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Graduate Degrees

Doctoral Degrees

The Rossier School of Education offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.) and the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). Both doctoral programs place strong emphasis on the acquisition of inquiry skills and on the collaborative and interdisciplinary study of issues mutually engaging to both students and the Rossier School of Education faculty members. Both degrees emphasize the acquisition of appropriate research and inquiry skills, but the application of these skills is expected to differ. The Ed.D. student is trained to use educational inquiry skills to solve contemporary educational problems, while the Ph.D. student is trained to contribute to the general and theoretical knowledge about educational issues. The Ed.D. is administered by the Rossier School of Education; the Ph.D. is administered by the Graduate School.

Ph.D. students must also consult the Graduate School section of this catalogue for regulations and requirements pertaining to the degree.

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Faculty Advisor
The assigned faculty advisor provides academic advisement. Advisement will become the responsibility of the guidance or advisement committee after it is established.

Preliminary Review
The Ed.D. preliminary review must be passed before the student has completed more than 21 units. Passing the preliminary review is prerequisite to continuing in the program. Completion of the preliminary review involves assembling a dossier consisting of: (1) a statement not to exceed five double-spaced pages that describes the student's professional goals and objectives; (2) samples of written work, completed in the core program; and (3) presentation of a paper that synthesizes the issues and problems examined throughout the first year of study. A preliminary review panel composed of the assigned advisor and two members of the Ed.D. committee reviews the dossier, in addition to the student's application for admission and USC transcript. The preliminary review is not reported as passing if there is more than one dissenting vote.

Advisement Committee
The student selects a three-member advisement committee in consultation with the advisor upon applying to take the qualifying examination. The committee chair (or the co-chairs) must have full-time faculty appointments in the Rossier School of Education. One member of the committee (or the co-chair) can be an adjunct professor of any rank in the Rossier School.

Areas of Concentration
There are four areas from which students must select a specialization: Leadership in Urban Education Settings, Educational Psychology, Higher Education/Community College Leadership and Teacher Education in Multicultural Societies.

Unit Requirement
The Ed.D. requires completion of 60 units of course work. A maximum of 4 dissertation units (794 Doctoral Dissertation) may be applied toward the degree. Students admitted with Advanced Standing complete a minimum of 43 units.

Transfer of Course Work
A maximum of 6 units of transfer credit may be applied toward the Ed.D. with Advanced Standing. Admission with Advanced Standing is based upon a completed graduate degree. Only course work taken after completion of that degree is available for transfer credit. The faculty of the student's degree program determines whether transfer credit is applicable toward a specific graduate degree.

Core Program
Ed.D. students are required to complete 12 units of core course work: EDUC 522 Challenges in Urban Education: Accountability, EDUC 523 Challenges in Urban Education: Diversity, EDUC 524 Challenges in Urban Education: Leadership, and EDUC 525 Challenges in Urban Education: Learning.

Methods
All Ed.D. students complete EDUC 532 Inquiry Methods I and EDUC 536 Inquiry Methods II for a total of 6 units.

Research
Students must complete 6 units of research course work (EDPA 792 Critique of Research and EDUC 790 Research).

Electives
In consultation with assigned advisors, students select a minimum of 14 units of elective course work.

Educational Leadership Track (Hawaii only)

Unit Requirement
A minimum of 66 units of approved course work, exclusive of 794 Doctoral Dissertation, is required.

Transfer of Course Work
The maximum number of transfer credits that may be applied is 20 units. The faculty of the student's degree program determines whether transfer credit is applicable toward a specific graduate degree.

Core Program
Thirty-three units of core course work are required.

Required Courses
CTSE 635Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning Environments3
CTSE 688School Leadership and Instructional Improvement3
EDPA 516Public School Finance3
EDPA 518Organizational Theory3
EDPA 519Current Issues in Governance and Education Policy3
EDPA 610Management of Human Resources3
EDPA 613The Laws and Politics of Education3
EDPT 502Learning and Individual Differences3
EDPT 550Statistical Inference3
EDPT 552Assessing Individual and Program Performance3
EDPT 570Language and Cultural Diversity in Learning3

Electives and Specializations
Students may select their own set of courses (minimum 12 units) to define an area of specialization. Each specialization is defined by a cluster of courses representing an educational function or a content/discipline area such as business and finance, community college administration, curriculum and instruction, personnel administration, politics and policy, the principalship and site-based management, the superintendency, teacher education and in-service training.

Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy is a formal action taken by the faculty of the Rossier School of Education. That action is based upon passing the qualifying examination.

Doctoral Dissertation
A dissertation based upon original research is required. An acceptable dissertation must show technical mastery of a special field, capacity for independent research and scholarly ability. The student must be enrolled in 794 Doctoral Dissertation each fall and spring semester after admission to candidacy until the dissertation has been approved. A minimum of two semesters (4 units) is required. Enrollment in 794 prior to admission to candidacy is not permitted and such registration is invalid.

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.)

Program Requirements
The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of 63 units of course work, comprising the following elements: Core Block (16 units), Concentration Block (15 units), Research Block (15 units), Cognate Block (12 units) and Dissertation Proposal and Dissertation Block (5 units).

Core Block
The core represents the essential knowledge that serves as the groundwork for later course work and for other research and scholarly activities within the program and beyond with a particular focus on urban education. This work is completed in the first year of full-time study.

Required Courses
EDUC 630Organization and Policy: Current Issues4
EDUC 640The Research University in the 21st Century4
EDUC 642Identity/Individual Learners: Examining Differences4
EDUC 650Globalization and the Nation-State: Theories of Change4

Concentration Block
Courses in this block are linked to one of the four areas of concentrations available in the Rossier School of Education (educational psychology, higher education/community college leadership, teacher education in multicultural societies and leadership in urban education settings). Courses in this block permit students to consider applied problems in collaboration with advanced Ed.D. students.

Research Block
Courses in this block provide the basic tools to pursue systematic, programmatic, empirical investigation. It includes qualitative and quantitative elements with the understanding that complex educational problems require a variety of investigative approaches. Areas required include research design, analysis of variance/multiple regression, qualitative methods, and one elective in measurement, advanced qualitative or quantitative analysis, or a related area. Courses may be taken inside our outside the School of Education.

Cognate Block
This block is designed for students to pursue interdisciplinary approaches to educational issues, and may consist of courses inside or outside the School of Education. The specific courses are determined in conjunction with the advisor.

Dissertation Block
This block includes preparation for the qualifying examination and initial dissertation proposal. It is taken during the semester of the qualifying examination and EDUC 794ab Dissertation (minimum of 4 units taken after a student passes the qualifying examination and has advanced to candidacy). The dissertation block is designed to prepare students for their dissertation research and continues through the writing and defense of the dissertation. The process involves intensive collaboration with the advisor and the guidance committee.

Transfer of Course Work
The maximum number of transfer credits that can be applied toward the degree is 20 units. The faculty of the student's degree program determines whether transfer credit is applicable toward a specific graduate degree.

Faculty Advisor
A designated faculty member provides the academic advisement for entering graduate students at the point of admission. A faculty member is appointed to serve as the advisor until an approved guidance committee is established.

Screening Process
When students have completed the core course work, the doctoral screening committee assesses their performance and makes a decision about their readiness to continue in the program. Students are notified of the results by the Ph.D. program chair. If the decision is to continue, a formal program of studies and a guidance committee is established.

Guidance Committee
The guidance committee is composed of at least five members. A minimum of three, including the chair, must be from the Rossier School; one must be a faculty member from outside the Rossier School. Normally, all members of the guidance committee are regular faculty with the rank of assistant professor or above in departments offering the Ph.D.

Qualifying Examinations
As a prerequisite to candidacy for the Ph.D., students must pass written and oral qualifying examinations. The written qualifying examination is designed to assess a student's readiness to undertake dissertation research and to assess the student's ability to critically analyze and synthesize theoretical and methodological knowledge. The oral portion consists, in part, of a teaching and research portfolio. The teaching portfolio documents and reflects the student's development and productivity in thinking about course content and instructional delivery. The research portfolio documents and reflects the student's development and productivity in research and writing from the point of entry into the program.

Admission to Candidacy
Admission to candidacy is a formal action taken by the faculty that is based upon passing the qualifying examination and completing all Ph.D. course requirements (with the exception of 794 Doctoral Dissertation). Notification of admission or denial of admission to candidacy is by letter from the Dean of the Graduate School.

Dissertation Committee
After admission to candidacy and approval of the dissertation proposal, the Ph.D. guidance committee is known as the dissertation committee and is usually reduced to three members. The committee will include one faculty member from outside the Rossier School of Education and will be chaired by a tenure track faculty member.

Doctoral Dissertation
After the qualifying examination is passed, students must enroll in 794 Doctoral Dissertation each semester, except summer session, after admission to candidacy until all degree requirements have been completed. A minimum of two semesters (4 units) is required. A maximum of 4 dissertation units may be applied to satisfy the degree requirement. While enrolled in 794a, students will develop a dissertation proposal in collaboration with the advisor. The dissertation committee grants final approval for the proposal. Credit for 794a and permission to enroll in 794b will only be given after the dissertation proposal is approved. IRB (Human Subjects Institutional Review Board) approval is required for all dissertation studies.