Comparative and international development education PhD
in Organizational Leadership, Policy and DevelopmentThis comparative and international development education (CIDE) track program prepares you to conduct research and provide sophisticated consultation into how schools and educational systems across the world reflect varied cultural, economic, and political contexts, and how forces like globalization, internationalization, and intercultural and educational exchanges influence individual and community learning and experiences.
Your contributions to research will help policymakers, scholars, and school systems all over the world to understand more deeply how education can aid in the creation of equitable and just communities through the design of policies and programs that support authentic learning and development.
A unique feature of this program is its cohort approach to doctoral education. Students in both the on-campus program and in the blended Leadership in Intercultural and International Education (LIIE) cohort form life-long professional relationships with their peers through common courses designed to build community and establish supportive networks. Although the curriculum allows students to select many of their own classes, our graduates consistently note the beneficial nature of the common core courses for their professional development.
Doctoral students in Comparative and International Development Education gain the capacity to:
- Articulate and analyze historical and contemporary challenges in education across international and intercultural contexts.
- Design meaningful, relevant research projects; collect, analyze, and interpret qualitative and quantitative data; and provide clear and actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners.
- Develop and teach courses in comparative, international, and intercultural education; research methods; and allied fields (e.g., applied linguistics, inclusive education, leadership, and teacher education).
- Become faculty members in top internationally-oriented academic programs across the nation and globe who apply theory to practice and use practice to build theory in addressing some of our most challenging educational issues and problems.
- Become leaders in international development, international education, and intercultural education institutions who use their expertise to improve policy, school organization, classroom practices, and formal and informal learning in international and intercultural contexts.
Here are some career paths taken by recent PhD alumni:
- Professor in the areas of education, education policy, and sociology
- Associate provost for international programs
- Chief of party, US Agency for International Development
- Fellow in the Center for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution
- Grants manager at The Ford Foundation
- Reconceptualizing Social Capital Theory: Life Stories of Kazakhstani Youth from Rural or Lower Socioeconomic Backgrounds
- The Influence of Intercultural Sensitivity on the Adaptive Leadership of US Army Civil Affairs Officers Serving in International Post-Conflict Contexts
- Claiming Space: Older Adult Students’ Lived Experience and Sense of Belonging on an Age-Friendly University Campus
- Aspirational Meaning Making: A Qualitative Case Study of Education for Global Citizenship in U.S. Higher Education
- Intergenerational Identity, Poverty, and Maternal Voices of Color in a Breathing World Wrestling with Whiteness: Complexities and Contexts of White Educator Identities
- Contending Purposes of Pre-Kindergarten: A Comparative Case Study of Early Childhood Education Policy in Minnesota
Predicting Fundraising Performance in International Schools - Kneading our daughters: Pedagogies of nation-building and girls’ schooling in (post)colonial Bahrain
- “Stories as Theories”: Illuminating Human Rights Education Through the Narratives of Human Rights Educators
- (Dis)Covering Routes: Affective Turnover and Black American Teachers’ Transnational Migration to the United Arab Emirates
- Teach Me Too: The Educational Realities of Children with Disabilities in Morocco
- Higher Education Participation Inequities for Giay and Hmong Vietnamese Thirty Years after Doi Moi
- International Internships: A Stepping Stone to Employment?
- Imagining and Navigating the Future: Educational Aspirations and Agency of Economically Disadvantaged Ethiopian Secondary School Students
- Chinese National Applicants’ Perceptions of the Fairness of Undergraduate Admission Methods Used by U.S. Higher Education Institutions
About our students
Quote from Obafemi Ogunleye
In thinking of what it will take to develop African countries for the 21st century and beyond, the most effective solution, I see, is quality education. Specifically, quality higher education is key due to its ability to produce a pool of working professionals while supporting the development of growing industries. My role as a scholar is to observe and critically analyze how institutions might benefit, or be harmed, by the effects of an increasingly globalized higher education system.
Coursework
72 credits (48 coursework / 24 thesis) completed in 3-5 years for full time students.
Departmental core (16 credits)
Professional socialization seminar
- OLPD 8011—Doctoral Research Seminar I (1 cr) [Take Fall term of first year]
Research courses
- OLPD 8015—Inquiry Strategies in Educational and Organizational Research (3 cr) [Take Spring term of first year]
- Quantitative methods course (3 cr inside or outside of department; with approval of advisor)
- Qualitative methods course (3 cr inside or outside of department; with approval of advisor)
- Additional methods course (6 cr; with approval of advisor)
Program core
Includes the OLPD 8121 series, specialization courses for one of the two CIDE specializations, and CIDE electives; courses not specifically listed below should have advisor approval.
Doctoral seminars in CIDE
Take 9 credits; 3 credits in each of 3 semesters starting in the spring term of the first year.
- OLPD 8121-section 002—Doctoral Seminar: CIDE I (3 cr)
- OLPD 8121-section 003—Doctoral Seminar: CIDE II (3 cr)
- OLPD 8121-section 004—Doctoral Seminar: CIDE III (3 cr)
Additional coursework (12 or more credits)
Minimum of 12 credits required. These credits can be used to meet the requirement that a minimum of 12 credits be taken outside the CIDE track or for a minor. Courses not specifically listed should have advisor approval.
Electives
Take at least 5 credits from the following list. Any specialization core course not being used as core class can become an elective.
- OLPD 5044—Introduction to the Economics of Education (3 cr)
- OLPD 5056—Case Studies for Policy Research (3 cr)
- OLPD 5061—Ethnographic Research Methods (3 cr)
- OLPD 5080—Special Topics [various]
- OLPD 5107—Gender, Education, and International Development (3 cr)
- OLPD 5128—Anthropology of Education (3 cr)
- OLPD 8022—Education and Globalization: Anthropological Perspectives (3 cr)
- OLPD 8087—Seminar [various topics]
- OLPD 8102-Dynamics of Intercultural Communication (3 cr)
- OLPD 8104—Innovative Systems Thinking in Education and Culture (3 cr)
- OLPD 8302—Educational Policy Perspectives (3 cr)
Specialization courses
Take 6 credits in a specialization; at least one course must be at 8xxx level.
Specialization: Comparative and International Development Education
- OLPD 5103—Comparative Education (3 cr)
- OLPD 5104—Strategies for International Development of Education Systems (3 cr)
- OLPD 5121—Educational Reform in International Context (3 cr)
- OLPD 5702-Global Higher Edcuation (3 cr)
- OLPD 8101—International Education and Development (3 cr)
- OLPD 8103—Comparative Education (3 cr)
Specialization: Intercultural/international education
- OLPD 5048—Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Leadership (3 cr)
- OLPD 5124—Critical Issues in International Education and Educational Exchange (3 cr)
- OLPD 5132—Intercultural Education and Training: Theory and Application (3 cr)
- OLPD 8102-Dynamics of Intercultural Communication (3 cr)
- OLPD 8087—Seminar [various topics]
Thesis credits (24 credits)
All Ph.D. students are required to register for 24 semester thesis credits after completing the preliminary oral exam. The 24 credits must be taken over two or more terms.
- OLPD 8888—Thesis Credits: Doctoral
How to apply
Admission Deadline
Application deadline: December 1 for a Fall semester start.
Fall semester start only.
Applicants may only apply to one OLPD track.
Applications are not complete until ALL required materials and fees have been received. If anything is missing, your application may not be considered. It is strongly recommended to apply at least two weeks before any submission deadlines.
Applications are processed by the Graduate School. A decision for admission notice will be emailed to you once your application is carefully reviewed by the department's admission committee and your transcripts and any credentials (test reports, diploma copies, etc.) are authenticated by Graduate School officials.
Admission Requirements
Degree: Master's degree or equivalent
GPA: Undergraduate 3.0; Graduate 3.5
GRE: Applicants should not submit GRE scores, as they will not be considered in the review process.
TOEFL/IELTS Scores (Not required for U.S. students):
TOEFL: Internet based = 79 or above (21 writing/19 reading)
IELTS = 6.5
Readmission
If a graduate student in an OLPD program has become inactive they must follow the readmission procedures.
Whether you seek reactivation after accidentally being discontinued this term or want to return after a long absence these are the steps needed to re-apply.
- Complete the proper online readmission application.
If you have been away from the program less than five years use the Express Readmission Application and email it to olpd@umn.edu. All others must submit the Online Application for Readmission
- Once received, the department will forward your application to the appropriate admissions committee. Readmission decisions are normally determined by the program’s admissions committee, not any one individual faculty member.
Readmission is never guaranteed. Decisions for readmission are based on a review of previous progress toward degree completion, the proposed timeline for completion, the availability of faculty resources, and/or any additional application materials they may request from you. Individual programs/tracks reserve the right to readmit students under the current graduate program requirements, rules, and guidelines. They may also request an applicant to provide additional information prior to making a decision.
- Once the committee makes their recommendation, the department’s DGS will sign off on the decision and forward the result to the central Graduate Admissions Office for processing. Once processed, you will be notified of the decision.
Individual department programs and tracks reserve the right to require readmitted students to retake coursework if they deem it appropriate. Readmitted students are also required to abide by current time-to-degree policies as determined by the University, which may differ from the policy in place when they first started the degree program.
Individuals seeking readmission to the Ph.D., Ed.D., and M.A. program tracks in the former EDPA, WHRE, and WCFE majors can only reapply to the appropriate program track under the Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development (OLPD) major name.
Detailed application instructions
Click here to access the online application for admission.
Required fields in the application for admission are: Personal Information, Application Information, Educational Background, Languages, Awards & Activities, Employment/Residence Information, Financial Support, Applicant Statements #1 & #2, Recommendation Letters (limit 2), and Resume or CV. All other fields or application materials are optional, but will be taken into consideration if submitted.
Fees:
Review information about application fees here. The University of Minnesota Graduate School does not offer application fee waivers, reductions, or refunds.
Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts or academic records should be uploaded directly to the online application. Please do not mail in paper copies of your transcripts, there is no need for official transcripts or academic records for initial review. If you are admitted, the University will then request official copies of this material. Click here for more information about transcripts and credentials.
GRE scores are not only not required, they are not considered for applications to this program.
Statement #1, Personal Statement (required): Please provide a statement outlining your immediate educational and long-range career objectives in relation to your chosen field. If there is a particular faculty member with whom you wish to study, please give that person’s name and explain why you want to study with that person. You may also wish to include other information, such as any undergraduate research experience, internships, or other experiences you may have had to document your preparation for advanced study in your chosen field. If you are applying for the Ph.D.—CIDE/Leadership for
Intercultural and International Education (LIIE) or the Ph.D—EPL/Executive cohort programs, indicate this in your statement as well. [Please do not exceed two pages.]
Statement #2, Diversity Statement (required): Enrolling and graduating a diverse student body is central to the University of Minnesota’s mission. Please write a statement that identifies the distinctive qualities, characteristics, and life experiences you would contribute to your graduate program and to the education of fellow students at the University of Minnesota. You may wish to include examples that address your contribution to the diversity of the student body and illustrate your motivation to succeed by setting high standards for accomplishing intellectual and other goals, overcoming obstacles to achievement, and/or helping others to gain access to the resources necessary for success. [Please do not exceed one page.]
Statement #3: Extenuating Circumstances (optional): If your grades and/or test scores are not strong, and you would like to provide an explanation, please do so. [Limit 1200 characters.]
Two letters of recommendation (required). The strongest recommendations typically come from current or former professors who can assess your potential for graduate work. Other recommenders, such as employers, are also acceptable.
English Language Test Scores (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) Click here for more information about TOEFL Scores.
Common Ground Consortium Fellowship: If you wish to be considered for a Common Ground Consortium fellowship for African-American students indicate this by uploading your statement in the "Program Supplementary Information -Upload #1" section. The statement should briefly address the following: Given that the UMN is a public land grant institution, it is imperative that CGC scholars can both benefit personally from their membership in the program as well as further the university’s founding mission to contribute to scholarship that benefits the local and greater communities. Please describe how your participation as a CGC scholar would do the following: (a) enhance your graduate student experience, (b) prepare you for your chosen career, and (c) benefit the public.
Questions?
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