Certificate of Intercultural Engagement

Students within all majors at UT have the opportunity to enhance their degree with a Certificate of Intercultural Engagement (CIE). Today's employers seek graduates who are able to communicate in at least one foreign language, have the ability to readily navigate cultural difference, possess skills and training in negotiating with employees of different cultures, and have the basic skills to travel, live, and work outside of the United States. The CIE program aims to develop these skills within program participants by:
• bringing University programs and services in international and intercultural education experiences together.
• serving domestic and international students in international and intercultural education experiences.
• graduating internationally competent students with enhanced skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values in international and intercultural matters.

Program Benefits

In addition to developing their intercultural competence, upon completion of the program requirements undergraduate students will earn the "Certificate of Intercultural Engagement" notation on their official UT transcript and will also receive an official certificate to complement their UT diploma. Students also receive a sash and cords of distinction to wear at graduation. Participation in this program indicates a student's commitment to academics and to intercultural competence.

Student learning outcomes include the following:
• Skills — such as secondary languages, the ability to travel, study, and live outside the United States, and the ability to access information about the world.
• Knowledge — the uniqueness of cultures, the appreciation of the historical contexts of different peoples, and comprehension of global affairs, including international labor, refugees, environmental degradation, and women’s and children’s issues.
• Attitudes — a recognition and appreciation of cultural differences including intercultural sensitivity and awareness, self-awareness about their own culture and its ethnic diversity, and openness to learning about the world.