Doctor of Philosophy in Education
This program is designed for aspiring research scholars whose research interests align with USC Rossier’s mission.
The PhD program aims to prepare students to conduct high quality, consequential research promoting educational excellence and social justice. This effort stands on three pillars: preparing students to pursue educational equity through research; studying educational equity across disciplines; and constructing a diverse, inclusive professional community.
The program is intentionally designed so students obtain knowledge through research assistantships, teaching assistantships, courses, as well as professional development opportunities.
Program Overview
The four-year, full-time program is year round, with courses taught at USC’s University Park Campus in Los Angeles. Through this program, you will research alongside USC Rossier’s distinguished faculty experts at a Tier 1 research university to gain interdisciplinary knowledge of education and equity theory and research, including diverse methodological and epistemological approaches.
Concentrations
The program offers four concentrations: Educational Psychology, Higher Education, K-12 Education Policy and Teacher Education. While research interests and collaborations often span concentrations, students select one concentration reflecting their core interests and are matched with a PhD faculty advisor within that concentration to guide their academic and research journey.
- Educational Psychology includes research in the areas of learning and motivation, neuroscience of learning, learning analytics, generative AI, digital equity, cyberbullying, socio-emotional learning, racial discrimination, adolescent development in urban schools and online contexts, impact of race and racism on the educational experiences of African Americans, critical race theory, emotions and coping related to racism, conceptual change and science learning. Meet our Educational Psychology faculty.
- Higher Education includes research in the areas of college access and equity, graduate education, organizational change and leadership, anti-Black sentiment across the P-20 pipeline, college student development, racial equity, carcerality in education, system impacted populations, men of color, and student enrollment, retention and success at four-year institutions and community colleges. Meet our Higher Education faculty.
- K12 Education Policy includes research centered on K-12 governance, accountability, politics, school and district reform, racial justice and equity initiatives, school choice policies and privatization, teacher policies, standards and curriculum reform and conflicts, organization and institutional change, critical policy analysis, and cross-sector policies to assist housing-insecure families and families experiencing homelessness in public schools. Meet our K12 Education Policy faculty.
- Teacher Education includes a focus on knowledge for teaching mathematics, teacher knowledge, mathematics education, mathematics teacher education, professional development, teacher learning, and AI-supported tools for teacher education and research. Meet our Teacher Education faculty.
Curriculum
The PhD curriculum allows students to explore diverse theories and research methodologies. These include foundational courses, qualitative and quantitative methods courses, and content courses.
To reflect an interdisciplinary perspective, you will also take courses outside of the Rossier School of Education in other departments and schools across the University of Southern California. These courses will allow you to gain breadth in disciplines such as public policy, sociology, business, economics, social work, history, anthropology, psychology or American studies.
Learn more about our courses and benchmarks.
Assistantship
As an admitted student in the PhD program, you will be awarded a teaching and research assistantship funded by USC Rossier and grant-funded projects.This assistantship is a part-time position that requires approximately 20 hours of work per week. Through this role, you will collaborate closely with faculty on research and teaching, contributing to important scholarly work while developing essential skills in course instruction, project management, and academic inquiry.
The assistantship includes:
- $40,442 annual PhD stipend for living expenses (distributed over fall, spring and summer for four years)
- 12 units of tuition coverage per semester that may be used for degree-relevant courses
- Coverage of health and dental benefits premiums
- Access to the USC Student Health Center
- Professional development opportunities
As an alternative to the USC assistantship stipend, students can apply for external fellowships and grants.
Students who anticipate needing additional funds beyond what our assistantship benefits cover, can apply for financial aid.
Career Outcomes
Our PhD students are positioned for research careers as tenure-track faculty, postdocs, research faculty, institutional researchers and researchers in policy institutes, government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGO), private research firms and school districts. Learn more about our alumni placements.
PhD Student Directory
Our students come from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds. Current student biographies can be found in our PhD student directory.
Meet the Students Webinar
Program Details
Degree Awarded
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Estimated Length
4 years
Units
63
Program Cost
Tuition and stipend funded by assistantship
Modality
- On Campus
Next Deadline
November 15, 2025
Start Date
August 15, 2026
Class Times
Various times during the day, Monday through Friday
Take the Next Step
-
The PhD in Education program application will reopen August 1, 2025 for an August 2026 start.
- Request Info
- Connect
Faculty
USC Rossier’s renowned faculty is committed to training the next generation of scholars and researchers to the highest standards.
Stephen J. Aguilar
- Associate Professor of Education
- Educational Psychology
Expertise
- Learning Analytics • EdTech & Generative AI • Digital Equity • Educational Data Science • Motivation & Self-Regulation
Dwuana Bradley
- Assistant Professor of Education
- Higher Education
Expertise
- Critical Education Policy • Higher Ed • K–12
Patricia Burch
- Professor of Education
- Co-director of CEPEG
- K-12 Education Policy
Expertise
- Educational privatization, organizational and institutional theory and comparative policy, qualitative and mixed research methods
Darnell Cole
- Professor of Education
- Co-director of the Center for Education, Identity and Social Justice
- Higher Education
Expertise
- Race/ Ethnicity, Diversity, Student-Faculty Interactions, Learning, and Student Experiences within K12 and Higher Education Environments.
Yasemin Copur-Gencturk
- Associate Professor of Education
- Katzman/Ernst Chair for Educational Entrepreneurship, Technology and Innovation
- Co-Director of USC STEM Center
- Teacher Education
Expertise
- knowledge for teaching mathematics, teacher knowledge, mathematics education, mathematics teacher education, professional development, teacher learning.
Jessica T. DeCuir-Gunby
- Professor of Education
- Robert A. Naslund Chair in Curriculum and Teaching
- USC Race and Equity Center Executive Director
- Educational Psychology
Expertise
- Impact of race and racism on the educational experiences of African Americans • Critical race theory • Mixed methods research • Emotions and coping related to racism
Shaun Harper
- University Professor
- Provost Professor of Education, Business, and Public Policy
- Clifford and Betty Allen Chair in Urban Leadership
- USC Race and Equity Center Founder and Chief Research Scientist
- Higher Education
Expertise
- Racial Equity • Gender Equity • Education Policy • Urban Education • Boys and Men of Color • Educational Leadership • Intercollegiate Athletics
Adrian H. Huerta
- Associate Professor of Education
- Higher Education
Expertise
- Boys and men of color • College access and success • Gang-involved populations • High school to college transition • Student parents in higher education
Mary Helen Immordino-Yang
- Fahmy and Donna Attallah Chair in Humanistic Psychology
- Director, USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education (candle.usc.edu)
- Professor of Education, Psychology & Neuroscience
- Brain & Creativity Institute; Rossier School of Education University of Southern California Member, U.S. National Academy of Education
- Educational Psychology
Expertise
- Neuroscience of Learning • Creativity • Culture • Morality and Social Interaction
Huriya Jabbar
- Associate Professor
- K-12 Education Policy
Expertise
- Critical Policy Analysis; Market-Based Reforms and Privatization in Education; Equity and Access in School Choice Policy; Teacher Job Choices, Retention, and Recruitment; Community College Transfer; Links between Systemic Inequality, Housing, and Schools
Royel M. Johnson, PhD
- Associate Professor & Director
- Higher Education
Expertise
- Racial Equity • Education Access • Student Success • Education Policy • Carcerality in Education • Foster Care • Juvenile Justice
Adrianna Kezar
- Dean's Professor of Leadership
- Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education
- Director Pullias Center for Higher Education
- Higher Education
Expertise
- Higher Education • Leadership • Diversity
Julie Marsh
- Professor of Education
- Co-director of CEPEG
- K-12 Education Policy
Expertise
- K-12 Education Policy and Governance • Accountability • Teacher Incentive Programs • Data-Driven Reforms • School District Reform • School Choice • Equity-Oriented Reforms • Literacy Coaching
Tatiana Melguizo
- Professor of Education, In Memoriam 1968 - 2024
- Higher Education
Expertise
- Higher Education • Finance • Affirmative Action • Community Colleges • College trajectories of students of color, Program Evaluation
Erika A. Patall
- Professor of Education and Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Expertise
- Motivation • Autonomy Support • Choice Provision • Student Agency • Need Support • Education Practices • Research Synthesis • Meta-Analysis
Lawrence O. Picus
- Richard T. Cooper and Mary Catherine Cooper Chair in Public School Administration
- Professor of Education Finance and Policy
- Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
- K-12 Education Policy
Expertise
- Public Financing of Schools
Morgan Polikoff
- Professor of Education
- K-12 Education Policy
Expertise
- K-12 Education Policy • Curriculum • Standards-based Reform • Assessment Policy • Alignment • Survey Research • Quantitative Methods • COVID and Education
Julie R. Posselt
- Professor of Education
- Higher Education
Expertise
- Equity & Diversity in Higher Education • Organizational Theory • Sociology of Education • Research Methods
Gale M. Sinatra
- Distinguished Professor and Stephen H. Crocker Chair
- Professor of Education and Psychology
- Associate Dean for Research
- Educational Psychology
Expertise
- Learning Theory • Knowledge Construction • Conceptual Change Learning • Science Learning • Public Understanding of Science
Brendesha Tynes
- Professor of Education and Psychology
- Director of CELDTECH
- Dean’s Professorship in Educational Equity
- Educational Psychology
Expertise
- Social Media • Cyberbullying • Socio-Emotional Learning • Racial Discrimination • Identity • Adolescent Development in Urban Schools and Online Contexts • Mobile Interventions
Meet Our PhD Students
Our student body, one of the most diverse in the country, is comprised of accomplished research-scholars. Each year, we enroll approximately 12 new students in the incoming cohort.
From Our Alumni
I received invaluable research training during my time at USC. From day one of the program I was able to work on research projects that were innovative and important in urban education, and I was fortunate to do so alongside a vibrant and passionate community of scholars.
Federick J. Ngo, PhD ’17
My time in Rossier allowed me to cultivate mutually beneficial networks with peers and mentors who are challenging the status quo in higher education. These connections continue to shape how I navigate the professoriate as an agent of change.
Raquel M. Rall, PhD ’14
The training and mentorship I received at Rossier prepared me well for a tenure-track faculty position.
Daniel J. Almeida, PhD ’16
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Featured Research Centers
Established in 2017, the Center for Empowered Learning and Development with Technology (CELDTECH) is a transdisciplinary research center that promotes equity in digital learning and development among urban populations in formal and informal contexts. CELDTECH takes an intersectional approach to the study of learning with technology and foregrounds the nexus between students’ histories, cultural assets and developmental needs.
The USC Center for Affective Neuroscience, Development, Learning and Education (CANDLE) brings educational innovation and developmental affective neuroscience into partnership, and uses what is learned to guide the transformation of schools, policy, and the student and teacher experience for a healthier and more equitable society.
Established in 2017, the Center for Education, Identity and Social Justice has a compelling interest in eradicating all forms of discrimination based on the intersection of an individual’s identities that include religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity and disability. Using rigorous research and legal analysis, we empower educators to utilize laws and policies in order to identify and extricate bias and unequal distributions of power within educational institutions.
Public education in Southern California and across the nation faces a daunting array of challenges: longstanding structural inequities, declining enrollments, staffing shortages, funding shortfalls, political conflicts, and the ongoing effects of the pandemic on student academics and mental health. The challenges are often systemic, with causes and consequences crossing school systems and other boundaries, and disproportionately affecting minoritized and low-income communities.
The USC EdPolicy Hub collaborates with schools, education systems, and community colleges throughout Southern California to conduct rigorous, actionable, boundary-spanning research. Research results—shared with language and formats geared for practitioners and policymakers—inform decisions for educators, policymakers, and families, ultimately improving student outcomes.
Program Contact
We welcome your interest in the PhD program and are happy to answer any questions you might have. We highly recommend attending one of our PhD webinars as a first step. You can also join our mailing list.
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