Studies & Degrees in International Education
International education is the study of how education works across borders. The US Classification of Instructional Programs describes the field, under the name International and Comparative Education, as a programme that focuses on educational practices and institutions in different societies and states in a comparative perspective, and on international educational issues. In practice it has two sides. One is academic: comparing school and university systems and asking why a policy succeeds in one country and fails in another. The other is professional: designing and running exchanges, study abroad programmes, international student services and education projects in development cooperation.
Students take courses in comparative research methods, country or area studies, international education policy and development, and cross-national studies of learning and teaching. Many programmes add an internship. The MA in International Education at New York University (NYU), for example, trains students to design, implement, manage and evaluate international education programmes, includes both qualitative and quantitative research methods, and has an internship placement in the United States or abroad.
Qualifications and levels
International education is mainly a postgraduate subject. Students usually come to it after a first degree in education, languages, social sciences or a related field, often with some experience of teaching or of living abroad.
- Master's degrees. The Master of Arts in International Education at NYU has 32 to 40 credits and can be taken full-time or part-time. The MA in comparative and international education at the University of Minnesota can be completed within one calendar year and ends with either a research-based thesis or a literature review capstone project.
- Doctorates. The PhD in International Education at NYU has 54 credits and prepares for a faculty position or for work as a professional educator in international settings. The University of Minnesota offers its PhD on campus or as a hybrid programme for mid-career professionals, with three-week summer sessions on campus and remote learning during the rest of the year.
- Courses within other degrees. At bachelor's level the subject usually appears as a course or minor inside an education or international studies degree.
These US credits are not ECTS credits. In Spain, official degrees follow the national structure: a bachelor's degree (grado) of 240 ECTS credits and master's degrees of 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
Admission
Master's programmes ask for a completed bachelor's degree and, for applicants whose first language is not English, proof of English proficiency. Deadlines fall well before the start of the course. NYU sets 1 October for a spring start and a priority deadline of 15 January for an autumn start, and does not require the GRE for its MA. The University of Minnesota admits students once a year, with applications due by 1 February for an autumn start. Fees and funding differ by university and by year, so check the current figures on each programme's own page.
Where to study it
SpainExchange lists 19 active schools under international education. Ten are in the United States, and there is one each in Chile, Ecuador, France, Morocco, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Not every school on the list awards a degree in the subject: the category also includes language schools and schools with an international curriculum, which are places where international education is practised rather than studied. The degree programmes described above are taught in English.
When comparing programmes, look at the balance between research and professional practice, whether an internship or a period abroad is part of the curriculum, which world regions the teaching staff work on, and whether the programme can be followed part-time.
Careers
Graduates work in the international offices of universities, in exchange and study abroad organisations, in government and in non-profit organisations. NYU reports that its alumni work at international education organisations, universities, governmental agencies and non-profit agencies. The University of Minnesota lists international agencies such as UNESCO, UNICEF and the World Bank, government policy offices such as ministries of education, global non-profits, and higher education administration in international student services and study abroad offices. NAFSA, the US association of international educators, notes that the profession ranges from frontline staff to faculty, deans and university presidents.
There are no official employment statistics for the field on its own. For the closest occupation that the US Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks, postsecondary education administrators, a master's degree is the typical requirement, and employment in the United States is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than the average for all occupations.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between international education and comparative education?
Comparative education compares education systems across countries. International education also covers the practice: exchanges, study abroad, international students and education in development work. Most programmes teach both, and many carry both words in their name.
Do I need a teaching qualification to study international education?
The programmes described here ask for a bachelor's degree, not a teaching licence. A degree in international education does not by itself qualify you to teach in schools; that depends on each country's rules for teachers.
How long does a master's degree in international education take?
It depends on the programme. The University of Minnesota states that its MA can be earned within one calendar year. The MA at NYU has 32 to 40 credits and can be taken full-time or part-time.
Where do graduates work?
Typical employers are university international offices, study abroad and exchange organisations, ministries of education, international agencies and non-profit organisations.