LS1601 Intercultural competence 4.5 credits

The course is designed to help the participants further develop the skills required for communicating and working successfully in intercultural contexts, in both physical and virtual professional and technology-intensive environments.

• By means of concrete examples and problem-based learning, the course introduces the theoretical models needed for efficient reflection on, and analysis of, intercultural situations, communication and teamwork.
• The course provides the student with opportunities to learn and practice, individually and in groups, various practical methods for working constructively, creatively and ethically with personal and cultural variation and diversity, as well as for handling critical intercultural situations.
• We discuss how intercultural competence is connected to personal and organisational values, to global citizenship and to sustainable development.
• The course also covers emotional aspects of international teamwork, living and working abroad, and returning to the home country.
• Documentation, reflection and reporting of intercultural experiences and learning is recognised as a step in personal and professional development, linked to employability.
• The course is taught in English and purposefully takes advantage of the diversity of KTH.

On completion of the course, you should be able to:

1.Show an experience-based understanding of how personal and cultural variation and diversity influence understanding, emotions, decision-making, communication and teamwork.

2.Problematise your own and others' descriptions of culture and identifications based on, for example, gender, nationality, ethnicity, class, age, language, and profession.

3.Use simple and efficient methods to observe, analyse and work constructively, creatively and ethically with personal and cultural variation.

4.Reflect on critical intercultural incidents in a constructive and solution-oriented manner.

5.Systematically document, reflect on, and give accounts of intercultural experiences and learning.

6.Present a personal action plan, based on self-awareness, for your continued personal development towards increased intercultural competence.

• LEXA - Continuous assessment, 4.5 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

Based on the recommendation from the KTH office of support to students with disabilities, the examiner has the right to make decisions on adapted forms of examination for students with a documented, permanent disability.

For re-examinations, the examiner has the right to allow other forms of examination for individual students.

All assessment passed.

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

LS1600, overlapping