders can strengthen their organization’s abilities to deal with such factors.
AGNG 625: Research & Presenting Information [3 credits]
This course helps students become informed consumers of research. Key components of this course include understanding what information is required, how it can best be obtained, alternative ways of interpreting relevant data, and how to best incorporate knowledge into practice. Fundamentals of research and evaluation will be introduced including qualitative (e.g., focus groups, interviews), quantitative (e.g., surveys, measures of change over time), using archival data, and others. Case studies related to aging service organizations will be used for review and discussion of applicable subject areas.
AGNG 630: Fundamentals of Senior Housing & Care (H) [3 Credits]
This course will provide a historical, philosophical and managerial overview of senior housing across the entire continuum of long-term care. The course will analyze the underpinnings the business of senior housing and care, including the demographics of aging, the role of financing and the evolving marketplace. It will include a focus on the role of health care delivery within seniors housing, with attention devoted to the determinants of quality care, various models of care, and the critical role of quality management. The course will explore the competitive, legislative, regulatory and legal environments confronting senior housing and the challenges they pose for industry management.
AGNG 632: Diversity in Aging Services [3 credits]
This course provides a fundamental understanding of the concepts and complexities of diversity in management of aging services. “Diversity” is examined beginning with self-evaluation, awareness and group beginnings, and expands to current workforce concepts such as generational diversity, managing and leading from diverse places, handling conflict and the social issues involving diversity in aging. A variety of techniques are deployed to understand commonalities and differences while effectively facing the core issues of management in aging services. Students will learn to engage in dialogue versus debate and to manage social scenarios commonly encountered in aging services organizations.
AGNG 633: Management, Seniors Housing and Care [3 Credits]
This course provides an overview of management and operations of seniors housing and care communities. Good service in the seniors housing business is much more than just hospitality and much more than just health care, and this course will explore the proper integration of long-term care services from the perspectives both of a health care delivery system as well as a social model with an emphasis on physical environment. A focus on leadership of senior living communities within a culture of quality and safety will be emphasized, as well as integrated strategic management issues in the changing and competitive environment of the 21st century.
AGNG 634: Sales and Marketing, Seniors Housing and Care [3 Credits]
This course provides an overview of marketing and sales fundamentals for senior living communities. Using demographics of older adults, an understanding of national and local market fundamentals and research, as well as the steps in the marketing process are provided in order to properly segment the seniors housing market and provide appropriate products. Other key consumer decision-influencers (adult children, health care professionals) are identified, and techniques for marketing to these groups through appropriate channels are identified. Advertising to older adults and how to handle community relations for new facilities are developed. Emphasis on scientific inquiry as a way of accumulating knowledge about the consumer and about the sales and marketing process, as well as practical applications of concepts are provided.
AGNG 636: Development, Seniors Housing and Care [3 Credits]
To provide students with and without experience in the industry a working understanding of how to determine when, where, whether, and how new seniors housing and care facilities should be created; to impart an understanding of how to manage the process of creating those facilities, and how to finance the development process in order to most effectively and efficiently meet the creators’ objectives. The knowledge base for the course bridges finance, business, policy, demography, and aging topics. Developing knowledge about the development process and spending time on the intellectual and economic foundations of developing facilities focuses learning on practical applications.
AGNG 638: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Design I [3 credits]
This is the first of two courses covering Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Design. Entrepreneurship I has a primary emphasis on the business or ‘for-profit’ components of the endeavor, and includes consideration of both Innovation as well as Design.
AGNG 639: Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Design II [2 credits]
Entrepreneurship II expands upon Entrepreneurship I, with particular emphasis on leadership roles in creating and managing sustainable growth in an innovative and entrepreneurial organization. This course focuses on entrepreneurship leadership and management within the context of non-profit companies, and explores the comparisons with for-profit corporations.
AGNG 640: Design, Thinking, Technology, Environmental Design [2 credits]
Designing for optimal function, adaptation, and quality of life in aging can be a unique challenge. This course will examine human centered design, a unique approach to problem solving that aims to arrive at solutions that are desirable, feasible and viable. Students are encouraged to approach the world like a designer in order to solve dynamic problems in the field of aging services. Design principles, rapid prototyping and storyboard exercises will help students in building a new and innovative concept that could improve the lives of older adults.
AGNG 643: Law, Ethics, & Longevity [1 credit]
This course explores concepts in the fields of law and ethics. Various approaches to legal and ethical issues will be discussed. An emphasis is placed on understanding how issues related to human longevity and the delivery of aging services are approached and decided from a legal and ethical perspective.
AGNG 645: Mental Wellness in Aging [3 credit]
This course will introduce students to an integrated analysis of the aging, policy and management issues that influence mental wellness approaches with elders. Traditional illness and deficit-based models of assessment, intervention and service provision will be contrasted with wellness and strength-based approaches from the perspectives of social and illness narratives, the social and organizational context, and the management demands and leadership challenges each presents. Issues such as problem identification, engaging elders, impact on the family, multi-disciplinarity vs. interdisciplinarity, assessment and intervention, provider-consumer relationships, service eligibility, and program evaluation and outcomes will be addressed.
AGNG 662: Correlation & Review (Capstone) [2 credits]
This course serves as the capstone of the curriculum and requires that the student submit an independently researched paper on an issue of significant importance to older adults and/or to their aging service organization. The intent is for students to structure a proposed solution to the issue selected while bringing to bear an interdisciplinary approach using the knowledge, skills and abilities they have learned in the fields of aging, management and policy. Students will present their research to the advising faculty.
AGNG 698: Special Topics [3 credits]
This course provides the opportunity to present specialized or emergent topical material to advanced students with interests in management of aging services. Topics will vary and will be announced in advance of the semester in which the course is offered.
AGNG 699: Independent Study [3 credits]
This is a course in independent reading for masters students, and is supervised by a member of the Erickson School faculty. The purpose of this course is to give students the opportunity to study a topic of interest which is not available from the existing course offerings. Credit is variable, reflecting varied scope of student projects.