What will our graduate programs look like 10-20 years from now?

1. What will our graduate programs look like 10-20 years from now? David Marsh Rossier School of Education

2. Assumptions About Graduate Programs • Jobs for grads will be harder to get; new career paths. • Jobs will have firmer accountability, shifting policy contexts that will shape work in new ways, costs will be more important, change jobs more often

3. Program Assumptions • Work we prepare them for: gathering information, meaning and patterns, strong practice skills linked to key ideas, decisions, complex environments, diversity of clients, global competition from new competitors, new role for university work

4. Program Assumptions • The learning process for graduate students will be quite different: information availability, problem-solving, role of the professor, the way you conduct research and the labs for learning/apprenticeships, the nature of capstone assessments

5. The USC Context • Relentless pursuit of excellence and improvement • Aggressive leadership models: initiatives for undergrad and Ph.D. degree improvement • A new president/interim provost and many new leaders, and increased expectations for deans.

6. The USC Context • Graduate School with Ph.D. control but also policies/reviews that support appropriate practices--and a history of avoiding law suits more than improving graduate programs. But new leadership and leadership style • Faculty role in academic review has been soft and fuzzy.

7. The USC Context • Many Ph.D. degrees--yet few are rated in the top 10 or even top 20 among US universities • Strong professional schools that had a purpose, but now have a new mission--national rankings and seek new impact • Many international doctoral students--with new patterns of going "home" rather than staying in the US • New opportunity:

8. Create Fresh Synthesis and Distinction between Ph.D. and Professional Doctorates: • Use Carnegie Study as base • Study would lead to understanding and revised strategic direction • Deep Policy Review--with new program assumptions from above

9. Carnegie Study • See the handout • Six Ph.D. Disciplines • Six professional doctorates • Analytic framework: signature pedagogy, capstones, laboratories of practice

10. Create The New Signature for USC Professional Degrees • Problem-solving in rapidly changing world--Games with the best of our expertise. (See the handout) • Acquiring information and using existing data—new models and partnerships • Expand our innovation/policy efforts

11. Use Our Global Perspective • Use our International students and partnerships effectively • Study mega-urban patterns: research and interdisciplinary impact • Create and utilize best practices/tools from around the world—

12. Focus on Our Urban/Diversity Advantage and Values • Urban diversity impact/labs for learning--Crenshaw Project • Prepare our Ph.D. and professional doctorate students to work effectively in urban/diverse situations

13. Should USC Graduate Programs Be Offered via Distance Learning? • The world is shifting that way • The senior USC administration wants USC to do this

14. What are the best ways to educate graduate students? • See the USC signature list • New planning/implementation processes • New governance arrangements at USC • Better study of “what works” • Better partnership with USC administration • Vision/mission, funding, big picture plan