Skip to Content Skip to Content

University of Minnesota
Driven to Discover


CEHD Wordmark - Print Version

School of Social Work
105 Peters Hall
1404 Gortner Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55108
Voice: 612-625-1220

YDL - A Peace Corps Master's International Program Partnership

Peace Corp imageThe University of Minnesota is proud to offer an innovative master's degree in Youth Development Leadership (YDL) with the Master's International (MI) program. This graduate degree offered by the College of Education and Human Development is for people who work with youth in traditional and nontraditional settings.


Download the Quicktime movie [.mov] 35mb

The program is affiliated with the Peace Corps as a partner school in their Master’s International program. However, admission into this graduate program does not imply or guarantee acceptance into the Peace Corps.

Students apply separately to the Peace Corps and The University of Minnesota for acceptance into the two programs. Students should apply to the Youth Development Leadership program FIRST before applying to the Peace Corps. The YDL degree is a 30 credit Master’s program (please see main web page for details.)

For those YDL students accepted into the Peace Corps a minimum of one full academic year of coursework is required before leaving for their 27-month Peace Corps service, which includes 3 months of training. Students in a Peace Corps placement may then earn up to an additional 12 credits during Peace Corps service towards the YDL degree.

This exciting cross-disciplinary degree program is based on a cohort learning mode. Acceptance into YDL is competitive. Previous academic performance, personal statement, professional and academic background, and letters of reference are all given serious consideration in the selection process. Please visit the link below to learn more about the Peace Corps Master’s International program.

Master's International Program with US Peace Corps

The Youth Development Leadership program at the University of Minnesota is pleased to be a partner school with the Peace Corps through their Master's International program. This partnership allows for qualified applicants to apply to the University of Minnesota and to the Peace Corps, and, if accepted by both, fulfill the program internship requirements through their 27-month Peace Corps service. For more information on this partnership and the professional, educational and financial benefits, please go to the Peace Corps Master’s International Program website.

Revised May 2011