Rossier School of Education
Graduate Degrees
Doctoral Degrees
The Rossier School of Education offers the Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education Policy (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.)
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) is a three-year degree program that equips practitioner-scholars with the skills needed to lead high-performing organizations, connect research with practice and help all students to learn. The program is geared toward working professionals who aspire to be leaders in urban education. Admission requires a master’s degree and a minimum of three years of work experience in a related field.
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.
Advisement Committee
The student selects a three-member advisement committee in consultation with the adviser upon applying to take the qualifying examination.
The committee chair must have a full-time appointment in the Rossier School of Education. One member of the committee may be a faculty member elsewhere or a full-time professional educator holding a doctorate and with strength in the area of the dissertation topic, if nominated by the committee chair and approved by the director of the Ed.D. program.
Areas of Concentration
There are four areas from which students must select a specialization: K–12 Leadership in Urban School Settings, Educational Psychology, Higher Education Administration 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.
Core Program
Ed.D. students are required to complete 14 units of core course work: EDUC 605 Framing Educational Leadership, EDUC 606 International Studies Seminar (which includes 10 days of international travel in the second year), 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 must 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 (EDUC 792 Critique of Research in Education and EDUC 790 Research).
Electives
In consultation with assigned advisers, students take 13 units of elective course work.
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.
Global Executive (Ed.D.)
The Global Executive Ed.D. curriculum is designed to enhance the professional experience of senior educational leaders and policy makers by:
- Increasing their understanding of global trends and the implications of those trends;
- Challenging them to use evidence and theory-based approaches in problem solving;
- Developing their capacity to effectively use complex data in decision making; and
- Providing access to key leaders and leading education scholars.
Classes are delivered in Los Angeles and in Hong Kong. The total units required for the degree is 60. A maximum of 4 project units (EDUC 764 Consulting Project) may be applied toward the degree. Students admitted with advanced standing complete a minimum of 50 units.
| REQUIRED COURSES | UNITS | |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 619 | Framing Educational Leadership in a Global Context | 4 |
| EDUC 620 | Fundamentals of Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship | 2 |
| EDUC 623 | Understanding Research That Informs Leadership | 2 |
| EDUC 624 | Educational Organizations: Governance and Finance I | 2 |
| EDUC 626 | Fostering Entrepreneurship in Educational Systems | 2 |
| EDUC 627 | Education Performance Problems: Role of Learning | 3 |
| EDUC 628 | Educational Organizations: Governance and Finance II | 2 |
| EDUC 629 | Consulting Practicum Context Analysis | 4 |
| EDUC 631 | Locating Educational Performance Problems | 3 |
| EDUC 723 | Evaluating and Assessing Educational System Outcomes | 3 |
| EDUC 724 | Creating Policy Alternatives for Educational Settings | 3 |
| EDUC 725 | Analyzing Effectiveness of Educational Systems | 3 |
| EDUC 726 | Making Choices: Deciding Among Policy Alternatives | 4 |
| EDUC 727 | Implementing Policy in Educational Systems | 3 |
| EDUC 728 | Global Trends: Emerging Ideas, Emerging Markets | 3 |
| EDUC 729 | Assessing Policy Impact in Educational Settings | 3 |
| EDUC 764abcdz | Consulting Project | 1-1-1-1-0 |
| Additional course work to be approved by program faculty | 10 | |
Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education Policy (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 | units | |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 630 | Organization and Policy: Current Issues | 4 |
| EDUC 640 | The Research University in the 21st Century | 4 |
| EDUC 642 | Controversies in Learning and Instruction | 4 |
| EDUC 650 | Globalization and the Nation-State: Theories of Change | 4 |
Concentration Block
Courses in this block are linked to two of the four areas of concentrations available in the Rossier School of Education (higher education/community college leadership 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 or outside the Rossier 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 Rossier School of Education. The specific courses are determined in conjunction with the adviser.
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 adviser and the qualifying exam 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 Adviser
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 adviser until an approved qualifying exam 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 qualifying exam committee is established.
Qualifying Exam Committee
The qualifying exam 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 qualifying exam 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 associate vice provost for graduate programs.
Dissertation Committee
After admission to candidacy and approval of the dissertation proposal, the Ph.D. qualifying exam 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 adviser. 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.