Intercultural Communication

Offered byFutureLearn

Intercultural Communication
at
FutureLearn
Overview

Learn to appreciate, adjust to, and work or study in different cultures, with this free online intercultural communication course.

Duration	35 hours
Total fee	Free
Mode of learning	Online
Difficulty level	Beginner
Official Website	Explore Free Course
Credential	Certificate

Intercultural Communication
at
FutureLearn
Highlights

Access to this course for 7 weeks
Offered by Shanghai International Studies University
Effort Required: 4 hours/week
Enroll for free
Pay only for getting a verified certificate

Intercultural Communication
at
FutureLearn
Course details

Who should do this course?

This course assumes no prior knowledge and is suitable for pre-university, undergraduate and post-experience students. You will need high school-level English or above, an interest in international issues, and curiosity about, exposure to or experience with other cultures.

What are the course deliverables?

Identify the importance of learning intercultural communication
Describe the composition and significance of your cultural identities
Compare cultural assumptions of your own and others
Identify cultural variations in communication styles
Classify some major cultural values underlying different behaviors
Apply these for adaptation in intercultural interactions more confidently and resourcefully

More about this course

Whether you're engaging in business across borders or cultural regions, meeting other people through international travel, working in a diverse, global organisation or studying abroad, you can benefit from a better understanding of intercultural communication.This course will focus on the basic but important concepts.The understanding and appreciation of cultural differences that you gain will help you adjust to the new cultural practices that come into your life - whether via the media or through interpersonal interactions.You will learn with a cross-cultural team from Shanghai International Studies University (SISU), since its inception in 1949 which has become a leader in language and culture teaching.

Intercultural Communication
at
FutureLearn
Curriculum

Introduction to the course and field, potential learning objectives, and leading definitions of what constitutes intercultural communication?.

Exploration of story narratives, metaphors, and meanings related to interculturality.

Analysis of situated cases to identify sources of intercultural misunderstanding.

Benefits of intercultural applications to personal life, business and education.

Variations in personal, social, and cultural identity, and cultivate greater awareness and sensitivity to one's own and other's cultural identities.

Exposure to and appreciation of cross-cultural complexity through the social learning engagement of this international community.

Social perceptions of stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination related to intergroup contact.

Variations and perceptions of typical communication behaviors or practices and taxonomies for understanding context, space, time and other contextual factors (Hi-low Context, Proxemics, Monochronic-Polychronic, Silence).

Exposure to and application of leading values frameworks and levels of analysis that undergird cultural assumptions, expectations, and behaviors (from Hall, Hofstede, Schwartz, the WVS).

Experiential descriptions of culture shock and coping dynamics, adaptation processes, and growth outcomes in cross-cultural transitions.

Reflection on complex cases, other's comments, and replies to enhance mindful observation, analysis, and understanding toward cultivating intercultural competence.