The Intercultural Studies major aims to be innovative in its design and responsive to today’s rapidly changing world, while remaining faithful to the ideals of the liberal arts tradition, foremost of which is to promote good global citizenship by fostering cultural appreciation, critical thinking skills, ethical leadership and creative problem solving. This major brings together diverse aspects of a humanities/liberal arts education; a broad range of methods, perspectives and challenges are explored in the areas of language, culture and economics. In short, it aims to equip students with competencies for lifelong learning and with knowledge that is essential for any career and a meaningful human existence.
In so doing, the program aims to foster the analytical and intuitive thinking skills, creativity, communicative facility and ethical awareness that prepare students to be future decision-makers and lifelong learners. All students in the Intercultural Studies major study a common set of core courses designed to introduce them to theories and methodologies in Intercultural Studies, in addition to new fields and subfields of various related disciplines.
All students in the Intercultural Studies major are required to take a set of common core courses designed to introduce them to key concepts and practices in the field of Intercultural Studies. They are then provided with the flexibility to decide on one of three areas of concentration within the major program, with close consultation with their advisor. In their final academic year, students are required to conduct, in any two higher-level courses of their choice, an independent research project.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Graduates of the Intercultural Studies major will be excellent candidates for careers in the international arena as interpreters, translators, diplomats and lawyers, government officials, business entrepreneurs and public relations specialists. In addition, the interdisciplinary structure of the International Studies major and the skills that student develop during their undergraduate studies should also provide career opportunities in such diverse areas as academia, journalism, writing/editing as well as the arts and media.