Dec 07, 2024  
USC Catalogue 2024-2025 
    
USC Catalogue 2024-2025

Mental Health Leadership (EdD)


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The Doctor of Education in Mental Health Leadership is designed for individuals seeking to be effective, social justice-minded managers and leaders in the delivery of mental health and related human services across a variety of organizational contexts. Graduates will employ an empirically grounded, evidence-based and critical approach to supporting organizational efforts in providing therapeutic services, and challenging systemic inequities in mental health systems. The program's competencies encompass directing the efforts of multidisciplinary professional staff in the delivery of mental health and other related human services, as well as engaging in a range of leadership roles from supervision and consultation to research, teaching and evaluation. Upon successful completion of this program, graduates are equipped for roles such as mental health directors, clinical supervisors and health and wellness directors, as well as educators, applied researchers and consults in community mental health, higher education, K-12, private industry and independent practice. The EdD requires completion of 60 units of course work, including core courses, research methods and the dissertation in practice. Students admitted with Advanced Standing complete a minimum of 43 units.

This program offers a comprehensive curriculum that focuses on knowledge, skills and awareness to address the range of challenges in leading human service delivery systems from a social justice perspective. The coursework is delivered primarily online, supplemented by on-campus sessions.

The program prepares mental health and human services professionals to be effective in diverse roles as leaders and agents of social justice in the management and delivery of direct services. Focusing primarily on those who are licensed to practice at the master’s level, this doctoral degree equips aspiring professionals with the knowledge, skills and awareness to manage and lead organizations as well as engage in a broader array of leadership skills involving program development and evaluation, consulting, and teaching. A solid foundation in methods of inquiry and research literacy will be augmented by practical experiences to form a data-informed and holistic approach to meeting the diverse challenges of leading systems of direct service delivery in mental health and related human services.

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