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The MA in International Education Management (IEM) is an online 36-credit program. You can study full time to graduate in three semesters or part time for greater flexibility.

Start Dates Credits Practicum/Thesis Program Chair
August or January 36 Required Anne Campbell

Learning Goals

Our curriculum is designed around a distinct set of learning goals to promote the relevant skills and knowledge that foster meaningful intercultural understanding and interactions in international education.

Requirements

Core coursework (21 credits)

Electives (12 credits)

Practicum or thesis (3 credits)

Core Coursework

21 credits

The interdisciplinary core coursework emphasizes the learning goals of the program. All courses are 3 credits.

Foundations of Leadership

Principles and Practices of International Education

Engage the fundamental principles of international education in program design, assessment, advising, partnerships, and social justice. You will explore career specializations in education abroad, international student services, admissions and recruitment, citizen diplomacy, youth programs, and more while interacting with practitioners and building your professional network.

Social Justice, and Change in Education

Explore the relationships between international education and power, privilege, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Investigate notions of oppression and transformation, and the conditions that facilitate and block social justice and change at the system, institution, program, and personal levels. Focus on how the select social topics intersect with international education: race and ethnicity; gender, sex, and gender identity; colonial and White settler identities; environmental sustainability and justice; and immigration and forced mobility, among others.

International Education Policy

Look into the role of global and national policies in shaping education. Examine national policies of education in the contexts of policy convergence, borrowing, and lending. Explore trends such as education as a form of soft power or trade, and aid for education.

Educational Design

International Education Program Design

Apply conceptual frameworks for program design, with an emphasis on utilizing logic models to guide program planning. Learn how to build and test program design ideas, identify models of good practice, and link to assessment for quality assurance. Examine human-centered approaches to program design, such as design thinking and universal design for learning. Practice iterative program development approaches individually and with peers to create a research-based program plan aligning activities with the desired impact. 

International Education Assessment

Assessment in the international education context prioritizes learning outcomes, with an emphasis on global and intercultural learning. Examine approaches to assessment, draft and evaluate learning outcomes, and write assessment plans. Critique existing assessment tools and practice creating new assessment tools. This course supports the development of essential assessment skills for practitioners.

Educational Management

International Education Marketing and Student Recruitment

Create a marketing and recruiting plan for an education organization eager for your advice. Learn how to define and segment your market, analyze the competition, build internal and external collaborations, and explore ethical dilemmas in recruitment.

Managing People and Resources in Cross-Cultural Contexts

Examine the complexities of staff and budget management in international and cross-cultural contexts. Specifically, you will learn about job description development, advertisement, inclusive selection processes, inclusivity and ethics, managing remote teams, theory and practice of budgeting, and cost analysis.

Electives

12 credits

Electives include all IEM courses, online intercultural competence courses, and other online program courses from an approved list.

Sample courses:

  • Education and Development
  • Education Abroad Management
  • International Student and Scholar Services
  • Global Education for the Future
  • Organization Development & Leadership
  • Budget & Finance: Public and Nonprofit Orgs
  • Service Learning: International and Domestic Community Partnerships
  • Introduction to Language Program Administration
  • Quantitative Data Analysis with Excel
  • Language Teaching for Social Justice
  • Introduction to Intercultural Competence
  • Power and Identities in Intercultural Contexts
  • Working Across Cultures

Practicum or Thesis

6 credits

You may conduct original research for a required thesis on an international education topic of your choosing.

Alternatively, you may gain professional experience through the practicum, working with study abroad programs, colleges and universities, youth exchange programs, ESL or language programs, and government agencies around the world.

Many students leverage the thesis or practicum for career advancement. Learn more.

Sample Course Schedule

IEM courses are taught over 7-week sessions that split the semester: the “A” session is the first seven weeks of the semester and the “B” session is the final seven weeks.

Term Course Credits
Fall (A) Career Management Workshop (Optional but Highly Recommended) 0
Fall (A) Principles and Practices of International Education 3
Fall (A) International Education Program Design 3
Fall (B) International Education Assessment 3
Fall (B) Elective 3
Spring (A) Social Justice and Change in Education 3
Spring (A) International Education Marketing and Student Recruitment 3
Spring (B) Managing People and Resources in Cross-Cultural Contexts 3
Spring (B) Elective 3
Summer (A) International Education Policy 3
Summer (A) Practicum 3
Summer (B) Practicum 3
Summer (B) Elective 3
TOTAL   36