Diversity and Intercultural Competence

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Overview

Program Description

In this fully online program, students will enhance their communication skills, particularly as they apply to communicating with and advocating for people from other cultures and diverse backgrounds. By identifying and exploring cultures, government policies, social inequalities and injustices, etc., students will gain a better understanding of themselves as global citizens, gaining confidence to advocate for positive change within their communities and/or workplaces. All courses are asynchronous online and offered via OntarioLearn.

Courses

Program Requirements

Level 1
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
COMM-1098	Intercultural Communication Intro	3View More Details about COMM-1098
Students taking this course will learn the definition of culture and will be introduced to inter-cultural communication theories such as differences in gestures, personal spaces, and customs. By identifying intercultural issues in North American society, student will learn how they can apply intercultural communication theories to their daily lives and how they can respect and understand persons from other cultures. The main objective of this course is to create an environment in which students will feel comfortable communicating with people from different cultures and backgrounds. As part of the course, students will communicate with people from other cultures electronically and in person. This course will be of interest to workers in health services, education, human resources, and business as well as those people who want to enhance their communication skills particularly as they apply to communicating with people from other cultures.
SOSC-1020	Diversity & Cultural Competence	2View More Details about SOSC-1020
This course will help the student to develop a better understanding of the concerns and issues of culturally diverse clients and their communities. They will gain appreciation for the diversity of cultures and subcultures and their interactions in Canadian society. The course will also provide the students with opportunities to look at their personal as well as professional values and relationships to clients of culturally diverse views.
COMM-1162	Communication and Advocacy	3View More Details about COMM-1162
In this course, students will learn to establish rapport with various stakeholders, use interview strategies, and understand group dynamics. Students examine a variety of approaches to advocacy and analyze the ethical responsibilities of representation. Students practice self evaluation and team building, as well as techniques for having difficult conversations and advocating for positive change on behalf of individuals and communities. Students investigate cross cultural considerations with respect to Indigenous and culturally diverse employees. Students learn their role as a leader and advocate. This course is offered fully online though OntarioLearn.
SOSC-1028	Global Citizenship	3View More Details about SOSC-1028
The world is shrinking. The ice caps are melting. A sneeze, thousands of kilometres away, starts a health pandemic, and technology enables us to intimately view not only earthquakes and tsunamis but human rights violations around the world. This reality calls for an understanding of sustainability, diversity, and social justice. A global citizen is aware of the wider world, respects diversity, is outraged by injustice, participates in community from the local to global level, and feels compelled to act to make the world a more humane and sustainable place. Global citizenship will help students gain personal understanding of themselves as citizens of the world and apply it in their own lives. This course is offered fully online through OntarioLearn.
SOCI-1099	Working With Diversity	3View More Details about SOCI-1099
Diversity is a broad word used to describe many things that people represent and that represent people. Students will be asked to reflect upon and have the opportunity to question their own beliefs and assumptions. In doing so they will be able to recognize the subtle but potentially harmful responses they may give to people they are trying to support in their practice. There are a number of terms and key phrases used when discussing diverse clients. We will examine some of these be able to define and explain their meaning. They include but are not limited to: cultural sensitivity, cultural competence and cultural safety. Students will be introduced to regionalism and demographic trends in Canada as well as Canada's rich cultural landscape. They will be introduced to Canada's policy and practice toward its original people, the Aboriginal population, its growing immigrant population and the long established European settlers.

Program Residency
Students Must Complete a Minimum of 4 credits in this program at Fanshawe College to meet the Program Residency requirement and graduate from this program