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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.