Comparative International Education and Student Diversity

This graduate-level course involves participating students in a comparative analysis of educational systems worldwide and the growing diversity of students within them. Initial topics will begin with an in-depth review of higher education systems around the world, and how they align and diverge from each other in educational practice and degree completion. Educational theory, policy, and legislation in diverse contexts will be examined, with a particular focus on the US and the EU, as well as the role of education and educational policy and how they translate into real life issues of social justice, human rights, and global citizenship. As the course progresses into the how international education is implemented and comes into contact with its beneficiaries, i.e. the student population, topics will address the impact of diversity and multiculturalism on higher education campuses and classrooms. Students will be challenged to reflect on the ultimate question of whether systems are effectively accommodating the diverse student populations that they serve, and how the rapid pace of world change will affect the needs of both.