Minor
AGNG 100:
So You Say You Want a Revolution: How Boomers are Revolutionizing Aging
Baby Boomers, who revolutionized youth, are now aging. This course uses multimedia to examine Boomers’ historical, cultural and socioeconomic experiences to see why Boomers will challenge stereotypes about aging. Implications of this demographic wave for the creation of a new social and entrepreneurial landscape are discussed. Students will apply this multidimensional analysis to past and future cohorts to understand the revolutionary nature of why aging is not what it used to be, and what this means to each of us.
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AGNG 200:
Aging People, Policy and Management
Based in the life-course perspective, this course blends academic analysis of human aging in social context with more experiential learning, including exposure to literature on older adults, awareness exercises about aging in the news and talking with older adults in and out of class to debunk common myths and stereotypes regarding aging and older adults. Academic content is broadly social, in terms of understanding family and community contexts of aging, the individual experience of aging including productivity, spirituality and typical engagement, normal changes and diseases common in physical and psychological health,and a focus on how society views aging. Finally, students will be encouraged to identify themselves as aging individuals, on a trajectory toward later life. (Writing Intensive)
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Electives
AGNG 300
Introduction to Policy and Aging Services
This course introduces students to the policy making process and the resultant services and products that affect older persons. Social and economic foundations of policy, the role of government and interest groups, basics of policy analysis, legal and ethical considerations are examined. The current aging services network and the service and business opportunities needed to meet the needs of aging persons now and in the future are viewed as they are affected by the nature of the aging cohorts, the essentials of policy development, and electoral politics.
Req. You must complete AGNG 200
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AGNG 310
Introduction to the Management of Aging Services
The objective of this course is to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the unique challenges inherent in managing aging services organizations, and to learn the aging services manager’s role in planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and evaluating. The course uses practical applications to enable students to apply the fundamental principles of both project management and transactional management in an aging services environment, as well as, in understanding the challenges and contemporary issues facing the 21st century manager in aging services organizations. Students will be exposed to the hierarchy of management competencies, and be prepared to make the transition to entry level management positions in aging services while learning how to effectively manage people, understanding how to create a strategic management framework to capture and grow an organization to its full potential. This course reviews a variety of organizational management issues, as they are unique in the aging services sector, such as organizational performance, organizational culture, management theories, and reviews a number of quality assessment tools.
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AGNG 320
Strength-Based Approaches to Promoting Health and Wellness in the Aging Services
The AGNG 320 course is intended for students who plan a career in the aging services field and are interested in leading innovation and change in their area of expertise. The course addresses aging related problems from the biopsychosocial domains through creating strength-based interventions that capitalize on the older person’s existing skills, resources, and adaptive capacities. This course is designed to be the first of a two-part sequence, with the second course focusing on mental health and wellness.
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AGNG 351
Business Decision Making for Aging Services
The course develops a knowledge base sufficient to allow students to both appreciate and become conversant with the application of basic individual and business-related decision making skills to issues facing all individuals especially older adults as well as organizations engaged in the provision of aging services. Through a case study approach based firmly in aging services, it surveys a range of topics including economic behavior (motivation), marginal analysis, the market forces of supply & demand, illustrations of market failure, the mechanics of profit maximization, the time value of money and personal financial strategies to cope with the predicted sea changes resulting from the aging of the population.
Req. You must complete AGNG 200
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AGNG 361
Technology for Managers in Aging Services
This course will introduce students to the history of technology, both as a social/cultural phenomenon that has shaped the lives of those entering their later years as well as an enabler to improve and enhance quality of life for aging Americans. Students will be introduced to various types of technology and to how they can be used to improve the care and quality of life for aging Americans. Recent advances in technology such as electronic health records, home monitoring devices, software and tools that enhance seniors’ connections with the outside world and turn therapy into recreation, and electronic tools that can be used to manage and enhance an organization’s approach to improving its culture and care practices will be examined. Guest speakers and opportunities to see some of these technologies either in use or through live demonstrations or video will be featured.
Req. You must complete AGNG 100 and IS 101 or IS 147
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AGNG 399
Independent Study in the Management of Aging Services
Directed independent study, completed under the direction and review of a faculty member affiliated with the program. Credit is variable, reflecting varied scope of student projects. Variable credit course repeatable up to 6 credits.
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AGNG 401
Critical Issues in Management of Aging Services
This course applies basic organizational management techniques to the unique demands of aging services in the public and private sectors. The course deals with the unique customer, regulatory, ethical, quality and delivery issues of providing services to individuals living in various settings and ranging from older adults who are fully active and productive to those facing limited health, incomes, cognitive function or social support. Financing of services, including public resources, private payment and insurance (health, long-term care) is a key topic of concern in providing and coordinating care for older adults. Management issues of on-site and remote staff are also addressed.
Req. You must complete AGNG 300
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AGNG 415
The Art of Aging
Introduces students to the ways in which film, art, and literature has portrayed the experience of aging and attitudes towards aging and older adults. Focuses on how film, art, and literature depict self/identity, family, friendship, intimacy, resilience, creativity, intellectual capacity, community, and productivity in later life. Encourages students to critically think about ways the aging experience is depicted in the arts and how the arts can be used to portray developmental potential in later life. (Writing Intensive)
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AGNG 440
Diversity in Aging Services
Providing services to older people involves the diversity of the clients and, increasingly frequently, the diversity of the service provision staff. Including aspects of cultural diversity, socioeconomic diversity, gender diversity and age diversity, this course provides students with information regarding aspects of diversity that may influence the expectations and satisfaction of both groups in the service delivery system. Examples include variations in family systems, expectations about later life and illness, issues related to eligibility for services, and problems of communication and comfort in cross-age, intercultural or interclass interactions.
Req. You must complete AGNG 401
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AGNG 460
Internship in Aging Services
This one-semester experiential learning internship places students at established agencies, organizations or businesses providing services. The student will either undertake a new project on behalf of the organization or participate in meaningful fashion in an ongoing project to improve/augment services, evaluate performance or quality, or contribute to a new initiative under the immediate supervision of an identified onsite mentor. Student placements will reflect the intended career trajectory (government/policy, human services/aging network or business/for-profit services) and be conducted with oversight by a faculty member in the school, via the attached seminar (AGNG 461) for which students must be concurrently enrolled.
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AGNG 462
Internship in Aging Services II
This is the first of a two semester internship in the Management of Aging Services. Students are placed at established agencies and that provide services to older adults. The student will either undertake a new project directly related to the management of aging services or participate in an ongoing project designed to improve and/or evaluate services for older adults. Students work under the supervision of an immediate supervisor at the agency and are overseen by faculty at the Erickson School. Student internship placements will reflect the student’s career interests and career plans in government/policy, human services/aging network, or business/for-profit services. Students attend a one-hour internship seminar twice monthly during the semester.
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AGNG 470
Capstone in Aging Services
This course requires that students bring together various skills, knowledge and experience in a capstone experience where they will be expected to a) demonstrate understanding of the content of the major, b) show evidence of ability to apply it in innovative ways, and c) develop materials and demonstrate readiness for job search. Given the wide range of information presented in the major, this course provides a structured opportunity to pull together the varied pieces into a working whole. Problem solving, critical thinking and mutual learning/teaching in the seminar format are also a feature of the course.
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AGNG 499
Independent Study in Aging Services Management
Directed independent study, completed under the direction and review of a faculty member affiliated with the program. Credit is variable, reflecting varied scope of student projects. Variable credit course repeatable up to 6 credits.
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