Ph.D. Faculty

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At the USC Rossier School of Education we combine the best findings from internationally recognized research with hands-on experience in educational settings. Our renowned faculty are committed to preparing the next generation of scholars and education researchers through excellence in teaching and effective mentorship, both in and out of the classroom. It is critical that the research interests of our students match those of one or more of the faculty listed below to ensure appropriate mentorship. Graduates complete our program fully prepared for careers in the nation's leading research universities.

Learn more about what the faculty are doing at http://rossier100.usc.edu/spotlight

Ph.D. Faculty
Ron Avi Astor, Ph.D. Joint appointment in Education and Social Work. School violence; school social work.
Estela Mara Bensimon, Ed.D. Co-Director, Center for Urban Education (CUE). Leadership and diversity in higher education. Read how Dr. Bensimon is Transforming Schools & Transforming Education If you want to spend years sitting in class listening to lectures about how to do research, you are better off going elsewhere for your PhD. But if you think the ideal doctoral program is one where you actually do the research in collaboration with some of the country's top scholars in urban education then the Rossier is definitely the place for you.
Dominic J. Brewer, Ph.D. Economics of Education and Education Policy. Read how Dr. Brewer is Transforming Policy
Richard Brown, Ph.D. Educational measurement; psychometrics; assessment and policy; quantitative methodology.
Richard E. Clark, Ed.D. Director, Center for Cognitive Technology (CCT). Cognitive learning and motivation theory; instruction and training systems. Read how Dr. Clark is Transforming the World
Darnell Cole, Ph.D. Diversity in higher education, race and ethnicity, learning outcomes. Read how Dr. Cole is Transforming Education The Ph.D. program in the Rossier School of Education strives to provide students with the best research training possible in order to make an impact in urban education. All of the students we enroll work closely with faculty on research projects. We are committed to ensuring that all students have good mentoring so they can become productive scholars who make a difference.
Alicia Dowd, Ph.D. Co-Director, Center for Urban Education (CUE). Political-economic issues of public college finance equity, efficiency, and accountability; factors affecting student attainment in higher education. Read how Dr. Dowd is Transforming Schools & Transforming Education
Karen Symms Gallagher, Ph.D. Emery Stoops and Joyce King-Stoops Dean. Dynamics of teacher education reform; teacher training and development. Read how Dr. Gallagher is Transforming the World The USC Rossier School of Education's Ph.D. Program is training the next generation of faculty and educational researchers for the nation's top universities. Our own nationally renowned faculty nurture these future researchers who will have a dramatic impact on the field of education. Moreover, our Ph.D. Program is committed to providing a superior academic experience, a superior learning environment and a superior student experience.
Guilbert C. Hentschke, Ph.D. Richard T. Cooper and Mary Catherine Cooper Chair in Public School Administration. For profit and nonprofit educational enterprises; urban youth. Read how Dr. Hentschke is Transforming Education & Transforming the World
Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, Ed.D A cognitive neuroscientist and educational psychologist who studies the brain bases of emotion, social interaction and culture and their implications for development and schools. Read how Dr. Immordino-Yang is Transforming Communities
Adrianna Kezar, Ph.D. Organizational change; leadership and governance diversity.
Tatiana Melguizo, Ph.D. Higher education; economics of education; minority and gender in postsecondary education; community colleges; faculty productivity and earnings.
Harry O'Neil, Ph.D. Computer-based assessment of workforce readiness; teaching and measurement of self-regulation skills; distance learning and games; motivation in testing.
Lawrence O. Picus, Ph.D. School finance; educational policy; fiscal management in higher education.
Michelle Riconscente, Ph.D. Educational Psychology; motivation and learning; evidence-centered design in assessment; instructional technology. Read how Dr. Riconscente is Transforming Communities
Robert Rueda, Ph.D. Educational psychology; social, cultural and contextual issues of learning; literacy and reading; second language learning. Read how Dr. Rueda is Transforming Schools This is an exciting time to be a doctoral student in the Rossier School of Education. The quality of the students, the energy of the faculty, and the levels of commitment from the School to doctoral students is at an all time high. These changes represent several years of careful planning, collaborative problem solving, and strategic investment that promise to make the program a model for top research universities.
Jamy Stillman, Ph.D. Teacher preparation; equity and diversity; language and literacy for English learners; accountability and teaching in urban schools.
Katharine Strunk, Ph.D K-12 education policy and reform, specifically teacher labor markets, education governance and education finance.
William G. Tierney, Ph.D. Director, Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis (CHEPA), Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education. Faculty productivity; decision-making; organizational re-engineering and issues of equity and access. Read how Dr. Tierney is Transforming Communities & Transforming Education The interactions I have with my graduate students in the Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis (CHEPA) are the most important work I do. The Center's agenda is aimed at rethinking shopworn assumptions about education and trying to create the climate for solving the challenges that the 21st century presents to higher education.
Priscilla Wohlstetter, Ph.D. Diane and MacDonald Becket Professor of Education; Director, Center on Educational Governance (CEG). Policy accountability; governance; innovations in education; policy and politics of educational reform; charter schools. Read how Dr. Wohlstetter is Transforming Schools What strikes me about the education enterprise here at the Rossier School of Education is the free flow of ideas between the university and the urban community. While research at the Rossier School of Education is used to improve educational practice, knowledge from the community helps shape what we research and the theories we develop - a true learning partnership.

Ph.D. Faculty

Ron Avi Astor, Ph.D.

Joint appointment in Education and Social Work.
School violence; school social work.

Estela Mara Bensimon, Ed.D.

Co-Director, Center for Urban Education (CUE).
Leadership and diversity in higher education.

Read how Dr. Bensimon is Transforming Schools & Transforming Education

If you want to spend years sitting in class listening to lectures about how to do research, you are better off going elsewhere for your PhD. But if you think the ideal doctoral program is one where you actually do the research in collaboration with some of the country's top scholars in urban education then the Rossier is definitely the place for you.

Dominic J. Brewer, Ph.D.

Economics of Education and Education Policy.

Read how Dr. Brewer is Transforming Policy

Richard Brown, Ph.D.

Educational measurement; psychometrics; assessment and policy; quantitative methodology.

Richard E. Clark, Ed.D.

Director, Center for Cognitive Technology (CCT).
Cognitive learning and motivation theory; instruction and training systems.

Read how Dr. Clark is Transforming the World

Darnell Cole, Ph.D.

Diversity in higher education, race and ethnicity, learning outcomes.

Read how Dr. Cole is Transforming Education

The Ph.D. program in the Rossier School of Education strives to provide students with the best research training possible in order to make an impact in urban education. All of the students we enroll work closely with faculty on research projects. We are committed to ensuring that all students have good mentoring so they can become productive scholars who make a difference.

Alicia Dowd, Ph.D.

Co-Director, Center for Urban Education (CUE).
Political-economic issues of public college finance equity, efficiency, and accountability; factors affecting student attainment in higher education.

Read how Dr. Dowd is Transforming Schools & Transforming Education

Karen Symms Gallagher, Ph.D.

Emery Stoops and Joyce King-Stoops Dean.
Dynamics of teacher education reform; teacher training and development.

Read how Dr. Gallagher is Transforming the World

The USC Rossier School of Education's Ph.D. Program is training the next generation of faculty and educational researchers for the nation's top universities. Our own nationally renowned faculty nurture these future researchers who will have a dramatic impact on the field of education. Moreover, our Ph.D. Program is committed to providing a superior academic experience, a superior learning environment and a superior student experience.

Guilbert C. Hentschke, Ph.D.

Richard T. Cooper and Mary Catherine Cooper Chair in Public School Administration.
For profit and nonprofit educational enterprises; urban youth.

Read how Dr. Hentschke is Transforming Education & Transforming the World

Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, Ed.D

A cognitive neuroscientist and educational psychologist who studies the brain bases of emotion, social interaction and culture and their implications for development and schools.

Read how Dr. Immordino-Yang is Transforming Communities

Adrianna Kezar, Ph.D.

Organizational change; leadership and governance diversity.

Tatiana Melguizo, Ph.D.

Higher education; economics of education; minority and gender in postsecondary education; community colleges; faculty productivity and earnings.

Harry O'Neil, Ph.D.

Computer-based assessment of workforce readiness; teaching and measurement of self-regulation skills; distance learning and games; motivation in testing.

Lawrence O. Picus, Ph.D.

School finance; educational policy; fiscal management in higher education.

Michelle Riconscente, Ph.D.

Educational Psychology; motivation and learning; evidence-centered design in assessment; instructional technology.

Read how Dr. Riconscente is Transforming Communities

Robert Rueda, Ph.D.

Educational psychology; social, cultural and contextual issues of learning; literacy and reading; second language learning.

Read how Dr. Rueda is Transforming Schools

This is an exciting time to be a doctoral student in the Rossier School of Education. The quality of the students, the energy of the faculty, and the levels of commitment from the School to doctoral students is at an all time high. These changes represent several years of careful planning, collaborative problem solving, and strategic investment that promise to make the program a model for top research universities.

Jamy Stillman, Ph.D.

Teacher preparation; equity and diversity; language and literacy for English learners; accountability and teaching in urban schools.

Katharine Strunk, Ph.D

K-12 education policy and reform, specifically teacher labor markets, education governance and education finance.

William G. Tierney, Ph.D.

Director, Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis (CHEPA), Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education.
Faculty productivity; decision-making; organizational re-engineering and issues of equity and access.

Read how Dr. Tierney is Transforming Communities & Transforming Education

The interactions I have with my graduate students in the Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis (CHEPA) are the most important work I do. The Center's agenda is aimed at rethinking shopworn assumptions about education and trying to create the climate for solving the challenges that the 21st century presents to higher education.

Priscilla Wohlstetter, Ph.D.

Diane and MacDonald Becket Professor of Education; Director, Center on Educational Governance (CEG).
Policy accountability; governance; innovations in education; policy and politics of educational reform; charter schools.

Read how Dr. Wohlstetter is Transforming Schools

What strikes me about the education enterprise here at the Rossier School of Education is the free flow of ideas between the university and the urban community. While research at the Rossier School of Education is used to improve educational practice, knowledge from the community helps shape what we research and the theories we develop - a true learning partnership.

For a complete list of the entire USC Rossier School of Education faculty, including their research projects, publications, awards and contact information, please visit: the main faculty page.

Ph.D. Faculty

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