USC Teacher Certification Programs: Online MAT and Doctoral Options
USC’s Rossier School of Education offers online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs in Multiple Subject and Single Subject tracks, plus a MAT-TESOL track and an online Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership. The MAT programs prepare candidates for a California preliminary teaching credential through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, but candidates still need to satisfy CBEST and CSET requirements separately.
Sponsored School(s)
USC has represented academic excellence in California since 1880, and its Rossier School of Education has built a reputation for placing graduates directly into classroom and district leadership roles across the state. Eighty-three Rossier alumni currently serve as California K-12 district superintendents, overseeing the education of roughly a third of the state’s children.
Faculty and Research Behind the Rossier Name
USC’s broader faculty roster includes Nobel laureates, MacArthur Fellows, and National Academy members, and Rossier draws on that same research culture. Seven Rossier faculty members currently rank among the American Enterprise Institute’s Top 200 Scholars Influencing Educational Policy and Practice. The school enrolls roughly 2,500 graduate students, and 46 percent identify as first-generation college students.
That research base shows up in the program’s graduates. Ethel Percy Andrus, the first female high school principal in California and founder of AARP, earned her degree at USC. So did Frances Wilson, a Marine Corps general who went on to lead the National Defense University, and Cindy McCain, a former special education teacher who later served as Executive Director for the UN World Food Program.
What the Master’s Degree Adds to a California Teaching Credential
You don’t need a master’s degree to become a certified teacher in California, but USC’s MAT programs are built for two different candidates: people who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another field and want a path into teaching, and current teachers who want to deepen their practice. Both online MAT tracks are delivered through live class sessions rather than pre-recorded lectures, and both let you stack on additional credential coursework while you’re already earning the degree.
California Requirements the Degree Doesn’t Replace
Earning an MAT from USC Rossier doesn’t substitute for the state’s own credentialing steps. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) still requires candidates to satisfy the basic skills requirement, typically through the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST) or qualifying SAT, ACT, or AP scores, along with subject-matter competency through the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) in your concentration area. USC folds student teaching directly into the coursework, with placements running four full days a week starting in the program’s second semester, but the CTC exams remain a separate requirement candidates handle on their own.
Online Master of Arts in Teaching
The MAT lets you choose a Multiple Subject concentration for K-6 instruction or a Single Subject credential for a specific secondary subject, including English, mathematics, science, or social science. While completing the degree, you can also add coursework toward any of the following:
- California Education Specialist Credential (no added units, but additional exams and fieldwork required)
- California Bilingual Authorization in Spanish
- Gifted Education Certificate
Online Master of Arts in Teaching, TESOL
California is the most diverse state in the country, and that shows up directly in its classrooms. State Department of Education data from the 2021-22 school year found that about 40 percent of California students speak a language other than English at home, and more than 1.1 million are classified as English language learners. USC’s MAT-TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) trains candidates in the social and linguistic factors that shape instruction for non-native English speakers, with a curriculum built around language acquisition research rather than generic classroom management advice. California residents can add a World Languages Credential to the degree with four additional units of coursework. As of this writing, the MAT-TESOL program is not accepting applications for the upcoming fall term, so check directly with USC Rossier for the program’s current enrollment status before applying.
Online Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership
This EdD targets administrators, not classroom teachers. Candidates with a master’s degree complete 43 units over about three years. Candidates without one, but with at least six years of leadership experience, complete 60 units over about four years. Coursework covers organizational leadership and change management applied specifically to education, corporate, nonprofit, and government settings. The program runs mostly online but includes two in-person immersion weekends rather than running entirely remote.
Completion timelines vary widely by track: the MAT runs 11 to 15 months, MAT-TESOL runs about 17 months full-time, and the EdD in Organizational Change and Leadership runs three to four years depending on which unit track you enter under. USC Rossier’s program pages list current tuition, application deadlines, and start dates for each track.
Frequently Asked Questions
What degree programs does USC Rossier offer online for teachers?
USC Rossier offers an online Master of Arts in Teaching with Multiple Subject and Single Subject tracks, a MAT-TESOL track focused on English learner instruction, and an online Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership for administrators.
Do I need a bachelor’s degree in education to apply to the MAT program?
No. The MAT is designed for candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree in any field and want to move into K-12 teaching, as well as current teachers looking to deepen their credentials.
Does the MAT program satisfy California’s teacher exam requirements?
Not entirely. USC’s MAT prepares you for a California preliminary teaching credential and builds student teaching into the coursework, but you still need to satisfy the CTC’s basic skills requirement (CBEST or qualifying test scores) and subject-matter competency (CSET) separately.
Can I use a USC Rossier credential to teach outside California?
The MAT is built around California credentialing requirements. Teaching in another state generally requires checking that state’s licensing board for its own requirements and any reciprocity agreements with California.
Who is the MAT-TESOL program designed for?
MAT-TESOL is built for candidates who want to teach English learners specifically, whether in California classrooms or internationally, and covers the linguistic and social factors involved in non-native English language instruction. The program isn’t accepting new applications for the current admissions cycle, so confirm availability with USC Rossier before applying.
- USC Rossier offers four distinct online paths — MAT Multiple Subject, MAT Single Subject, MAT-TESOL, and an EdD in Organizational Change and Leadership for administrators.
- The MAT doesn’t replace CTC exam requirements — CBEST (or equivalent scores) and CSET are still required separately from the degree.
- Student teaching is built into the coursework — placements run four full days a week starting in the program’s second semester.
- MAT-TESOL addresses a real need in California classrooms — about 40 percent of the state’s students speak a language other than English at home, though the program is currently pausing new admissions cycles, so check availability before applying.
- Eighty-three Rossier graduates currently lead California school districts as sitting superintendents.
Find accredited teacher certification programs, including USC’s online options, to compare application requirements and timelines for your California credential.
