Research programs form the foundation of the Ph.D. program. USC is one of the nation's major research institutions, ranking top among U.S. private universities in dollar volume of federal research support. This commitment to scholarship ensures that all Ph.D. students benefit from research opportunities. Research of the highest quality is fundamental to the mission of USC and the Rossier School of Education. There are four dynamic and highly active research centers within the Rossier School of Education:

The Center for Cognitive Technology (CCT) conducts and analyzes interdisciplinary research on the role of new technology in the development of advanced expertise and performance motivation. Our mission is to improve learning, assessment, and motivation in diverse settings. Our task is to conduct studies and translate research and "best practice" into a technology-based application framework. Our goal is to support the development of equitable, effective and efficient programs that enhance instruction and improve performance for individuals and groups in a variety of settings. The theme of the center is the translation of cognitive learning and motivation research into practice as a way to solve many of the most difficult performance problems encountered in work and school settings. Directors include: Drs. Richard E. Clark, Allen Munro, and Douglas M. Towne.

The Center on Educational Governance (CEG) focuses on the linkages between policy, educational governance, and the improvement of urban schools and systems. Center researchers use an interdisciplinary approach to study current policy solutions to the educational problems posed by an increasingly global society. The main activities of the center are: (1) engaging in rigorous quantitative and qualitative research studies of policy problems; (2) building a knowledge base to provide researchers, educators, parents and policy makers with new tools and strategies for improvement; and, (3) working in partnership with educators and policy makers to use research to improve policy and practice. Current projects include U.S. and multi-national studies of school networks and strategic alliances, charter schools, leadership, data-driven decision making, and educational reform. The Center on Educational Governance is an interdisciplinary research center that unites faculty from across USC, including the Rossier School of Education, The Marshall School and the School of Planning, Policy and Development. The Center is directed by Priscilla Wohlstetter.

The Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis (CHEPA) is an interdisciplinary research Center established to engage the postsecondary-education community actively, and to serve as an important intellectual center within the Rossier School of Education. The Center's mission is to improve urban higher education, strengthen school-university relationships, and to focus on international higher education, emphasizing Latin America and the Pacific Rim. CHEPA has been awarded several grants to study access and financial aid to postsecondary education, and how to improve the governance and structure of colleges and universities. Dr. William G. Tierney, Director, and Adrianna J. Kezar, Associate Director.

The Center for Urban Education (CUE) is a research and action center whose mission is to conduct research that will result in the creation of enabling institutional environments for children, youth, and adults from socially and economically disenfranchised groups residing in urban settings. We define enabling institutional environments as those that foster successful educational and professional transitions (from K-12 through graduate school and into the world of work). And "urban settings" as those with frequent interactions among high population densities from a variety of ethnic, language, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Situated in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California's Rossier School of Education, CUE is uniquely positioned to explore the complex interplay between education and an urban environment similar to that found in most of the world's cities. Dr. Estela Bensimon, Director.

"The Ph.D. program at the Rossier School provides a great opportunity for students to work closely with faculty on research projects. We are committed to making sure that they have good mentoring so that they can become productive, contributing faculty members later on in their careers."
— Dr. Amanda Datnow, Associate Director, CEG.

"As a research assistant in the Center for Urban Education, I have opportunities to conduct groundbreaking research while interacting with fantastic colleagues and esteemed faculty."
— Edlyn Vallejo Peña, James Irvine Foundation Fellow, All-University Predoctoral Diversity Fellow