Distance Learning

U Southern California Launches Online Doctorate of Ed Program

• By Joshua Bolkan
• 01/12/15

The University of California's Rossier School of Education is launching an online Doctorate of Education (EdD) in Organizational Change and Leadership this week. The inaugural class comprises 60 students from around the United States and five other countries, most of who are education professionals.

"The new online EdD is uniquely designed for current and emerging leaders who are looking to drive systemic change in their organizations," according to a news release. "The program is designed for full-time working professionals within K–12 and higher education systems, private firms and nonprofit and government organizations."

With an almost equal split of men and women, nearly one-third of the students are from the private sector and 94 percent already hold an advanced degree, most of which are in business or education.

In addition to the online component, the program will feature yearly in-person immersion weekedns, with the first taking place this week, from January 15-18.

"We're so pleased to welcome this impressive and diverse group of professionals to the Trojan Family," said Dean Karen Symms Gallagher, in a prepared statrement. "USC Rossier has built an international reputation for the highest quality online masters programs, so we are uniquely positioned to do the same at the doctoral level. The new EdD will prepare organizational leaders who can focus on how well an organization learns, how to better motivate and supervise an organization, and how to create systems that produce more effective and adaptable organizations."

The application deadline for the second cohort, beginning in May, is March 2. More information about the EdD program is available at rossieronline.usc.edu.