Curriculum

Requirements

Core course work:

• Principles and Practices of International Education (2 credits)
• International Marketing and Recruiting (3 credits)
• Logic Model Frameworks for International Education (1 credit)
• International Education Design and Assessment (4 credits)
• Staff Management in an International Context (2 credits)
• Budgeting in Educational Organizations (2 credits)
• Comparative International Education OR International Education Policy (2 credits)

Electives (9 credits, must include 5 from approved list)

Practicum (or thesis alternative, 6 credits)

Language (8 credits)

Intercultural Competence (4 credits)

Core Course Work

The interdisciplinary course work emphasizes the learning goals of the program.

Principles and Practices of International Education

Engage the fundamental principles of international education through a focus on seminal literature in the field. You will also explore career specializations through interactions with practitioners and individual course assignments. 

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.

Logic Model Framework for International Education

Learn the purpose and practice of utilizing logic models for design and assessment in the international education context. This course emphasizes principles of the Theory of Change and the Program Logic Model. Logic Models are further developed in other courses.

International Education Program Design and Assessment

This project-based course provides you with the opportunity to study the stages of program development as well as learn and practice assessment methods. You will put your learning into practice working with an international education organization.

Staff Management in International Context

Examine the complexities of staff management in international and multinational contexts. Discuss job description development, advertisement, selection processes, salary setting and negotiation, ethics, workers’ rights, and managing remote teams.

Budgeting in Educational Organizations

Survey a broad array of budget issues relevant to successful management of educational organizations. Examine the role of the budget manager, primary budget elements, phases of the budget cycle, and interpersonal communication skills.

Comparative and International Education

Explore the breadth of educational systems and structures around the world, and the cultural, historical, philosophical, and economic forces that shape these systems. Study the effects of globalization, the role of international organizations, and issues of access and inclusion.

International Education Policy

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

Electives

Students take five credits of electives from an approved list and four credits from course(s) offered in any Middlebury Institute program. Sample courses:

• Education Abroad (Study Abroad) Management

• International Student and Scholar Services

• Fostering Diversity and Inclusion

• Organizational Sustainability of NGOs

• Introduction to Language Program Administration

• Counseling Skills for Advisors

• Language Teacher Education

• Proposal Writing for International Development

• Educational Diplomacy

Professional Practicum

You will finalize your degree in the workforce with a professional practicum (four-six months) in the international education field. You will build professional experience through working with an organization of your choice (some examples are listed below). Many students convert their practicum semester into full-time offers, while others successfully leverage this valuable work experience in interviews.

To earn credit, students are responsible for rigorous academic performance, equivalent in quantity and quality to the requirements for six credits of on-campus course work. Practicum work may be conducted in English or in foreign languages, depending on your capability and the needs of the organization.

Practicum Sites

• Colleges and universities in the U.S. and around the world

• Third-party study abroad providers

• ESL or language programs

• Education USA offices

• Institute of International Education

• Government education agencies

• Education associations

• International education marketing organizations

• International professional training program providers

• Youth programs

Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad

Our affiliation with Middlebury C.V. Starr Schools Abroad creates exceptional opportunities for interested students to take on responsibilities that include coordinating student housing, arranging excursions, facilitating activities to integrate students, arranging local internships for the undergraduate study abroad students, and institutional research projects, all conducted in the local language.

Thesis Alternative

Students with prior extensive professional experience in the international education field, may propose a thesis to the program chair for consideration. If approved, the thesis project can be pursued in lieu of a practicum.

Language and Intercultural Competence

Courses taught in your chosen language combine language skills development with topics related to your IEM degree work and professional interests. Our intercultural competence offerings provide the cross-cultural skills needed to pursue global careers. Sample courses:

• Teaching Chinese in a Globalized Context (in Chinese)

• Comparative and International Education in Latin America (in Spanish)

• Models and Decision Making for Positive Change (in French)

• Intercultural Group Dynamics

• Multilingual Communication in Multicultural Settings

Specialization Areas (Optional)

Students may specialize in one of the following areas:

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or Teaching Foreign Language (TFL)

A 15-credit specialization in TESOL or specialization in TFL provides broader professional expertise and additional career avenues in language education and curriculum design.

Language Program Administration

This 20-credit specialization in Language Program Administration focuses on professional skills such as developing budgets and monitoring expenses, training teachers and aides, and evaluating language program effectiveness.

Intercultural Competence

The 16-credit Intercultural Competence specialization equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to lead and train multicultural teams, to interact with diverse stakeholders, to create effective assessments and training materials, and to meet the challenges of working and interacting in intercultural settings.

Additional Program Options

Joint MPA/MA in International Education Management

Earn a Joint MPA/MAIEM in five semesters. This integrated curriculum features four semesters of course work and a one-semester professional practicum in the international education development field. It offers a multidisciplinary approach to education as a tool for development.

Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) are encouraged to apply for the Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Program.

Options for Peace Corps Service

Interested students can integrate Peace Corps service into their degree.

Sample Course Schedule

Fall Start, Full Time, Three Semesters