USC
University of Southern California
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USC Rossier School of Education

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In the U.S. News & World Report 2005 edition of America's Best Graduate Schools, the newly redesigned Ed.D. program is ranked fifth. The program prepares students like Matthew McNabb to become leaders in urban education. Carol Wilson, director of Career Placement and Professional Development, offers personalized assistance and career counseling.

The USC Rossier School of Education is one of the world's premier centers for the study of urban education. The school is committed to preparing teachers, researchers, counselors, administrators and curricular specialists for leadership positions.

The school is among the nation's oldest and largest institutions of professional education. Classes in education at USC were started during the 1890s, with a Department of Education founded in 1909 and the School of Education established in 1918. In 1998, two alumni, Barbara J. and Roger W. Rossier, committed $20 million to the school. In recognition of their gift, the school was renamed in their honor.

To fulfill its urban education mission, the school concentrates on four themes.

Learning represents the school's core technical skill and involves basic principles of how individuals learn and how what they learn is incorporated into their daily lives.

Diversity is the context within which educators operate, particularly in urban areas.

Accountability helps answer the questions of what should be learned and how well students learn. The school addresses indicators of success such as systems coherence and support, evidence-based best practices, processes of continual improvement and organizational learning.

Leadership enhances the skills and knowledge of people in an organization, creating a common culture of expectations, fostering productive relationships within the organization and holding individuals accountable.

To further its mission, the school has established partnerships with other schools; leadership institutes; symposia featuring national leaders in education; and regional educational centers where the school, local school districts and other post-secondary institutions work to improve student performance and offer on-site graduate and professional educational programs.

The school is accredited by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Administration

Karen Symms Gallagher, Ph.D., Dean

David D. Marsh, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Academic Programs

Melora Sundt, Ph.D., Associate Dean, Research

Virginia Ikkanda-Suddith, Assistant Dean for Advancement

Gretchen B. Lees, Assistant Dean, Business Affairs

Yvonne McFadden, Assistant Dean, Academic Services

Faculty

Emery Stoops and Joyce King-Stoops Dean's Chair in Education: Karen Symms Gallagher, Ph.D.

Fahmy Attallah, Ph.D. and Donna Attallah Chair in Humanistic Psychology: Donald E. Polkinghorne, Ph.D.

Richard T. Cooper and Mary Catherine Cooper Chair in Public School Administration: Guilbert C. Hentschke, Ph.D.

Diane and MacDonald Becket Professorship in Educational Governance: Priscilla Wohlstetter, Ph.D.

Stephen Crocker Professorship in Education: Myron H. Dembo, Ph.D.

Leslie Wilbur and Norma Lash Wilbur-Evelyn Kieffer Professorship in Higher Education: William G. Tierney, Ph.D.

Professors: Estela Mara Bensimon, Ed.D.; Richard Clark, Ed.D.; Rodney Goodyear, Ph.D.; Maurice Hitchcock, Ed.D. (Medical Education); Etta R. Hollins, Ph.D.; Edward J. Kazlauskas, Ph.D.; Bob Knight, Ph.D. (Gerontology); David Marsh, Ph.D.; Michael D. Newcomb, Ph.D.; Harold O'Neil, Ph.D.; Lawrence O. Picus, Ph.D.; William M. Rideout, Jr., Ph.D.; Robert Rueda, Ph.D.; Nelly Stromquist, Ph.D.

Associate Professors: Ron Avi Astor, Ph.D. (Social Work); Amanda Datnow, Ph.D.; Robert E. Ferris, Ed.D.; Linda Serra Hagedorn, Ph.D.; Adrianna Kezar, Ph.D.; Laurie MacGillivray, Ph.D.; William E. Maxwell, Ph.D.; William F. McComas, Ph.D.; Ricardo Stanton-Salazar, Ph.D.; David Yaden, Ph.D.

Clinical Professors: Carl Cohn, Ed.D.; Joel Colbert, Ed.D.; Terry Deal, Ph.D.; Stuart Gothold, Ed.D.; Dennis Hocevar, Ph.D.

Clinical Associate Professors: Michael Genzuk, Ph.D.; Sandra Kaplan, Ed.D.; Kim West, Ph.D.

Clinical Assistant Professors: Ruth Gim Chung, Ph.D.; Charles D. Espalin, Ed.D.; Walt Greene, M.S.; Shaun R. Harper, Ph.D.; Margo Pensavalle, Ed.D.; Gisele Ragusa, Ph.D.; Julietta Shakhbagova, Ph.D.; Shrinidhi Iyengar, Ph.D.

Research Professors: Reynaldo Baca, Ph.D.; Allen Munro, Ph.D.; Melora Sundt, Ph.D.

Emeritus Professor: Robert L. Baker, Ph.D.

Degree Programs

The Rossier School of Education offers the following degree programs: minor in the teaching profession; minor in education in a pluralistic society; Bachelor of Science in General Studies; Master of Science in Education; Master of Science, Education (Counseling Psychology); Master of Science in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages; Master of Education, Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs; Master of Marriage and Family Therapy; Doctor of Education (Ed.D.); Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Education; and Doctor of Education/Master of Business Administration (Ed.D./M.B.A.).

The Rossier School of Education also offers the Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at the Hawaii Center and the Ed.D. at the Orange County Center.

Educational Placement

Carol C. Wilson, Ed.D.: Director

The Office of Career Development and Educational Placement has, as its name implies, two principal functions: career counseling and assisting students and alumni in securing professional employment. The office has an excellent record of assistance to teachers, administrators and other educational specialists seeking positions in schools and universities and other education-related organizations.

The placement record for USC graduates in education has been exceptional. Although the office has placed graduates in other states, and to some extent in foreign countries, the office primarily places graduates within California. Because the placement of graduates is a matter of high priority within the Rossier School of Education, graduates hold a high percentage of leadership positions in Southern California.

The services of the office are available to all students and graduates of the school, both for assistance in locating professional employment and for advisement about career advancement opportunities. The director and staff assist graduates in obtaining educational administration positions as well as teaching, counseling and other specializations. The office also assists graduates interested in community college and four-year college teaching and administration positions.

Additional information may be obtained from the Office of Career Development and Educational Placement, Waite Phillips Hall 804, (213) 740-7072.