Master of Arts in Long Term Care Administration - USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology Admissions Skip to main content

Further your career with training in administration and management

As millions of adults enter their senior years, the need for innovative, supportive living environments represents a huge business opportunity. A Master of Arts in Long Term Care Administration degree from USC Leonard Davis prepares you for leadership roles to meet this growing demand.

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Program Information

Delivery format

100% online or on-site

Typical Program Length

28.5 Units
Full-time: 12-18 months
Part-time: 18-36 months

Deadlines

Spring 2025: October 15, 2024
Fall 2025: March 15, 2025
Post priority deadline: Rolling basis

Opportunities in a Growing Field

Long-term care administration is a growing field, and professionals with expertise in this market are in high demand. Consider that:

  • In 2050, about 2.1 billion people worldwide will be over 60. That’s double the number of people in this age group in 2017.
  • Someone turning age 65 today has an almost 70% chance of needing long-term care services and supports in their remaining years.
  • Americans spend more than $163 billion each year on nursing care facilities and continuing care retirement communities.

Is the Master of Arts in Long Term Care Administration Right for Me?

The Master of Arts in Long-Term Care Administration degree is designed for working professionals. This program is ideal if you want to:

  • Enhance your executive profile and provide leadership in organizations that serve older adults
  • Further your career with training in administration and management of long-term care organizations
  • Develop broad-based expertise in social, psychological and biological aspects of aging

What Can I Do with a Master of Arts in Long Term Care Administration?

As demand grows, long-term care facilities and services require leaders with skillsets shaped by state-of-the-art science and business knowledge. This degree prepares you for administrative careers and leadership roles in long term care organizations, including:

  • Retirement communities
  • Residential care facilities
  • Assisted living facilities

How Do I Earn My MALTCA at USC Leonard Davis?

The MALTCA degree is a 28.5-unit program. You can complete your studies either on campus or through our convenient online education program. You can also choose to finish in as little as 18 months through our accelerated track.

Students residing in Arkansas, Minnesota or Puerto Rico are not eligible to complete the Master of Arts in Long-Term Care Administration online via distance learning at this time.

What Will I Study in My Classes?

USC Leonard Davis explores gerontology through a sophisticated, multidisciplinary approach. Your classes integrate research and concepts from different fields, providing connections and context as you pursue academic and career goals.

Our curriculum includes courses from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, the USC Leventhal School of Accounting and the USC Marshall School of Business. You’ll explore these subjects through the program’s required and elective courses:

  • Legal and Regulatory Environment of Long-Term Care
  • Counseling Older Adults and Their Families
  • Management of Long-Term Care Organizations
View the full curriculum

Admission Requirements

  • Minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Complete supplemental application included as part of university application
  • In your university application, you must upload your resume and statement of interest
  • 2 letters of recommendation, either uploaded in your university application or mailed separately by your recommenders
  • Official transcripts should be mailed directly to our office, or submitted electronically. Students must declare all schools on the application and submit transcripts from all institutions attended (even if it was for just one semester) after high school:

USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
Office of Admission and Student Services
3715 McClintock Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0191

On your university application, include your scholarship application—merit-based scholarships are available to qualified applicants. The GRE may be waived by having strong academics. If the GRE is required, you will be notified during the review process.

STATEMENT OF INTEREST

Your statement of interest plays an important role in helping our faculty consider your application for graduate study. The following prompt is designed to help you but is not an exhaustive list of information you should include in your statement. We recommend that your statement is within three to five double-spaced pages. The statement should be uploaded as part of the university application.

  • Tell us why you chose to apply to the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology
  • Tell us about your experiences in gerontology
  • Describe your educational and career goals
  • Please describe your strengths and weaknesses
Program objectives How to apply

Learning that Fits Your Life

Whether you live halfway across the world or have a busy career, we make this program work for you. You can earn the MALTCA degree online, through our robust digital course platform.

All your classes are streamed online, allowing you to interact with your classmates and professors in real-time. Learn more about our online education program.

“Gerontology is the new hybrid career... If you walk out your front door and look around, you will see older people everywhere. There is such a need for people educated in aging that the career opportunities are endless.”

Jolene FassbinderMSG graduate and program officer for the Archstone Foundation, which provides grants for innovative projects addressing the needs of older adults

The MAG program at USC Leonard Davis explores gerontology through a sophisticated, multidisciplinary approach. Your classes integrate research and concepts from different fields, providing connections and context as you pursue academic and career goals.

Cynthia HutchinsMAG graduate and director of financial gerontology for wealth management company Merrill Lynch

“The MASM program not only solidified my career opportunities, it also expanded my horizons in terms of personal well-being, appreciation of life’s stages and understanding of older adults. I thoroughly enjoyed the many walks of life my classmates brought to the program.”

Erik DoanMASM graduate and program director of Family Adult Day Health Care in Lomita, California

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Stories and Spotlights

Educating generations of leaders in aging

Corrine Jones, MAG ’18

After retiring early from a career with AT&T, Corinne Jones went back to school to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science. She remembers it was a class on elder law where she got her first taste of gerontology.

Sarah Lamontagne, MAASM ’19

Sarah Lamontagne had a busy job at a Rhode Island nonprofit that helps adults age in place, remaining in their homes and communities as they grow older. But that didn’t stop her from pursuing a master’s degree from the USC Leonard Davis School in Gerontology.

Sahar Edalati, MS ’13

Today’s senior living market is marked by two extremes, says Sahar Edalati MS ’13, executive director of Watermark Retirement Communities in Brooklyn Heights, New York.

Learn more and apply

Our community of ambitious students, eminent faculty and renowned alumni is waiting for you to join us. Our advisory team is ready to answer all your questions. Let’s continue the conversation.

Contact us Learn how to apply