US varsity offers doctorate for education professionals

As India emerges a global education market, the University of Southern California (USC) is offering a new doctorate course aimed at professionals in the field of education.

The programme, being launched by USC Rossier School of Education, is a doctorate in education (Ed.D.) aimed at working professionals aspiring to be high-level practitioners in the field.

“The highlight of the programme is it will be training professionals in global education with a focus on making global leaders in the field of education,” elaborates Mike Diamond, professor in the USC Rossier School of Education.

Diamond was in India along with Dominic Brewer, Rossier vice dean for partnership and research, to talk with prospective candidates for the new Global Executive Ed.D. programme.

The university is also setting up an office in Mumbai.

“It will be on the lines of MBA (master of business administration) programmes,” he says.

Unlike the traditional Ph.D., which is for students planning to go into professional teaching, this course is for professionals. Around 25 people will be chosen for the course from around the world, of which three to four will be from India.

“An Ed.D. is a professional doctorate aimed at working professionals aspiring to be high level practitioners in education as opposed to a Ph.D. which is aimed at individuals aspiring to be future academics,” says Diamond.

“We have interest in establishing relations with countries in the Pacific rim and India,” he says.

“India is a major country with tremendous education needs and a huge education market. Students from the US and India can work together and solve many problems education is facing,” he says.