University of Southern California

Ph.D. Distinctive Program Benefits

We support our Ph.D. students with ideal conditions for intellectual growth. They benefit from close interaction with faculty, a research-intensive environment, positive student experience, and preparation for a range of career opportunities in urban education research and policy.

Faculty

Students are matched with top faculty to collaborate on a program of research that leads to pre-graduation publications and conference presentations.

At the USC Rossier School of Education, teaching and research are intertwined. Our renowned faculty are committed to educating the next generation of scholars and researchers through excellence in teaching and effective mentoring.

Multidisciplinary Coursework

Engage in multidisciplinary and theoretically informed coursework designed to provide expertise with an understanding of today's challenges in urban education.

In order to reflect a critical interdisciplinary perspective to educational issues, our students are expected to take courses outside of their discipline-specific area. These courses form the program's cognate requirement and are taken at other schools within the University of Southern California to ensure that our graduates possess breadth as well as depth. Cognates have included public policy, sociology, business, economics, social work, history, anthropology, psychology, and American studies. Sample cognate course list

Diverse Research Methodologies

Study diverse research methodologies using both qualitative and quantitative methods, including case studies, survey research, statistical analysis, regression analysis and econometrics, and multivariate statistical analysis research design.

Collaborate

Collaborate with a worldwide community of scholars through global research, international study tours and conference participation

Through Rossier's Asia Pacific Rim International Study Experience (APRISE) program, doctoral students have an opportunity to participate in international tripsthat help to promote cross-cultural understanding between educators. APRISE recently sponsored a Ph.D. research study trip to Beijing and Shanghai in the People's Republic of China. The students traveled with four faculty members to visit cultural sites, meet with their counterparts in Chinese universities, and examine higher education and K-12 education systems and their transformations and challenges within a country surging with social and economic changes.

Check out the reflections of five of the Ph.D. students:

Gain University Teaching Experience

We prepare our graduates for careers as faculty and the completion of a teaching portfolio is a program requirement. Students serve as teaching assistants for graduate courses in education. This includes developing the course syllabus and reader, evaluating student work, and meeting with students during office hours. An analysis of this experience is included in the teaching portfolio. Sample teaching portfolios:

Complete Program in 4 Years

Students can complete the program in 4 years - including dissertation. Click here to download Program of Studies Completion sample.

Competitive Financial Support

All students admitted into the program, who remain in good academic standing, receive financial assistance for four years. This supports includes the tuition coverage for all required coursework, health benefits package, and an annual travel award for participation in academic conferences. Students will also have opportunities to work as research and teaching assistants and will be nominated for additional scholarships and fellowships awarded by the Rossier School of Education and the University. These merit awards will supplement the baseline funding.

Doctoral Support Center

Rossier's Doctoral Support Center provides support for students writing dissertations, proposals, and course papers. Workshops and lectures are offered that assist doctoral students in improving academic writing skills, using library resources, navigating the dissertation process, and addressing non-cognitive challenges such as time management and receiving feedback on written work.

Trojan Family

Take advantage of the resources of the USC Trojan Family. USC is world renowned for its network of loyal and dedicated alumni. Trojans embody a special sense of giving back by supporting one another. Within the Trojan Family, our graduates enjoy a lifelong relationship as part of a worldwide community.