Master's in International Education

To ensure constructive leadership and improvements in our global community, we must address critical education issues concerning education reform and social justice on a worldwide scale. Whether it is through an emphasis on formal schooling, higher education institutions, or education in war zones, refugee camps, nomadic villages, and other unusual settings, international education professionals are prepared to bring about improvements in developing education systems. This program is designed for persons who are entering or advancing in positions associated with training, education, adult learning, and development activities in diverse settings that require international understanding. At GW, a Master’s degree in International Education gives you the opportunity to choose from three specializations: international higher education, international education development, and global education.

Students acquire knowledge of other countries and cultures, using the education system as a means of interpreting and translating knowledge across cultures and analysis of the formal and non-formal school systems as they reflect the history, culture, development, values, contemporary concerns, and future trends. In addition, students acquire tools, methods, and habits of analysis that enable them to play a variety of roles as leaders and change agents. GW's International Education program recognizes the importance of rich theoretical perspectives, but also steps out into the complexities of the real world through examining the actual practice of education in specific regional contexts.

This program houses the GW UNESCO Chair for International Education & Development, one of only two education schools selected from a worldwide competition.

Students interested in teaching English may enroll concurrently in the International Education Masters program and the Graduate Certificate in Teaching English Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). Courses can be applied toward earning a Master's degree and certificate. Students may also complete an IIE certificate or an ATM certificate. Students enrolled in the International Education program are able to obtain a Masters of Arts (MA) in Education and Human Development and a graduate certificate in Assessment, Testing, and Measurement with no additional coursework. This will involve simultaneous dual enrollment in the MA in IEP and the ATM certificate. In addition to the courses listed on the Assessment, Testing, and Measurement certificate page, students would take EDUC 6116: Introduction to Educational Statistics to fulfill their research requirement.

Thought Catalog / unsplash

Why a Master's in International Education?

• Location: The GSEHD International Education program has a rich history of training students to lead and address critical education issues in international organizations, government, business, and non-profit organizations. Students have access to global opportunities within walking distance of campus. Embassies, the World Bank, the U.S. government, and over 100 non-profits based in Washington, DC, influence the course of global education. Students are well-positioned to take advantage of internships and professional networks, development, and employment opportunities, as well as pioneering research, lectures, and policy events. GSEHD offers students access to opinion leaders and the opportunity to learn from our faculty who are leading experts on global policy trends, assessments, politics, conflict and education, student exchange, access, equity and inclusion, global citizenship, and migration.
• Home to the UNESCO Chair: one of only two education schools selected from the world-wide competition, GSEHD and UNESCO initiatives promote equitable access to quality education for all and offer scholarships for study abroad.
• Dual-Enroll Certificate: Students are able to dual-enroll in one of three certificate programs (Incorporating International Perspectives in Education, TESOL, or Assessment, Testing, and Measurement) without interrupting or prolonging their studies.
• Study Abroad: Students in the International Education program may have the opportunity to participate in short term study abroad trips for course credit. These opportunities allow students to further their work as scholar-practitioners through exposure to and research of other international perspectives.
• Convenient Schedule: Courses are scheduled once a week in late afternoons and evenings (Monday-Thursday) to accommodate the schedules of working professionals and for internship experiences.

Curriculum

Required: 30 credits, including 18 credits in required courses, 9 credits in courses in a specialization, and 3 credits in elective courses.

Required Courses

• EDUC 6112 Foundations of Assessment, Testing, and Measurement in Education
• or EDUC 6114 Introduction to Quantitative Research
• or EDUC 6116 Introduction to Educational Statistics

Five of the following:

• EDUC 6601 International and Comparative Education
• EDUC 6602 Regional Studies in International Education
• EDUC 6610 Programs and Policies in International Education
• EDUC 6620 Strategies and Analysis in International Education
• EDUC 6630 International Experiences
• EDUC 6631 Internship: International Education
• EDUC 6640 Selected Topics in International Education
• EDUC 6660: Capstone in International Education

Education and Development Study Stream

• EDUC 6610 Policy Issues in International Education: Developing Countries
• EDUC 6620 Planning Education Reform in Developing Countries

Global Education Study Stream

• EDUC 6610 Migration and Mobility: Exploring Citizenship and Education in the Global Era
• EDUC 6615 Internationalizing U.S. Schools

International Higher Education Stream

• EDUC 6610 International Higher Education
• EDUC 6620 Managing Study Abroad and International Student Offices

Specialization

9 credits in a professional, academic, or regional specialization selected in consultation with the program advisor.

Electives

3 credits of approved electives selected in consultation with the program advisor.

Up to 6 additional credit hours of internship may be required for students who do not have international education-related experience.

Assessment, Testing, and Measurement (ATM) Dual Enrollment Option

Students enrolled in the International Education program are able to obtain a Masters of Arts (MA) in Education and Human Development and a graduate certificate in ATM with no additional coursework. This will involve simultaneous dual enrollment in the MA in IEP and the ATM Certificate. In addition to the courses below, students would take EDUC 6116: Introduction to Educational Statistics to fulfill their research requirements.

• EDUC 8120: Group Comparison Designs and Analyses
• EDUC 8170: Educational Measurement
• EDUC 8171: Predictive Designs and Analyses
• EDUC 8175: Item Response Theory
• Or EDUC 8177: Assessment Engineering

Career Outlook

Our graduates are improving access, equity, and the experience of education across the nation and around the world. You will find our graduates leading at:

• USAID
• Georgetown University, BMW Center for German and European Studies
• Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center
• NAFSA Association of International Educators
• Education Development Center
• George Mason University International Student Services
• Institute of International Education
• British Council
• American School of Mozambique
• Johns Hopkins University School for Advanced International Studies
• WomenOne
• Carnegie Mellon University, Study Abroad/Foreign Student & Scholar Office
• The Alliance for Global Education
• The University of Maryland, International Scholar, and Student Services

Admissions

• Program Entry: Summer, Fall
• Prerequisites: Bachelors Degree
• Campus: Main Campus

Application Requirements

• Online Application
• Resume
• Statement of Purpose
• 2 Letters of Recommendation
• Transcripts (unofficial)
• Application Fee

*Additional application requirements may exist for international applicants