Global Master of Arts in
International Education (Full-Time)

This program is not currently enrolling new students.

At a Glance

Credits

34

Format

Full-Time

Instructional Sites

Spain, Nepal

Program Excursion Countries

Morocco

Duration

1 Year

Critical Global Issue of Study

Education & Social Change

Education & Social Change Icon

WHY A MASTER'S IN INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION?

Become a leader in international education and gain a global perspective through hands-on experience across diverse cultures and educational systems in Spain, Morocco, and Nepal. Through SIT’s experiential learning approach and immersive study in these distinct regions, you will develop critical skills in intercultural communication, leadership, program design and evaluation, policy analysis, and research—competencies essential for today’s socially minded international educators. By the end of the program, you’ll have the knowledge and expertise to design and implement educational programs that meet the needs of diverse learners in both formal and nonformal settings.

During your first semester in Seville, Spain, you will explore the educational policies and practices of Spain, Europe, and the MENA region through an excursion to Morocco. Through engaging seminars, lectures from local experts, field visits to schools and institutions, and hands-on experiences with pedagogies such as project-based learning, community-based learning, and social and emotional learning, you will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by educators in these regions. You will also engage in designing programs for international education contexts.

Your second semester takes you to Nepal, where you’ll deepen your understanding of education development. You’ll explore the educational systems of Nepal and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, applying global education theories to regional contexts. Through weekly field trips, including visits to rural areas, you will observe firsthand the impact of education on local communities, gaining a comprehensive understanding of global education trends and the unique challenges and innovations shaping education in Nepal and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

In your third semester, you will embark on an independent practicum anywhere in the world, applying your learning in a professional setting of your choice. This personalized experience, along with your capstone research project, will give you the opportunity to focus on a specific area of international education that aligns with your career goals. By the end of the program, you’ll be well-positioned for leadership roles and rapid career advancement in the field of international education.

Career Paths

Read about SIT Graduate Institute alumni careers through the SIT blog and our Career Impact page. Students who have graduated with this degree work in careers such as the following, among others.

  • Exchange program manager

  • Study abroad advisor

  • Education consultant

  • International School Educator

  • U.S. embassy education specialist

  • Program designer

  • Youth leadership program administrator

  • Community educator

  • Admissions director

  • Country development officer

  • Refugee resettlement officer

  • International programs admissions

Program Sites

Seville, Spain

During your semester in Seville, you will deepen your skills in communication, teamwork, and leadership while exploring Spain’s educational policies and practices. You will also learn how to design and implement programs for international education. Conversational Spanish classes will help you connect with locals and further enhance your language proficiency, all while enjoying the beauty and energy of this remarkable city known for its vibrant art, music, and many UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Morocco

While based in Spain for the first semester, you will go on an excursion to explore the rich cultural and educational landscape of Morocco. You will examine the ways in which language, culture, history, and religion shape curriculum, pedagogy, and policies in the region. You will also have an opportunity to learn about refugee education specifically.

Kathmandu, Nepal

Examine how culture, history, and geography shape the development of educational systems in Nepal and across the globe, and enhance your cultural immersion by developing your conversational Nepali skills. You will study education development, focusing on accessibility and sustainability in various settings, as well as practices and policies from Nepal and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. This experience will deepen your understanding of how education can be developed and reformed to meet the needs of diverse populations, giving you the tools to create more inclusive and sustainable education systems worldwide.

Click here for a description of the SIT center in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Practicum in Location of Choice

Embark on a transformative one-semester practicum anywhere in the world. This unique opportunity allows you to gain hands-on professional experience while advancing your knowledge through online courses tailored to your practicum focus. With individualized guidance from your advisor, you’ll receive the support you need to excel and make a meaningful impact in your chosen field.

Capstone Presentation Online

Culminate your program with a week-long seminar alongside students from other Global MA programs. This enriching event offers a unique opportunity to share your research, engage in meaningful discussions on global issues as they intersect with education, and build lasting connections with a network of like-minded peers. The capstone is the perfect conclusion to your Global MA experience, celebrating your accomplishments and expanding your perspectives on education’s role in fostering a more equitable and sustainable world.

Please note that in order to take advantage of dynamic learning opportunities, program excursions may occasionally vary.

Academics

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:

Knowledge

  • Articulate critical understanding of education systems around the world with emphases on mutual respect, accessibility for all, inclusion and belonging.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of influential theories in the international education field.
  • Understand the perspectives, relationships, roles, and influences of the stakeholders in the international education field.
  • Articulate how power, privilege, and oppression mediate educational practices around the world.
  • Articulate how international education policy is developed and implemented at the institutional, local, state, regional, national, and international levels.

Skills

  • Apply fundamental research skills including conceptualizing, designing, conducting, and presenting original research in the International Education field.
  • Design, deliver, and evaluate international education programs (including proposal preparation, needs assessment, curriculum design, budgeting, human resource management, health and safety, crisis management, marketing, recruitment, and evaluation).
  • Create and implement international education-related content through writing, facilitation, and public speaking.

Attitudes

  • Promote accessibility for all, mutual respect, and inclusive practices in education.
  • Uphold high ethical standards and critical reflexivity in all aspects of one’s professional work.
  • Value reciprocity in knowledge- and skills-sharing.

Read more about Program Learning Outcomes.



Coursework

International education professionals are most effective when they understand the context, issues, skills, and possible paths forward in their field. Through coursework in small personalized cohorts, SIT’s Global Master’s in International Education helps you learn the importance of intercultural partnerships and understanding necessary to facilitate quality international education programs through personal experience when you move to a new location, interact with partners and study their culture, history, and systems; and live with and learn from them.

This program requires completion of the Language and Culture Proficiency Requirement for graduation. Details can be found in the Catalog.

Please expand the sections below to see detailed course information.

Key Topics Icon

This is SIT

  • We value active togetherness, reciprocity, and respect as the essential ingredients for building a sustainable community.
  • With open minds, empathy, and courage, we facilitate intercultural understanding and respect for the commonalities and differences between people.
  • We champion social inclusion & justice in all that we are and all that we do, from ensuring our community and our programs amplify the voices, agency, and dignity of all people to deliberately instilling the principles and practices of inclusion in all of our work.
  • We are committed to human and environmental well-being through sustainability and contributing to a better world for all living and future generations.

Semester One, Fall: Seville, Spain
(13 credits + language study)
  • (IEDP-5500 / 3 credits) Theory and Practice in International Education
  • (IEDP-5558 / 3 credits) Comparative & International Education: Europe & MENA
  • (IEDP-5660 / 5 credits) International Education Design, Delivery, and Evaluation
  • (MPIM-5750 / 1.5 credits) Research Methods and Ethics 1
  • (MPIM-5003 / .5 credits) Professional Development Seminar 1
  • (SPAN-1002 / 2 UG credits) Spanish

Semester Two, Spring: Kathmandu, Nepal
(11 credits + language study)
  • (IEDP-5669 / 3 credits) Comparative & International Education: Asia-Pacific
  • (IEDP-5650 / 3 credits) International Education Development
  • (IEDP-5500 / 3 credits) Theory and Practice in International Education
  • (MPIM-5755 /1.5 credits) Research Methods and Ethics 2
  • MPIM-5004 / .5 credits) Professional Development Seminar 2
  • (NEPA-1002 / 2 UG credits) Nepali

Semester Three, Summer: Practicum and Capstone Research in Location of Student’s Choice
(10 Credits)
  • (IEDP-6601 / 6 credits) Global Field Practicum
  • (IEDP-6604 / 4 credits) Capstone

Faculty & Staff

International Education (Full-Time)

Carolina Castro Huercano, PhD
Chair and Assistant Professor
Meyrav Mor, PhD
Affiliated Faculty
Dhirendra Nalbo, PhD
Affiliated Faculty
Nazneen Zafar
Affiliated Faculty
Carmen Hernández Ojeda, PhD
Affiliated Faculty
Pavitra Paudyal, MA
Language Instructor
Pasang Rinzi Sherpa
Office and Finance Manager
Patricia Owens
Program Coordinator

Accommodations

Accomodations

Students are responsible for finding their own accommodations (if not in a homestay). You will be supported by SIT staff in each location during the process and while abroad. Stay in an apartment (shared or private); a guesthouse (these are simple, inexpensive and quite clean, and may even include food). In Kathmandu only, you may ask to be placed with a homestay family where you will be immersed in local culture and customs. While homestays are limited, they are less expensive and provide a chance to gain deeper cultural understanding through shared family experiences. See more information about housing for this program.

Discover the Possibilities

  • A day in the life of an SIT Graduate Institute student in Nepal

    Are you interested in SIT’s Graduate Institute programs and curious what a typical day looks like as a student? We asked Justin Sleppy, a Global Master’s in International Education student from Juneau, Alaska, to share what a typical day looks like in Nepal.

    Read more
  • Q&A: Dr. Carolina Castro Huercano on why the Global Master in International Education is an immersive journey

    Program Chair Dr. Carolina Castro Huercano shares why the MA in International Education is unique and what the career path is of a typical student who participates in this program.

    Read more
  • ‘State of the field’

    Reflections on a career in international education from Global Career Compass President Martin Tillman, and where the field goes from here.

    Read more
  • The business of study abroad

    SIT alumna Caitlin Kelley advances international education in a business school environment.

    Read more