Training teachers across cultures: a comparative study of graduate-level initial teacher licensure programs in Romania and the United States of America

Purpose The purpose of this study was to conduct a cross-national comparative examination of two graduate-level initial licensure teacher preparation programs at Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai in Romania and North Dakota State University in the United States of America, both considered research-intensive institutions in their respective countries. Furthermore, the study sought to examine how lessons drawn from this unique comparison of highly specific graduate teacher education programs may inform future revisions of both programs. Design/methodology/approach The study relied on a mixed-methods approach, collecting quantitative data via a survey instrument and qualitative data via follow-up individual email interviews. A content analysis of curriculum documents from both institutions was also conducted. Findings Findings indicate that the two programs reflect the institutional and contextual traditions of their respective national education systems. Notably, one program places greater emphasis on theoretical preparation than the other. The results also offer insight into graduate-level teacher preparation for initial licensure and provide guidance on areas within these programs that could be strengthened or improved. Research limitations/implications Given this study’s limited sample size, further comparative longitudinal studies with an expanded sample of programs from multiple national settings and a larger sample population are needed. Practical implications This comparative analysis revealed convergences and divergences that could be instrumental in further reforming the two programs. Originality/value This research provides novel, in-depth insight into the multifaceted aspects of graduate teacher education in Romania, which, along with its undergraduate counterpart, has been subjected to frequent reform initiatives by successive Romanian governments. It also provides a unique look into NDSU’s graduate-level initial teacher licensure program, which has been in existence longer than its Romanian counterpart but has not yet been examined either on its own or in a comparative perspective as part of an empirical research project.