Dr. Pedersen’s educational experiences include
- An A.A. degree from Grand View Junior College in 1956
- A B.A. in 1958 from the University of Minnesota in History and Philosophy
- An M.A. in 1959 in American Studies from the University of Minnesota
- An M.Th. from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago in 1962
- An M.S. in Counseling and Student Personnel Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1966
- A Ph.D. in Asian Studies (including examining fields of Counseling, Cultural History, Comparative Religion, and Political Theory) at Claremont Graduate School in 1968
He has had substantial career experience in a variety of international settings including:
- Teaching at an Indonesian university in Medan, Sumatra (1962-1965)
- Teaching in the University of Malaya and doing research in Malaysia (1969-1971)
- Full time study of Mandarin in Taiwan (1999-2000)
- Foreign Student Advisor/Counselor in the International Student Advisor’s Office of the University of Minnesota (1971-1978)
- External Examiner at three universities in Malaysia
- Numerous consulting experiences in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America and Europe
- A Senior Fulbright award teaching at National Taiwan University (1999-2000)