The curriculum highlights current theoretical models that explore diverse perspectives, values, approaches and skills that enable you to work with confidence and increased intercultural understanding on campus. Assignments are designed for you to apply what you learn to specific cases and situations from your own professional or personal life.
You should be prepared to spend seven to ten hours per week completing learning activities, which includes readings, assignments, asynchronous group discussions, and other projects. For courses with an online component, you will be required to log in to the course website at least every other day.
Before you begin registering for courses, you must first apply and be successfully accepted into the program (see Admissions and Registration section).
Required Courses
The following set of workshop, studios and courses are required components of the program.
Studio Session: Navigating the Program and Orientation
A two-hour studio session that is discussion- based. Participants are provided with a road map of the program and they have the opportunity to raise questions about what it means to fully engage the diversity that exists on campus and explore ways to foster inclusivity, appreciation of differences and relationship building across cultures.
Course: Strategies for Effective Intercultural Communications
Build essential skills that can help organizations and communities benefit from the many opportunities that diversity presents. Learn how culture affects communication and how you can embrace differences with more ease and confidence. Find out how power imbalances can impact interactions and discover practical tools to reduce misunderstandings and strengthen inclusivity. This is a 100% online course.
Studio Session: Navigating Your Learning
A two-hour studio session that is discussion- based. Participants have the opportunity to raise questions about what they have learned in the prerequisite course and explore ways to apply these lessons to their work context.
Course: Managing@UBC
Managing@UBC is a program designed to support managers in their role, recognizing the significant responsibility they hold for employee performance, engagement and achievement of unit goals. This is a self-directed program accessed through an e-learning site. The site gives you access to online lessons, various resources, as well as way to register for six in-person workshops, and several lunch & learns, studios, and special events. This is a blended course (online and in-class).
Course: Leadership in Intercultural Contexts
Explore your leadership strengths and areas of growth and opportunity when leading in an intercultural setting. Complete the Intercultural Development Inventory and receive individualized feedback on your results. Reflect on your cultural identity, role and challenges in your own leadership context and develop a plan for applying your skills to create change and build inclusive communities and organizations. This is a 100% online course.
Studio Session: Navigating Your Role
A two-hour studio session that is discussion- based. Participants have the opportunity to bring the challenges, and successes of intercultural strategies to the session and examine ways to modify and apply the strategies learned to their work context.
Studio Session: Navigating Being an Ambassador
A two-hour studio session that is discussion- based. Participants have the opportunity to discuss the application of what they had learned in the program and what it means to be an ambassador in the UBC community.
There are also two, one-hour individual program advising sessions.
Elective Courses (choose two)
If you are interested in obtaining the full UBC Certificate in Intercultural Studies with a specialization in Managing@UBC, only two additional CIS courses are required. Recommended courses include Moving Teams Beyond Diversity to Inclusion, Engaging Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations, and Identity and Intergroup Relations. Upcoming electives are: