phd in international education

Doctor of Philosophy in Education

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The Harvard Ph.D. in Education trains cutting-edge researchers who work across disciplines to generate knowledge and translate discoveries into transformative policy and practice.

Offered jointly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Ph.D. in Education provides you with full access to the extraordinary resources of Harvard University and prepares you to assume meaningful roles as university faculty, researchers, senior-level education leaders, and policymakers.

As a Ph.D. candidate, you will collaborate with scholars across all Harvard graduate schools on original interdisciplinary research. In the process, you will help forge new fields of inquiry that will impact the way we teach and learn. The program’s required coursework will develop your knowledge of education and your expertise in a range of quantitative and qualitative methods needed to conduct high-quality research. Guided by the goal of making a transformative impact on education research, policy, and practice, you will focus on independent research in various domains, including human development, learning and teaching, policy analysis and evaluation, institutions and society, and instructional practice.   

Curriculum Information

The Ph.D. in Education requires five years of full-time study to complete. You will choose your individual coursework and design your original research in close consultation with your HGSE faculty adviser and dissertation committee. The requirements listed below include the three Ph.D. concentrations: Culture, Institutions, and Society; Education Policy and Program Evaluation; and Human Development, Learning and Teaching . 

We invite you to review an example course list, which is provided in two formats — one as the full list by course number and one by broad course category . These lists are subject to modification. 

Ph.D. Concentrations and Examples

Summary of Ph.D. Program

Doctoral Colloquia  In year one and two you are required to attend. The colloquia convenes weekly and features presentations of work-in-progress and completed work by Harvard faculty, faculty and researchers from outside Harvard, and Harvard doctoral students. Ph.D. students present once in the colloquia over the course of their career.

Research Apprenticeship The Research Apprenticeship is designed to provide ongoing training and mentoring to develop your research skills throughout the entire program.

Teaching Fellowships The Teaching Fellowship is an opportunity to enhance students' teaching skills, promote learning consolidation, and provide opportunities to collaborate with faculty on pedagogical development.

Comprehensive Exams  The Written Exam (year 2, spring) tests you on both general and concentration-specific knowledge. The Oral Exam (year 3, fall/winter) tests your command of your chosen field of study and your ability to design, develop, and implement an original research project.

Dissertation  Based on your original research, the dissertation process consists of three parts: the Dissertation Proposal, the writing, and an oral defense before the members of your dissertation committee.

Culture, Institutions, and Society (CIS) Concentration

In CIS, you will examine the broader cultural, institutional, organizational, and social contexts relevant to education across the lifespan. What is the value and purpose of education? How do cultural, institutional, and social factors shape educational processes and outcomes? How effective are social movements and community action in education reform? How do we measure stratification and institutional inequality? In CIS, your work will be informed by theories and methods from sociology, history, political science, organizational behavior and management, philosophy, and anthropology. You can examine contexts as diverse as classrooms, families, neighborhoods, schools, colleges and universities, religious institutions, nonprofits, government agencies, and more.

Education Policy and Program Evaluation (EPPE) Concentration

In EPPE, you will research the design, implementation, and evaluation of education policy affecting early childhood, K–12, and postsecondary education in the U.S. and internationally. You will evaluate and assess individual programs and policies related to critical issues like access to education, teacher effectiveness, school finance, testing and accountability systems, school choice, financial aid, college enrollment and persistence, and more. Your work will be informed by theories and methods from economics, political science, public policy, and sociology, history, philosophy, and statistics. This concentration shares some themes with CIS, but your work with EPPE will focus on public policy and large-scale reforms.

Human Development, Learning and Teaching (HDLT) Concentration

In HDLT, you will work to advance the role of scientific research in education policy, reform, and practice. New discoveries in the science of learning and development — the integration of biological, cognitive, and social processes; the relationships between technology and learning; or the factors that influence individual variations in learning — are transforming the practice of teaching and learning in both formal and informal settings. Whether studying behavioral, cognitive, or social-emotional development in children or the design of learning technologies to maximize understanding, you will gain a strong background in human development, the science of learning, and sociocultural factors that explain variation in learning and developmental pathways. Your research will be informed by theories and methods from psychology, cognitive science, sociology and linguistics, philosophy, the biological sciences and mathematics, and organizational behavior.

Program Faculty

The most remarkable thing about the Ph.D. in Education is open access to faculty from all Harvard graduate and professional schools, including the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Harvard Kennedy School, the Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard School of Public Health. Learn about the full Ph.D. Faculty.

Jarvis R. Givens

Jarvis Givens studies the history of American education, African American history, and the relationship between race and power in schools.

Paul L. Harris

Paul Harris is interested in the early development of cognition, emotion, and imagination in children.

Meira Levinson

Meira Levinson is a normative political philosopher who works at the intersection of civic education, youth empowerment, racial justice, and educational ethics. 

Luke W. Miratrix

Luke Miratrix is a statistician who explores how to best use modern statistical methods in applied social science contexts.

Eric Taylor

Eric Taylor studies the economics of education, with a particular interest in employer-employee interactions between schools and teachers — hiring and firing decisions, job design, training, and performance evaluation.

Paola Uccelli

Paola Ucelli studies socio-cultural and individual differences in the language development of multilingual and monolingual students.

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Dissertations.

The following is a complete listing of successful Ph.D. in Education dissertations to-date. Dissertations from November 2014 onward are publicly available in the Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) , the online repository for Harvard scholarship.

• 2022 Graduate Dissertations (265 KB pdf)
• 2021 Graduate Dissertations (177 KB pdf)
• 2020 Graduate Dissertations (121 KB pdf)
• 2019 Graduate Dissertations (68.3 KB pdf)

Student Directory

An opt-in listing of current Ph.D. students with information about their interests, research, personal web pages, and contact information:

Doctor of Philosophy in Education Student Directory

Introduce Yourself

Tell us about yourself so that we can tailor our communication to best fit your interests and provide you with relevant information about our programs, events, and other opportunities to connect with us.

Program Highlights

Explore examples of the Doctor of Philosophy in Education experience and the impact its community is making on the field:

Elevating Teacher Voices in Professional Development Planning and Design

A new study co-authored by Megan Satterthwaite-Freiman highlights the need for more effective and personalized training on how to lead conversations about sensitive topics in the classroom

Honoring the Cultural Backgrounds of All Students

A new research paper provides a model for social and emotional learning in schools that is culturally sustaining  

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Ph.D. in Education - Comparative and International Education Concentration

Make an impact on a global scale.

The Comparative and International Education PhD concentration examines education in global contexts. Education is viewed as a way to develop the capabilities of individuals, communities, nations, and the world, and to build institutions that support educational improvement and the common good. Faculty research focuses on issues of migration, forced displacement and refugees, under-developed capacities of historically marginalized groups, education for global competence and global citizenship, international higher and K-12 education, and the complexities of action at local, nation, and global levels.

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International Perspectives Engage in active learning opportunities to confront challenges in education globally through linkages with international communities within and outside the United States.

Hands-On Experiential Learning Take part in our larger inclusive cross-disciplinary team as well as a more focused research project. You’ll bring your experience in education to the design, development, data collection, and analyses of a research project.

Principles of Research Gain a deeper understanding of designing and conducting ethical and culturally relevant research with human subjects and considering the social impact of the work.

The GW Advantage

As a Carnegie R1 institution (very high research activity), the George Washington University is home to world-class faculty that are leading cutting-edge research, along with diverse research labs, cross-collaborative initiatives between schools and local organizations, and unparalleled educational and employment opportunities.

Benefit by examining education reform in the policymaking capital of the world, plus gain a wealth of hands-on experiential learning opportunities at nearby diverse school settings.

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 Program at a Glance

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education, Comparative and International Education Concentration

course delivery:

Main Campus

Program entry:

The aims of the PhD are to:

•  Use multiple modes of scholarly inquiry to conduct rigorous research and develop new theory related to problems that require the integration of multiple disciplines and fields of study, in which education and/or human development play a major role.
• Build theoretical and conceptual foundations of key fields of study within the larger domain of education and human development.
• Contribute to the improvement of policy and practice.
• Create “research hubs” of recognized experts and communities of learners within GSEHD and the George Washington University (GW).
• Promote research in partnership with other organizations (e.g., think tanks, research institutes, both in the U.S. and abroad).
• Attract expertise and funding to GSEHD and GW.
• Attract and retain exceptional students.
• Create a highly valued educational experience at GSEHD through innovation, increased collaboration, and research.
• To what extent does storytelling enable young people with refugee and immigrant experiences to navigate their sense of self and community?
• How are U.S. higher education institutions responding to increasingly restrictive anti-migration policies and a growing wave of xenophobic activity?
• Does student and teacher participation in international education programs lead to positive youth, racial, and intercultural identity development?
• How have education for sustainable development policies been advanced at regional and national levels?
• How does civic education vary in schools with more and less cosmopolitan-oriented student bodies?

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• Guide to Applying
• Admission Requirements
• Application Deadlines

GSEHD’s Office of Admissions invites you to apply for a spot in our program. Please review the following admission and financial information.

Ready to take the next step in your career? Review our step-by-step guide to applying to GSEHD >

To learn more about the program, admission process, and upcoming events, please connect with the GSEHD Admissions Team at [email protected] or 202-994-9283.

To be considered for admission, applicants must submit the online application form as well as the following required supporting documents. There is no application fee.

• Prerequisite: Master’s degree in a field relevant to teaching and learning
• Curriculum Vitae
• Transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities
• Statement of Purpose: An essay of 1200 words or less, through which the candidate clearly identifies the purpose in undertaking cross-disciplinary graduate study in teaching and learning that includes: (a) rationale for seeking a Ph.D. in Comparative and International Education; (b) articulation of academic objectives, personal research interests and how those align with what Washington, DC, GW as an institution, GSEHD as an education school offers, how the applicant feels they will benefit from training with the faculty in the program and across the university; and (c) how the applicant’s background and related qualifications prepared for this work and align with long-term goals.
• 3 Letters of Recommendation , with one preferred from a professor in the applicant’s Master’s degree program
• Interview with Faculty: Interviews may be required. Applicants should be prepared to discuss the alignment of their research interests with those of the program faculty.
• Writing Sample: Candidates are required to submit a current writing sample. The sample should reflect the candidate’s abilities to articulate complex ideas and to utilize evidence in support of his/her arguments. The writing sample should also provide evidence of the candidate’s research skills and engagement with scholarship.

Please note: The GRE is not required.

*Additional application requirements may exist for international applicants .

Applications are now being accepted for Fall 2025 . We encourage you to apply as early as possible.

For more information or to inquire about the next admissions cycle, contact the GSEHD Admissions Team at [email protected] or 202-994-9283.

 Tuition & Financial Aid

• Tuition Overview

We know embarking upon graduate school is a big decision - due in part to the costs of attending. At GW, we understand the time and thought behind making graduate school work for you. Please take a moment to learn more about the options and opportunities available to help fund your graduate education.

Learn more about scholarships, grants & financial aid    

Graduate tuition is charged per credit hour, unless otherwise noted. Rates vary by program and location.

The tuition rate for the PhD in Education - Comparative and International Education Concentration program is $1,905 per credit hour . 

This program requires 60 credits .

Please note: Additional fees may apply for international students, late fees, etc. Current tuition rates may be updated during the year.

*Summer 2024, Fall 2024 and Spring 2025

View the current fee chart     

Scholarships are available to eligible admitted students. Review eligibility requirements and learn more about funding your education >

My academic pursuit has become clearer: To ensure equitable and quality education for children in urban slums and children with refugee backgrounds. Such pursuit and endeavor of mine were driven by my advisor, faculty members, and colleagues/classmates, who are my dream team continuing to motivate me to stride forward with confidence, perseverance, and will.

InJung Cho Current Student, PhD in Education, Comparative and International Education Concentration

 Career Outlook

A PhD in Education with a concentration in Comparative and International Education opens up various career opportunities in the field of education, research, policy analysis, and international development.

Examples of potential career paths include:

• University Professor/Researcher: Become a professor, researcher, or lecturer at a university, conducting research, teaching, and contributing to the academic community.
• Education Policy Analyst/Advisor: Policy analysts and advisors may work for government agencies, think tanks, or international organizations to inform and shape education policies. Policy analysts research and evaluate education policies at the local, national, or international level.
• Researcher for NGOs and International Organizations: Work for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or international bodies focusing on education-related research and projects. This could involve addressing global education challenges, promoting access to quality education, and advocating for policy changes.
• International Education Consultant: Provide insights, recommendations, and strategies for improving educational systems on a global scale to organizations, schools, or governments.
• Curriculum Developer: Design educational curricula and culturally responsive learning materials that considers international perspectives and best practices.
• Global Education Program Manager: Manage and coordinate international education programs for schools, universities, or organizations. This role may involve overseeing study abroad programs, exchange initiatives, or collaborative projects with institutions from different countries.
• Cross-Cultural Training Specialist: Assist individuals or organizations in navigating cross-cultural challenges, especially in the context of education. This role may be beneficial for international schools, businesses, or organizations working in diverse environments.
• Education Diplomacy: Engage in diplomatic efforts related to education on an international scale. This could involve representing a country's educational interests in diplomatic negotiations, fostering collaborations, and participating in international forums.

Comparative and International Education (PhD) Faculty

Assistant Professor, International Education and International Affairs

Professor, International Education and International Affairs

Associate Professor, Curriculum and Pedagogy

Research Professor, Education Policy

Associate Professor, International Education and International Affairs

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 international education in the news.

Faculty Lead Inclusive Education Efforts in West Africa

September 19, 2024

Dr. Gresham, Dr. Engel and alumna Elaine Walton led a hybrid workshop in Senegal titled, "Raising the Bar: Real-World Rigor" as part of their IIES initiative.

GW University Seminar Grant Awarded to REAL Lab

August 23, 2024

REAL lab faculty and students received the grant for their project, "DMV Regional Community of Practice on Refugee Students in Higher Education."

Dr. Engel Panelist at "Unlearning Intolerance: Global Citizenship Education and SDG 16"

July 17, 2024

Dr. Engel served as panelist at APCEIU event hosted at United Nations Headquarters, "Unlearning Intolerance: Global Citizenship Education and SDG 16."

ETS-GW Research Summer Internship Program is Underway

July 3, 2024

The ETS-George Washington University Research Summer Interns started their program at the ETS Campus in Princeton at the beginning of June.

GSEHD Faculty and Alumna Organize First International Inclusive Education Symposium in Ghana

May 3, 2024

Drs. Gresham and Engel collaborated with GSEHD alumna Elaine Walton to organize the inaugural International Inclusive Education Symposium in Ghana.

About International Education PhD

Students in International Education are expected to become aware of social justice issues in education and to understand participatory and popular education approaches to education. Graduates should have developed an in-depth awareness of cultural differences; the ability to apply critical theory and pedagogy in both schools and communities in domestic and/or international settings; and practical skills in training, project development, research, and evaluation.

Department Administrator

Program: internationaled [at] umass [dot] edu

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International and Comparative Education Program

Challenge Yourself with the International & Comparative Dimensions of Education

Our program develops graduates who become educators, program managers, policymakers, and researchers who aim to ensure equity, equality, peace, and sustainability in the U.S. and around the world.

Celebrating our students’ fantastic achievements in 2023-2024!

Ice students obtained more than 40 awards this year.

Welcome New Doctoral Students – Fall 2024!

Call for Papers: CICE Special Issue on "Climate Change, Migration, and Conflict: Lessons in Education"

Welcome to the international & comparative education program.

The role that education can play in mitigating the challenges that we currently face in the U.S. and around the world has never been more promising or more daunting. We need critical thinkers and innovators who will aim to develop programs, create policies, and conduct research that seek to ensure equity, equality, peace, and sustainability. Each year a diverse group of students from around the world come to Teachers College to study International & Comparative Education with our renowned faculty and to prepare themselves to make lasting contributions to these efforts.

Choose Your Academic Track

Since 2024, the two programs – Comparative and International Education (CIE), and International Educational Development (IED) – operate as one degree-program International Comparative Education (ICEd) . The ICEd program offers an M.A. and Ed.M. degrees; CIE offers a doctor in philosophy degree (Ph.D.) and IED offers a doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.). The International Comparative Education (ICEd) program includes four academic tracks or clusters (see below).  The four clusters include:

• Cluster 1 : Global Governance, Policy, and Planning
• Cluster 2 : Human Rights, Emergencies, and Peacebuilding
• Cluster 3: Multilingual and Decolonial Dimensions of Education 
• Cluster 4: Academic Disciplines

Learn More About Clusters .

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Admissions Information

Application requirements.

• Comparative and International Education
• International and Comparative Education
• International Educational Development

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Program Director : Garnett Russell, Associate Professor of International & Comparative Education

Teachers College, Columbia University 374 Grace Dodge Hall

Contact Person: Michelle Guo, Program Assistant

Phone: 212-678-3184

Email: iceinfo@tc.columbia.edu

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PhD, International Education

In the International Education PhD program, you will investigate key challenges, complexities, and inequities affecting global education systems and programming through intensive coursework and applied research. Our interdisciplinary approach applies theoretical, conceptual, and methodological advances in the humanities and the social sciences to the analysis of international educational policies and institutions. The PhD in International Education requires the completion of a minimum of 54 credits, a written and oral examination, and a dissertation. We welcome both full- and part-time students. You will work with your faculty advisors to develop a course of study that concentrates on an area of the world, with expectations to conduct field work abroad, and take courses in specialized research methods, social science or humanities disciplines, and educational policy. Our PhD graduates go on to pursue academic careers in comparative and international education and/or careers as researchers or professional educators in international and multinational settings. 

Core Course Sequence 

Our curriculum includes doctoral seminars, core courses in international education, specialized research methods, areas studies courses, and course work in the student’s area of interest. In consultation with your faculty advisor, you will choose elective courses that will prepare you to conduct research or work within a particular academic discipline, professional field, and/or geographic area. You will also develop competencies in the research methods that will be used in your dissertation research. Beyond campus and coursework, our doctoral students conduct original fieldwork on key education questions relating to policy and programming domestically and internationally with nonprofits, NGOs, refugee services, multilateral organizations, government agencies, and higher education institutions. Through in-depth experiential learning inside and outside the classroom and first-hand research in the field, you will shape your theses and key contributions to the field of international education, and complete the program prepared to take academic and leadership positions in diverse education settings.

Core Courses

• Foundations of International Education
• Contemporary Issues in International Education
• Content Seminar in International Education I
• Content Seminar in International Education II
• Department Doctoral Seminar I

Specialization Sequence

As a doctoral student, you may specialize in one of the following areas of concentration as a general pathway to organize and tailor your program of study:

• Cross-Cultural Exchange and Training  equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to engage in research, teaching, and employment within academia or with educational and cultural organizations that promote international exchanges and cross-cultural training
• Global Education prepares you to conduct research; teach; and pursue opportunities in academia or in schools, publishing houses, and educational agencies dedicated to the design, development, and implementation of global education initiatives
• International Development Education prepares students to conduct research, teach, and work in academia or in government agencies, private voluntary organizations, and foundations that deliver educational assistance to low- and middle-income countries to foster sustainable economic development.

Students may also choose to develop a regional and/or disciplinary concentration. Most area studies courses are offered in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. These may include courses in, for example, Political Science, Sociology, Philosophy, Economics, etc. as well as regional studies.

Sample Elective Courses 

Students must complete a minimum of 31 credits in elective coursework. At least 12 credits of elective coursework must be taken in research methods. Students, in consultation with their faculty advisor, should select elective courses that will prepare them to conduct research or work within a particular academic discipline, professional field, and/or geographic area.

In Quantitative Methods

• Intermediate Quantitative Methods: The General Linear Model 
• Topics in Multivariate Analysis
• Causal Inference
• Missing Data

In Qualitative Methods

• Approaches to Qualitative Inquiry
• Case Study and Ethnographic Inquiry
• Interview and Observation
• Participatory Action Research

Culminating Experience

The dissertation represents the culmination of your doctoral training in the form of an independent piece of scholarship. It should represent a unique, valuable, and rigorous contribution to research in the field of international education.  You may choose to complete a “Traditional Format” dissertation that focuses on presenting the motivation, research question(s), literature/framework, methods, findings, analysis, and implications of a single empirical study over the course of multiple (often 6-7) chapters. This format is sometimes called a "Book" dissertation to reflect the idea that it could, in theory, be published as a monograph by an academic press. Alternatively, you may choose a "Journal Article Format" that presents 3 distinct papers from multiple empirical studies that belong to a coherent research agenda.  This format is called the "Journal Article Format" dissertation to reflect the idea that each paper could, in theory, be published as a journal article in a peer-reviewed journal. 

Prior to the dissertation, you will complete a written comprehensive exam focusing on the basic literature that grounds the field of international education followed by an oral comprehensive exam based on an individual reading list prepared in consultation with your dissertation chair and committee members. Once you have successfully completed the written comprehensive examination, your dissertation chair will help you identify two additional faculty members to help share the oral comprehensive exam reading list as noted above and to serve on the dissertation committee (for a total of three members). The committee will supervise the writing of the proposal and the dissertation. At the completion of a successful proposal defense, you will advance to candidacy (“ABD”) and complete your dissertation research, analysis, and writing. After submitting the dissertation, you will defend the document before an examining commission of five faculty, including the dissertation chair, two sponsoring professors (your committee members) and two outside readers.

Curricular Requirements

Program requirements, candidacy examination, dissertation committee, dissertation proposal, final oral defense.

The PhD degree requires the completion of a minimum of 54 credits and a dissertation, as follows:

Students should develop competence in the research methods that they will use in their dissertation research. Faculty play a large role in directing individual mentees toward specific research courses and have their own individual specifications within these requirements. Both qualitative and quantitative methods sequences are housed in our department, but may be taught by faculty from other departments. Students prioritizing quantitative methods should take 4 courses in related methods, including for example, basic/intermediate/advanced statistics, causal inference, survey design, etc. and 1-2 courses in qualitative methods. Those prioritizing qualitative methods should take a minimum of 2 semesters of statistics, and 2 additional qualitative methods classes.

Each student may specialize in one of the following areas of concentration as a general pathway to help organize one’s courses. The specialization is intended to help students frame their work for others; it does not appear on the IE PhD diploma.

• Global Education
• International Development Education/Education, Conflict, and Humanitarian Action
• Cross Cultural Exchange and Training

Coursework is typically tailored to the student, and advisers decide together with their doctoral students which electives will suit the student’s areas of interest. These may include courses in, for example, Political Science, Sociology, Philosophy, Economics, etc. as well as regional studies. Students may choose to develop a regional concentration. Most area studies courses are offered in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Additional Program Requirements

While completing coursework, students are known as “PhD students.”  Upon successful completion of coursework, written comprehensive exam, oral comprehensive exam, and proposal defense, they are known as “PhD candidates.” 

After completing most of their core course work, students should begin preparation for the candidacy examination. The candidacy examination has two parts -- a three-hour written comprehensive and a two-hour oral session. The written part focuses on the basic literature covering modernization theory, cultural identity, nationalism, globalization, and socialization and is largely based on the three core theory classes. The International Education Program faculty work together to write the exam questions. We encourage students to study together as a cohort and use and build on the notes that their colleagues developed in previous years. Most students choose to take their written exam by beginning of their 4 th  semester so that the material from the core theory classes is still fresh in their minds. The exam is offered on one single date in the fall or spring, scheduled at the request of the students in consultation with faculty. Faculty determine the final date for the exam.   

The oral examination focuses on key theoretical frameworks from the key discipline the student draws on (e.g., see disciplines below), major field of specialization in International Education (e.g., loosely described as Global Education, International Development Education, Conflict/Peace Education, or Cross Cultural Exchange and Training), research methods, and the area studies concentration.  Students must demonstrate competence in one of the following academic disciplines: anthropology, economics, history, philosophy, politics, or sociology. Students should use electives in their specialized field of international education and in their area studies concentration to build their theoretical knowledge to satisfy this requirement. Three professors conduct the oral examination representing expertise in, for example, the area studies concentration, disciplinary concentration, and research methods. Prior to taking the examination, each student must submit a list of books and articles for each part of the examination first, to their adviser, and second to the committee members for approval.

When a student has successfully completed the candidacy examination and has chosen a topic for research, their adviser will help her/him identify two faculty members to serve on the sponsoring committee who will supervise the writing of the proposal and the dissertation. Although not required to be the same, these two members may be the same as the two selected for the oral comprehensive examination. The chairperson of the committee is the student’s adviser. The adviser must be a full time faculty member of the International Education program unless there is a compelling reason for another choice. At least one committee member must come from outside the International Education Program; they may come from the department, elsewhere in Steinhart, NYU, or beyond. In most cases at least one of the members of the committee is a specialist in the country or region in which the student has conducted their research.

The dissertation proposal should be completed and defended ideally by the beginning of the second semester of the third year. We recommend this deadline since the proposal defense typically must be completed in order to apply for dissertation research grants and fellowships. The proposal review process requires the PhD student to work closely with their primary adviser and the two other dissertation committee members to move the proposal to its final state. Once the chair and committee have agreed that the proposal is ready for defense, the student distributes the final version to the committee and to the two proposal reviewers/external readers. At the completion of a successful proposal/defense, the PhD student advances to candidacy (“ABD”). If Human Subjects (IRB) approval is required for the dissertation research, this paperwork should be submitted immediately after the proposal defense. 

While preparing the dissertation students must enroll in a 0-credit course, MAINT-GE 4747, to maintain matriculation.

After submitting the dissertation each student will defend the document before an examining commission of five faculty, including the adviser and two sponsoring professors and two outside readers. The defense may include general areas of knowledge in the student's field of specialization as well as specific questions on the dissertation itself.

Sample Plan of Study

Following completion of the required coursework for the PhD, students are expected to maintain active status at New York University by enrolling in a research/writing course or a Maintain Matriculation ( MAINT-GE 4747 ) course.  All non-course requirements must be fulfilled prior to degree conferral, although the specific timing of completion may vary from student-to-student.

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