Educational Leadership Courses
Curriculum
The Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership (EDL) program will equip you with knowledge and skills in six core competencies:
- Accountability
- Critical reflection
- Diversity and equity
- Ethics
- Learning organizations
- Research and data
In the first year of the program, you will complete core courses that reflect USC Rossier’s mission and the program’s purpose. The course schedules below should be used as an example and include interdisciplinary core courses, concentration-specific courses, and dissertation in practice courses.
Concentrations
Each concentration path consists of four courses and a dissertation in practice in a concentration-specific format. You will complete your dissertation under the guidance of a faculty member within your concentration. You must have career experience relevant to the concentration to which you apply.
The educational psychology concentration* focuses on research and practice in the areas of learning, motivation and development in diverse social contexts. Courses in the concentration explore how people learn, what motivates them, which instructional and motivational strategies are most effective within varied cultural systems and how the social context of instruction affects learning.
*The educational psychology concentration does not meet the requirements for licensure as an educational psychologist.
Recommended career background for this concentration: Professional in K-12, higher education, or counseling, special education, social services, instructional technology, non-profit organizations, or other non-traditional educational settings.
Dissertation in practice: Study an existing problem of practice and complete a five-chapter dissertation or design curriculum to address an existing problem of practice.
Career outcomes: The educational psychology concentration prepares you for employment in areas such as instructional design, human performance personnel, school/community counseling and more.
Alumni have held positions such as:
- Vice president of education, Fusion Education Group
- Innovation program manager, Applied Materials
- Managing director, school performance accountability and research, California Charter Schools Association
- Dean of innovation, The Derryfield School
The higher education administration concentration focuses on administrative theory and best practices for leading higher education institutions. Courses in the concentration address policy, economic issues, assessment, student learning and the history and major philosophical assumptions that undergird the system of higher education.
Recommended career background for this concentration: Professional in higher education administration at a two- or four-year college or university (including student, academic and administrative affairs) or secondary and postsecondary college advising.
Dissertation in practice: Study an existing problem of practice and complete a traditional five-chapter dissertation.
Career outcomes: The higher education administration concentration prepares you for employment in senior administration in two- and four-year colleges, academic executive positions, key leadership roles in education-related organizations, and more.
Alumni have held positions such as:
- Associate dean of students and director, Stanford University
- Executive director, undergraduate advising and programs, School of Business, George Washington University
- Director of intercollegiate athletics, California State University, Northridge
- Vice president for student affairs and dean of students, University of Texas, Austin
The K-12 leadership concentration will prepare you to become a leader in classrooms, schools or school districts. The courses help develop an understanding of how to create high-performing schools that address the diverse needs of all students regardless of school setting. The course sequence culminates in either EDUC 720: Leadership for Principals or EDUC 721: Leadership for Superintendents, an integrated composite of effective leadership practices that result in more effective organizational outcomes, including increased student achievement.
Recommended career background for this concentration:
Teacher, administrator or education professional in PK-12 education at the local, state and federal levels.
Dissertation in practice: Study an existing problem of practice and complete a traditional five-chapter dissertation.
Career Outcomes: The K-12 leadership concentration prepares you for employment as an educational leader in the K-12 field. This includes school site leadership, district leadership and systems leadership. Roles include teacher leaders, district office leaders, superintendents and CEOs of independent schools and charter schools.
Alumni have held positions such as:
- Superintendent, Covina-Valley Unified School District
- Director of community partnerships, Long Beach Unified School District
- Chief innovation officer, National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA)
- Superintendent, Garden Grove Unified School District
The leading instructional change concentration focuses on theories, practices and policies supporting curriculum and instruction that foster equitable educational opportunities for students from historically marginalized groups in urban PK-12 and higher education settings. This concentration is designed for individuals interested in leading and teaching teachers (pre- and in-service) and faculty (higher ed) so that they are prepared to provide their students with high-quality instruction that is anti-racist, culturally relevant and LGBTQ+ inclusive.
Recommended career background for this concentration: Teacher or administrator in PK-12 or higher education, instructional leader or designer, curriculum developer or professional in non-traditional educational settings.
Dissertation in practice: Conduct action or participatory action research addressing the relationship between leadership and instructional improvement in PK-20 educational settings and complete a non-traditional written product (not a five-chapter dissertation) and public presentation.
Career outcomes: The leading instructional change program prepares you for positions such as university faculty member, professional development specialist, curriculum developer/administrator and more.
Alumni have held positions such as:
- Director, metrics and LCAP, Azusa Unified School District
- Director, student support and intervention, Antelope Valley Union High School District
- Senior director of teaching and learning, Los Angeles Education Partnership
Sample Course Schedules
The course schedules below should be used as an example. Contact your admission representative to discuss your specific course schedule.
43 Units
Students who hold a master’s degree or terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D. or professional doctorate) may be admitted with advanced standing and required to take only 43 units. Three years of full-time work and leadership experience is also required.
As a student in the program, you are highly encouraged to attend a one-day orientation in August on the USC University Park Campus. The orientation experience will provide the opportunity to meet your classmates and faculty members, develop the academic skills necessary for success in the program and explore a process for critical reflection. Travel and accommodations for orientation are not included in the cost of the program.
| Semester | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | EDUE 700 | 3 Units Foundations of Urban Education EDUE 701 | 3 Units Foundations of Leadership in Education | EDUE 726 | 3 Units Research Methods 1 Concentration Course Two | 3 Units | Concentration Course Four | 3 Units EDUE 784a | 1 Unit Dissertation in Practice 3, Data Analysis |
| Spring Semester | EDUE 702 | 3 Units Foundations in Learning EDUE 703 | 3 Units Power, Diversity and Equity | EDUE 727 | 3 Units Research Methods 2 EDUE 780a | 3 Units Dissertation in Practice 1 | EDUE 710 | 3 Units Designing Organizations for Equity EDUE 784b | 1 Unit Dissertation in Practice 4, Data Analysis |
| Summer Session | Concentration Course One | 3 Units EDUE 704 | 3 Units Leadership Enactment | Concentration Course Three | 3 Units EDUE 780b | 2 Units Dissertation in Practice 2 |
60 Units
Students without master’s degrees who have substantial work and leadership experience will be required to complete 60 units. Three years of full-time work and leadership experience is required. This pathway takes four years and includes completing 17 units of coursework drawn from one of the following programs prior to advancing into doctoral coursework: the Master of Education in Learning Design with AI and Emerging Technologies (LDAI), the Master of Education in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs (PASA), the Master of Education in Educational Counseling (EC), or the Master of Education in Sports Administration and Leadership (MSAL). The sample schedule below uses PASA for year 1 courses.
| Semester | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | EDUC 500 | 3 Units History of Higher Education EDHP-679 | 3 Units Legal Issues in the Administration of Higher Education | EDUE 700 | 3 units Foundations of Urban Education EDUE 701 | 3 units Foundations of Leadership in Education | EDUE 726 | 3 Units Research Methods 1 Concentration Course Two | 3 Units | Concentration Course Four | 3 Units EDUE 784a | 1 Unit Dissertation in Practice 3, Data Analysis |
| Spring Semester | EDHP 657 | 3 Units Spring Required Leadership and Management of Student Affair Plus ONE of the following: EDUC 531 | 3 Units Student Disability Issues in Higher Education EDUC 611 | 3 Units Athletic Administration | EDUE 702 | 3 units Foundations in Learning EDUE 703 | 3 units Power, Diversity and Equity | EDUE 727 | 3 Units Research Methods 2 EDUE 780a | 3 Units Dissertation in Practice 1 | EDUE 710 | 3 Units Designing Organizations for Equity EDUE 784b | 1 Unit Dissertation in Practice 4, Data Analysis |
| Summer Session | Foundations of Assessment and Evaluation | EDUE 600| 2 Units Plus ONE of the following: EDUC 613 | 3 Units Title IX and Gender Issues EDUC 609 | 3 Units Academic Advising | Concentration Course One | 3 units | Concentration Course Three | 3 Units EDUE 780b | 2 Units Dissertation in Practice 2 |
Concentration Courses
Educational Psychology
Advanced Study of Motivation: Theory, Research and Application | EDUC 712 | 3 Units
Analyze motivational principles, diagnosis and solutions to motivation gaps in learning environments and understand motivation and efficacy theories and principles.
Human Lifespan Development | EDUC 713 | 3 Units
Examine issues related to the development of diverse students and the development of environments that promote motivated behavior.
Measurement and Evaluation for Decision-Making | EDUC 714 | 3 Units
Collect, analyze and use quantitative data to solve problems of practice and evaluate educational institutions, programs and policies.
Advanced Study of Learning and Instruction: Theory, Research, and Application | EDUC 715 | 3 Units
Review current research in the application of learning theories, and the applicability of this research across a variety of contexts.
Higher Education Administration
Higher Education Professional Seminar | EDUC 706 | 3 Units
Gain philosophical and historical understanding that will help you understand today’s higher education system as an educational leader.
Administration in Higher Education | EDUE 707 | 3 Units
Apply economic theory to the study of education. Gain an understanding of the application of market theory to education, partnerships, allocation of resources and the examination of educational enterprises.
Examine administrative issues in higher education, including academic leadership related to undergraduate and graduate education, quality standards and assessment and how administrators create efficiency, effectiveness, performance and change.
Student Development Theory and Today’s Critical Issues | EDUC 708 | 3 Units
Engage and apply student development theory to contemporary issues and campus crises that arise within your educational context where student learning, growth and development are a fundamental objective of your leadership role.
Financing and Assessing Colleges for Equity | EDUC 709 | 3 Units
Examine and understand the finance and assessment of higher education institutions and their effect institutional policies and practices.
K-12 Leadership in Urban School Settings
Resourcing Schools for Equity and Excellence | EDUC 717 | 3 Units
Apply economic theory to understand how the public school system is financed and how to make decisions and allocate resources to achieve the goals of equity and excellence for all students.
Education Policy and Politics | EDUE 719 | 3 Units
This course is designed to help urban educational leaders effectively engage with the policy environment to support school success, providing a set of concept, tools and frameworks to assist in understanding the policy process. The course views the public policy process through the lens of contemporary issues in K12 educational policy, including an overview of the important institutions and actors within the policy system, the tensions and conflicts among actors, and the role of power, racism, and other forms of oppression in shaping the adoption and implementation of policy.
Leading for Instructional Improvement | EDUE 718 | 3 Units
Improve your instructional leadership skills as a K-12 practitioner by addressing the challenges that schools face today, including the political, economic, and social dynamics that contribute to and sustain educational inequities for historically marginalized students.
Leadership of Site and System Organizational Learning | EDUC 728 | 3 Units
The purpose of the course is to provide insight into the crucial role that organizational learning plays in the success of site and district administration over time to improve outcomes for students. Practical concerns for principals and superintendents are addressed.
Leading Instructional Change
Leading Transformational Learning | EDUE 722 | 3 Units
Prepare to enact leadership within urban PreK-20 teaching and learning environments by examining curriculum and instruction from historical, social and political standpoints.
Culturally Responsive Leadership | EDUE 724 | 3 Units
Prepare to enact culturally responsive change in order to transform teaching, learning and educational practices in their urban professional context.
Curriculum and Instructional Leadership | EDUE 723 | 3 Units
Explore social, political, economic and scholarly factors determining curriculum and instructional design and implementation and implications for formal and informal leaders in PreK-20 contexts.
Interdisciplinary Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment | EDUE 725 | 3 Units
Use spatial data and technologies to study your leadership trajectory across urban PreK-20 settings and bring interdisciplinary approaches to curriculum, instruction and assessment.
Start Your Application
Lead change in ways that will improve academic opportunities and outcomes for all students.
Apply NowQuestions about the program?
Reach out to our program contact for personalized guidance.
Contact:
Jessica Romero
Assistant Director, Office of Admission and Scholarships