2 September 2015 at 9:00 am
New postgraduate course in international education launched
Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) has broken new ground in launching their postgraduate course International Education Issues and trends in theory, policy and practice. A first in New Zealand and unique in Australasia, the course can comprise part of a postgraduate certificate or diploma, or a 180 Masters (taught) in Education with online delivery options.
The first course starts on 16 November 2015, and finishes on 12 February 2016.
E-News caught up with course co-lecturer, Chris Beard, on the development of the course.
What students did you have in mind when developing the course?
This course will assist international programme managers, principals, directors of study, ministry officials, teachers and lecturers who deal with significant numbers of international students and student support professionals. It provides an introduction to international developments in international education, key concepts with application to local contexts, fundamentals of intercultural communication and critical reflection on practice.
How is the course the structured?
International Education is an online 15 point course that can be taken as part of VUW’s Masters in Education (180 points) with options to complete a Postgraduate Certificate (60 points) and Postgraduate Diploma (120 points).
VUW’s School of Education has excellent online courses which can be taken alongside International Education to complete these qualifications. Such courses include: Educational Leadership, Research Methods, Teaching Linguistically Diverse Students and Effective Mentoring and Coaching. More information can be found on our website here.
Is the course delivered solely online?
The course is delivered online and it is possible to complete a postgraduate qualification online. Other blended, on-campus courses are also available to those who prefer a face-to-face style of learning.
What are your expectations for enrolments this year?
Our surveying suggests there’s good demand for a course of this kind, and we’re hoping for around a dozen enrolments in the first cohort. A component of the course includes discussion on an online blog, which enables participants to draw on their professional experience and explore theory-to-practice.
When do you expect your first graduate?
The first graduates (postgraduate diploma and certificate) will potentially finish at the end of 2016 depending on whether students are full time or part time.
Are there similar courses in other parts of the world that have been useful models for the development of this course?
Points of reference have included Lesley University’s Master of International Higher Education and Intercultural Relations (US), University of Sydney’s MEd (International Education) and SIT Graduate Institute’s (US) MA (International Education).
What are this course’s points of difference to others around the world?
The uniqueness of this course is that it is tailored for educators, officials and professionals whose work depends on or is shaped by international education. It is designed to aid critical enquiry and evidence-based practice in an emerging field that is of increasing relevance to schools and tertiary education providers.
A copy of the flyer for the International Education course can be found here.
More information on the course can be found on the VUW website here.
If you have any enquiries about the course please contact:
Chris Beard Chris.Beard@vuw.ac.nz
or
Dr Stephanie Doyle Stephanie.Doyle@vuw.ac.nz
