Decoding Intercultural Competence

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Please note that access to this course expires 60 days after purchase.

In this course, you'll build a solid foundation in intercultural competence guided by experts in the field, who share research-based frameworks and real-world insights on how culture shapes values, behavior, and communication. You'll examine your own cultural identity and communication style and learn how verbal and nonverbal cues vary across cultures in ways that can lead to misunderstanding if left unexamined. By the end, you'll have practical tools for turning moments of cultural confusion into opportunities for more effective, respectful communication in your work and daily life.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. explain what “culture” means in terms of components, characteristics, and functions and how it relates to international education;
2. define “intercultural competence” within the context of effective intercultural communication; and
3. identify and be able to articulate your own cultural identity and how it influences your communication style and how you best work with others

This eLearning course is led by Meredith Henderson and Brian Seilstad. Meredith is the executive director of GlobalNC and Brian is the director of the Office of International Programs at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco.

Let’s get started! Click on the topics below to move through the course. You can revisit each section as needed to reinforce your learning.

This course is also part of the Intercultural Competence e-Learning Express series. The other two courses are Developing Intercultural Competence and Training for Intercultural Competence. If you have purchased the Intercultural Competence course bundle, we recommend you complete the courses in the following order:

1. Decoding Intercultural Competence
2. Developing Intercultural Competence
3. Training for Intercultural Competence