The online learning experience at USC Rossier is unlike any other online graduate education program. Students participate in weekly, live online classes, hosted face-to-face using video-conferencing technology. This platform encourages collaboration and connection with classmates and faculty, allowing students to forge real and lasting relationships. Along with live class sessions, students complete dynamic self-paced coursework throughout each week and have access to social groups and one-on-one interaction with faculty.

Course content is developed by USC Rossier faculty and world-class instructional designers and delivered through our online learning platform. Content is not ported from basic presentations, but designed from the ground up to provide a rich online learning experience.

Students engage with documentary-style videos, case studies, readings, and various written and video assignments, which can be accessed at any time, giving you the ability to work at your own pace. 

Class sessions are held weekly in a virtual classroom using video conferencing to bring students and professors face-to-face. These seminar-style classes are kept small, so all students stay engaged and participate. There is no back row in a live online class — students and their professor use a webcam and audio to discuss the week’s course material and explore high-level teaching concepts. In addition to video conferencing, the platform features interactive tools such as online chat and breakout rooms to keep you connected to fellow classmates.

In order to provide the most flexible experience, classes are recorded, so you can revisit them at any time in case you missed a class or want to review a session. You can also choose from a variety of class times and don’t have to commute to campus.

It is important that while studying online you truly feel you belong to the Trojan family and are engaged with fellow students and professors. The state-of-the-art learning platform facilitates high-level interactions by bringing you face-to-face with faculty and peers. In addition, you will have access to social networking, groups, organizational tools, one-on-one guidance sessions with your professors and access to all university resources and amenities.

You will also have the ability to create your own online profile and search those of your classmates, just as you would on Facebook. This allows you to get to know your classmates inside and outside of class.

The ratio is 20:1.

Courses are taught by USC Rossier clinical faculty, many of whom teach in our on-campus programs. A large majority of our professors are practitioners in the field, and all hold advanced degrees.

Our master’s degree programs offer both full-time and part-time program tracks. The full-time track can be completed in as few as 11-15 months, and the part-time track in up to three years.

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Part of each program’s curriculum involves immersing yourself in a local school (or your own if you are currently teaching) where you’ll conduct interviews and complete observations and teaching experiences through either Guided Practice —our version of student teaching — or an action-research project. 

We do! Most graduate education programs place the responsibility of finding a placement school on the student, which can be challenging. Due to the standards we uphold to ensure our students receive the highest quality field experience, our dedicated placement services team will find a placement site in your community that meets the program’s criteria.

We work with more than 4,800 placement partners around the world and are continually adding more to ensure our students are placed in a school that meets their needs.

Yes. As a student in the Master of Arts in Teaching with Teaching Credential program, you can be recommended for a California teaching credential. If your goal is to teach in another state, our student support team will provide support and direction to help you identify the most direct and efficient path to local certification.

If you are currently teaching and are in one of our non-credential programs, we will seek approval from your school of work. As long as your administration approves of our fieldwork, you can complete your fieldwork at your school. If you are currently teaching and are in our credential program, you cannot be a teacher of record and complete your fieldwork simultaneously.

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Students in our online programs benefit from our full student services, which include student support, academic advising, career services and full access to the Trojan Network. Master’s degree candidates also have access to support from our field placement services team.

USC Rossier offers our online students dedicated career services, including resume building, mock interviews, networking, job searching and so much more.

The USC Rossier School of Education is committed to the continuous improvement and professional success of our graduates. Our formal commitment is that USC Rossier will provide all graduates who reach out to us with ongoing resources as they start and build their careers.

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USC Rossier candidates cannot currently transfer credits from another program toward the Master of Arts in Teaching or Master of Arts in Teaching — TESOL. That being said, candidates should connect with their Admission Counselor to learn about how their academic background can strengthen their application.

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