International Education

Master of Arts in Education and Human Development
Department of Educational Leadership

Mission and Program Outcomes

International education is grounded in the social sciences drawing many of its insights from economics, sociology, psychology, political science, and anthropology. Thus students who take up studies in international education are well advised to complement their educational studies with serious commitment to one or more of these core disciplines. While international education has one foot in the rich theoretical perspectives of the social sciences, it also steps out into the complexities of the real world through examining the actual practice of education in specific regional contexts. This practice may occur in formal schools and higher educational institutions. It also may occur in war zones, refugee camps, nomadic villages, or other unusual settings.

Graduate study in International Education at The George Washington University prepares individuals from the United States and overseas to pursue leadership positions in a variety of government, business, and non-profit organizations.  The program offers students a foundation of international/intercultural awareness and respect; a comparative base of knowledge about traditions and systems of education; analytic skills; and critical perspective.

International education covers a variety of specializations. The GWU program seeks to offer courses related to several of these specializations: 

• International Development and Education
• Education for Marginalized Populations
• Technology in International Education
• International Student Services and Exchanges (including Internationalizing Higher Education) 

Students in consultation with their advisor are urged to focus on one of these specializations and to select courses that are aligned with this focus. Additionally students in the International Development and Education specialization are urged to consider EDUC 6116 for their quantitative methods requirement.

Program Coordinator

Dr. William K. Cummings

Program Details

Program Locations:
Foggy Bottom Campus (DC)

36 Credit Hours

Sample coursework:

• Educational Programs for Youth Development
• Education in Emergencies
• Internationalizing U.S. Schools
• Educating Those Out of School
• Policy Issues in International Education
• Culture, Society, and Education in Comparative Perspective
• Designing & Managing International Education Development Projects
• Issues in Study Abroad
• Comparative Solutions to Common Educational Problems
• Planning Educational Reform in Developing Countries

Admissions Deadlines:
Fall: January 15 - priority deadline; April 1 - final deadline
Summer: March 1
Spring: October 1

Semesters for Entry:
Fall, Spring, Summer

For more information, contact:

Andre Wright, Assistant Director of Admissions
Phone: 202-994-1450
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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