Some universities offer doctoral students the opportunity to choose from a set of specialized research topics. The schools' websites usually list the options. For example, the University of California, Davis School of Education lists language, literacy and culture; learning and mind sciences; mathematics education; school organization and educational policy; science and agricultural education; and writing, rhetoric and composition studies as emphases from which Ph.D. students may select. Students conduct research within their chosen emphasis to further their understanding of a specific issue and how they can adapt their research conclusions to help students.
The future of American education lies in virtual classrooms, according to the University of Southern California, which offers a master of arts degree in teaching solely online. The program includes instruction in traditional teaching methods, but emphasizes the importance of staying up to date on technological developments in teaching and learning instruction. Students participate in group discussions using video-chat software and submit assignments to professors online. The school provides training so that even students with limited technology backgrounds can participate and incorporate technology into their own classrooms.
Some universities offer Education Specialist in Teaching doctoral programs that are designed for teachers who already have master's degrees and want to become educational leaders while remaining in the classroom. The University of South Carolina's Ed.S. program offers instruction in educational theory and practice, teacher-research methodology and school site-based teacher leadership. Students work with an advisor to select an area of concentration and complete field work to support their instruction. Those who successfully complete the program are eligible for state teaching-certificate advancement.
Prospective teachers who would like to work with special-education students may earn a degree with a credential in teaching children with physical, mental or learning disabilities. At California State University's Channel Islands School of Education, students may work toward a master of arts in education while simultaneously pursuing a special-education teaching credential. The program prepares students to work with children from ages five to 22 who have mild to moderate disabilities in special-education and general-education class settings. Teachers specifically learn how to teach special-education students for whom English is not their native language.