Start your journey
Analyze global systems. Transform local practice.
The PhD in comparative and international education offers a sophisticated intellectual map for those who seek to understand and influence the future of global learning. We offer two distinct pathways to the degree:
- The traditional, on-campus path is best for students seeking a full-time or part-time residential experience with a focus on immersive research and preparation for tenure-track academic careers.
- The hybrid cohort program is designed for mid-career professionals and global leaders. This model combines intensive, three-week, summer sessions on campus with flexible remote learning the rest of the year, allowing you to maintain your professional role while engaging in a supportive, community-based doctoral experience.
Regardless of your path, you will develop the critical toolkit and transnational perspective required to lead in the most complex educational environments on earth.
Our mission statement
The comparative and international education (CIE) program at the University of Minnesota advances critical, collaborative, and forward-looking interdisciplinary research on education as a global, transnational, and locally situated phenomenon. Our curriculum is guided by principles of equity, social justice, and decolonial inquiry, and is designed to inform educational theory and practice. Our faculty are recognized experts in educational policy studies; inclusive education; Indigenous knowledge systems; science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) education; gender and education; land-based education and community inquiry; and migration, power, and youth politics. Studying comparative and international education at UMN prepares students to engage with contemporary challenges that confront educational systems globally, and to understand how these systems are shaped by situated political, economic, and cultural processes. Our graduates go on to shape more just educational futures in professions across different sectors, including government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and research institutions.
Careers
- University professorships: Leading the next generation of scholars in departments of education, global studies, and sociology.
- Senior research roles: Directing large-scale evaluations and policy design for United Nations organizations, think
tanks, and non-profit research centers. - Strategic policy leadership: Shaping national and international education agendas within governmental ministries, Tribal governments, and global non-profits.
- International exchange leadership: Managing global exchange programs, university international student and scholar services, and K-12 global experiences for youth and adults.
How to apply
Application deadlines
Traditional, on-campus PhD program
Admits students annually. Applications are due by February 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 until the next review date the following year. 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.
Hybrid cohort PhD program
Admits students once every three years. Next intake will be late 2028 / early 2029 for a Summer 2029 start.
- 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 until the next review date the following year. 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.
Degree: Bachelor's degree
GPA: 3.0 undergraduate
GRE: Do not submit GRE scores, as they will not be considered in the review process.
Teaching experience is not required for admission to this program.
TOEFL/IELTS Scores (Not required for U.S. students):
- TOEFL: Internet based = 79 or above (21 writing/19 reading)
- IELTS = 6.5
- Refer to this page for all English language proficiency requirements.
Required Fields
- Personal Information
- Application Information
- Educational Background
- Languages
- Employment/Residence Information
- Applicant Statements #1 & #2
- Recommendations Letters (limit 2)
- Resume or CV
Optional fields: All other fields or application materials are optional but will be taken into consideration if submitted.
Application Fee
U.S. citizen/permanent resident: $75.00; International: $95.00. Click here for more information about application fees.
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. The University will request official copies of this material if you are admitted. Click here for more information about transcripts and credentials.
GRE Scores
Do not submit GRE scores, as they will not be considered in the review process.
Applicant Statements
Complete Statements #1 & #2; Statement #3 is optional.
Statement #1: Personal Statement
Please provide a statement—do not exceed two pages—outlining why you are interested in this program and your immediate educational and long-range career objectives in relation to your chosen field. You may wish to include:
- How you expect this program will contribute to your professional development and career goals.
- How you anticipate applying the knowledge and skills you will gain from the program to your current or future working challenges and needs.
- How your professional experience can contribute to the collective learning of your fellow students in the program
Statement #2: Diversity
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. [Please do not exceed one page.]
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation are required. Acceptable recommendations will come from current or former supervisors, work peers, clients, or professors who can assess your academic and professional capabilities.
When you apply, the online application includes a section for you to list the contact information of the individual recommending you. They will receive an email from the application system with instructions on how to submit their letter. Please ask your recommendation providers to check spam/junk mail folders if they don't receive the message.
Request letters of recommendation early in the application process to allow enough time for your letter writers. Unsubmitted letters of recommendation are one of the most common delays during the application review process.
You may finish and submit your application before the recommenders submit your letters.
Additional Requirements for International Applicants
International students who will have completed 16 semester credits (within the past 24 months) in residence as a full-time student at a recognized institution of higher learning in the United States before entering the University of Minnesota are exempt from the testing requirement but may be asked to take locally administered English tests after arrival on campus. Click here for more information about English language proficiency requirements.
Contact
If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact our graduate admissions staff at olpd@umn.edu.
Tuition and funding
Tuition
Visit the University of Minnesota's One Stop tuition page for information on tuition. This program follows the guidelines listed under the "Graduate and professional" sub-heading. The general graduate tuition rate includes a 6-14 credit band for full-time registration. Each credit above or below the plateau is assessed on a per-credit basis.
Review the Cost of Attendance page as well as information about student fees assessed by the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD).
Students in the hybrid cohort model for this PhD program are charged the "resident" tuition rate.
CEHD fellowships, scholarships, assistantships, and grants for graduate students
As a graduate student in CEHD, you may be eligible for fellowships, grants, and scholarships from the University of Minnesota, from our college, and from your academic department. Get more information on funding opportunities!
University funding opportunities
Refer to the University of Minnesota Graduate School's funding page, specifically the page on fellowships for prospective / incoming students. Questions about University funding opportunities should be directed to the Graduate School —612.625.7579, or gsfellow@umn.edu
CEHD funding opportunities
Refer to CEHD funding opportunities. Questions about college and department-level funding for this program should be directed to OLPD graduate admissions staff at olpd@umn.edu.
Financial aid
Financial aid for your graduate program works a little differently than financial aid at the undergraduate level. It’s important to know the differences and explore your options. Check out this One Stop link for more information on eligibility, required steps, and timelines.
Request information
If you simply have a question and would like someone to reach back out with information, please complete our request information form. Your information will not be shared outside our department.
Coursework
Our doctoral curriculum is anchored by four intellectual pillars. At the PhD level they serve as the foundation for original scholarly inquiry and the production of new knowledge:
- Critical: We interrogate power.
Deconstruct systemic hierarchies, colonial legacies, and neoliberal ideologies. Move beyond questioning policy to analyze education as a site of both reproduction and liberation. - Comparative: We analyze difference.
Employ complex methodologies to investigate educational phenomena across scales. Move beyond simple comparison to explain why interventions succeed or fail in specific national contexts. - Transnational: We map connectivity.
Investigate the movement of people, capital, and ideologies across borders. Research how globalizing forces reconfigure national systems within a borderless political landscape. - Situated: We honor place.
Ground high-level theory in the specificities of the land and its people. Leverage our location—from Twin Cities refugee hubs to Indigenous sovereign nations—to bridge global theory and local reality.
This program consists of 72 credits (48 credits of coursework + 24 thesis credits) completed in 3-5 years for full time students. For a full list of requirements, visit the University of Minnesota program catalog and select "Comparative and International Development Education" under "Requirements" > "Program Sub-Plan Requirements."
The traditional PhD program is structured differently from the hybrid cohort program. Details below:
Faculty
Our faculty are world-renowned experts who provide deep, personalized mentorship across a range of specializations. You will collaborate with scholars like Joan DeJaeghere on gender equity, Roozbeh Shirazi on migration, Christopher Johnstone on disability rights, and Bhaskar Upadhyay on STEM and sustainability. Our program also features a robust focus on Indigenous and land-based education, led by Meixi, Elizabeth Sumida Huaman, and Iyekiyapiwiƞ Darlene St. Clair. Whether in our on-campus or hybrid cohort program, you are not just a student; you are a junior colleague participating in a vibrant intellectual exchange.
- 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
Contact
We’re here to help. Simply complete this form and a member of our department will be in touch. Your information will not be shared outside of our department.