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Global Certificates Program

Alexandra M. Stewart, Ph.D., academic associate dean, College of Arts and Sciences and Lisa J. Reed, J.D., associate dean for academic programs and global initiatives, Pamplin School of Business, co-directors

The Global Certificates Program is a certification program that allows students various pathways within their degree programs to demonstrate the University’s Global and Intercultural Learning Outcomes at the intermediate or advanced level.

In the Intermediate Program, students demonstrate the intermediate level of the Global and Intercultural Learning Outcomes. An Intermediate Global Scholar can work successfully with partners from other cultures locally and abroad and has a good understanding of how one’s own culture informs and influences one’s worldview, values, and beliefs. Intermediate Global Scholars achieve intermediate second-language proficiency and can use their second-language skills to accomplish everyday interactions.

In the Advanced Program, students demonstrate the highest level of the Global and Intercultural Learning Outcomes. An Advanced Global Scholar is prepared to work in the world on global issues with care and understanding for the complexity of human interactions and how they are expressed in cultures around the world. An Advanced Global Scholar can use a second language confidently as a means of bridging cultures and developing empathy and shared understanding in a variety of contexts.

For further information, contact the Collaborative for International Studies and Global Outreach (CISGO) representatives Alexandra Stewart, stewarta@up.edu or Lisa Reed, reedl@up.edu.

Global Certificate Program: Intermediate

Elements of the Program

I. Language Requirement

All Intermediate Global Scholars must demonstrate proficiency in at least one language other than English. This is defined as achieving the equivalent of Novice-High to Intermediate-Low in Chinese, French, German, Spanish, or for other languages at the equivalent level according to the Defense Language Institute. This may be demonstrated through the STAMP 4S exam (given on campus for French, Spanish, German, and Chinese) or through an alternative means that can be explained by the student in the portfolio.

II. Required Courses

Every Intermediate Global Scholar will be required to take:

  1. POL 205 World Politics — 3 credit hours
  2. One intercultural competence course — 3 credit hours:
    • SW/SOC 325 Power, Oppression, and Critical Consciousness
    • CST 431 Intercultural Communication and Identity
    • CST 411 Communication Across Barriers
    • CST 432 Gender and International Development
    • Other intercultural competence courses may be added to this list upon petition to the CISGO Executive Committee.
  3. Global Certificate Seminar. In this seminar, students will create a portfolio that will demonstrate how they have accomplished the outcomes of the program. — 1 credit hour

Total credit hours of required courses: 7

III. Courses in students' degree programs (6 credit hours). Some or all of these courses may be taken abroad.

Students in the College of Arts & Sciences:

Two additional courses from the following (6 credit hours total):

Note: Professional school students with a second major in the College of Arts & Sciences may follow the CAS pathway or the pathway associated with their primary major.

Students in Pamplin School of Business:

Two additional courses from the following (6 credit hours total):

Students in School of Nursing & Health Innovations:

Two additional courses from the following (6 credit hours total):

Students in School of Education:

Two additional courses from the following (6 credit hours total):

Students in Shiley School of Engineering:

One or two of the following (3-6 credit hours total):

  • EGR 480 Global Engineering
  • EGR 380 Medical Instrument Repair in the Developing World
  • an engineering course and/or capstone with an international component approved by Shiley School of Engineering

If only one option chosen from above, choose one of the following:

  • participation in an engineering study abroad program
  • participation in the Engineering Grand Challenge Scholars Program on a project that has a global component
  • participation in an Engineering Co-Curricular Initiative activity that requires inter-cultural exposure
  • participation in an international engineering internship

IV. Intercultural and International Experiences

All Intermediate Global Scholars must have at least one significant international and/or intercultural experience meeting the requirements described below. In some cases, a student may have two or more international and/or intercultural experiences which taken together meet the international and/or intercultural experience requirement. It is the responsibility of the student to make their case in the portfolio that the learning outcomes have been met through these experiences.

  1. All Intermediate Global Scholars must participate in an intercultural and/or international experience that includes mentoring or guided cultural reflection, e.g., orientation, re-entry program, ongoing reflection program, and required participation in activities or mentorship with the host community or the local cultural community.
  2. Experiences must meet 2 of 4 of the following listed criteria for the Global Certificate Program: Intermediate level of Immersion. Duration must be at least six weeks:
    1. Faculty or service/work supervisor maintains a relationship with the student while engaged in experiences, and contributes an assessment of the student’s intercultural experience
    2. Required language — able to communicate at a novice-high to intermediate-low level to fulfill day-to-day tasks in the host language while abroad or working locally within a community requiring intercultural competence and second-language proficiency.
    3. Course work — introductory course work in second language and/or in intercultural communication
    4. Experiential learning initiatives — extensive community service, volunteering, local club activities, language exchange, etc., while participating in the study/service/work abroad or intercultural study/service/work locally

Note: International students, whose native language is not English, may choose to demonstrate professional application of their native language and English language, plus 2 of 4 criteria listed above.

V. Portfolio and Portfolio Presentation

All Intermediate Global Scholars will compile a portfolio of work that will document in an accompanying executive summary (about 1-2 pages) that they have achieved the learning outcomes of the program. Their Global Certificate Seminar faculty mentor will assist them in putting together the experiences and documentation that will form the basis of their portfolio. The completed portfolio and summary will be evaluated by the CISGO Executive Committee. In addition, the student will present their portfolio in a public presentation open to the University of Portland community.

Global Certificate Program: Advanced

Elements of the Program:

Second-language proficiency and significant intercultural and international undergraduate experiences are key components of the program. Advanced Global Scholars will work closely with the program co-directors to create a pathway within their degree program and to present their experiences and work to the University of Portland community.

I. Language Requirement: 

All Advanced Global Scholars must demonstrate proficiency in at least one language other than English. This is defined as achieving the equivalent of Intermediate High in French, Intermediate High in Spanish, Intermediate High in German according to the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, or for other languages the equivalent level according to the Defense Language Institute.

II. Required Courses:

All Advanced Global Scholars will be required to take:

  1. POL 205 World Politics — 3 credit hours
  2. An intercultural competence course from the following — 3 credit hours:
  • SW/SOC 325 Power, Oppression, and Critical Consciousness
  • CST 431 Intercultural Communication and Identity
  • CST 411 Communication Across Barriers
  • CST 432 Gender and International Development
  • Other intercultural competence courses may be added to this list upon petition to the CISGO Executive Committee.
  1. One course in Political Science or History from the following — 3 credit hours
  1. Global Certificate Seminar. In this seminar, students will create a portfolio that will demonstrate how they have accomplished the outcomes of the program. — 1 credit hour

In the case that a student has completed a course that is equivalent to a required course, the student may submit a petition for an Advanced Global Scholars course exception to the Executive Board of the Collaborative for International Studies and Global Outreach (CISGO.)

 Total credit hours of required courses: 10

III. Courses in students' degree programs (6 credit hours). Some or all of these courses may be taken abroad.

Students in College of Arts and Sciences:

Two additional courses from the following (6 credit hours total):

Note: Professional school students with a second major in the College of Arts & Sciences may follow the CAS pathway or the pathway associated with their primary major.

Students in Pamplin School of Business:

Two additional courses from the following (6 credit hours total):

Students in School of Nursing & Health Innovations:

Two additional courses from the following (6 credit hours total):

Students in School of Education:

Two additional courses from the following (6 credit hours total):

Note: Specific programs within these schools may develop special pathways by petitioning the CISGO Executive Board.

IV. Abroad Experiences:

All Advanced Global Scholars must have at least one significant international/intercultural experience meeting the requirements described below. In some cases, a student may have two or more international/intercultural experiences none of which by themselves meet the requirements, but which taken together are able to do so. It is the responsibility of the student to make the case in the portfolio that the learning outcomes have been met through the conjunction of these experiences.

  1. Experiences must meet 4 of the 7 criteria for the Advanced Global Certificate Level of Immersion listed here:
    1. Duration — 12 weeks to one year
    2. Required language  — work or instruction is conducted mostly in the host language
    3. Faculty (or supervisor) interaction — mostly host faculty or supervisor, e.g., direct university enrollment with host faculty
    4. Course work — advanced course work in host language only
    5. Mentoring or guided cultural reflection — orientation, re-entry program, ongoing reflection program, and required participation in-country activities or mentorship
    6. Experiential learning initiatives — extensive community service, volunteering, local club activities, language exchange, etc.
    7. Housing — homestay, international student dorm, or host roommate
  2. The student may combine several abroad experiences in making their case for Advanced Global Certificate designation.

Note: If the student’s destination host language is English, students will be asked to describe the ways in which American English differs from the English spoken in their host country in an essay that demonstrates their understanding of the nuances between different types of English. For an Advanced Global Scholar designation, the student who studies in an English-speaking country will also need to demonstrate proficiency in a language that is not English.

V. Portfolio

All Advanced Global Scholars will compile a portfolio of work (which will include a final paper) that they will use to document how they have achieved the learning outcomes of the program. Their Advanced Global Certificate faculty mentor will advise them in putting together the experiences and documentation that will form their portfolio. Additionally, the one-credit Seminar will support and guide them in assembling their portfolio. The CISGO Executive Board will evaluate the completed portfolios and students will present their portfolios in a public presentation open to the University of Portland community.