Intercultural and International Studies (Associate Degree)

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On Education Planner BC select the program "Arts - International & Intercultural Studies - Associate Degree"

Overview

The Associate of Arts Degree in Intercultural and International Studies will prepare you for a career in international relations, diplomatic relations or foreign affairs. Learn about current global issues and develop the skills for communicating in an international context. Participate in discussions and presentations, and engage in classroom lectures to develop and enhance your critical-thinking, writing, research and presentation skills. You’ll also study the basics of a second language.

Get paid, full-time work experience during your studies

You can also join the optional Co-operative Education Program, which alternates semesters of study with paid, full-time work in your field. You’ll earn money while gaining experience, building your resume and getting an employer reference, all before you graduate. To participate in Co-op you need to plan two semesters in advance, so we strongly recommend contacting the Co-op Office at the start of your program.

Further education

This international studies program can lead to a BA in political science or international studies at a university. In most cases, an associate degree will allow you to enter the third year of a four-year bachelor's degree program. To make sure your courses transfer, use the BC Transfer Guide as it has all the up-to-date information you’ll need to plan your education.

Many of the courses taken for this degree will also qualify for the Global Competency Certificate. The Global Competency Certificate teaches you how to understand and succeed in an increasingly interconnected world. As you complete this certificate, you’ll gain skills in critical thinking, learn more about the worldviews of others, develop a better understanding of how different cultures communicate, and come to appreciate a variety of global systems, contexts, and issues.

Program Requirements

Curriculum framework

Graduation Requirements:

Successful completion of 60 University Transfer credits as listed below
A minimum program GPA of 2.00 is required
All courses must be University Transferable - a University Transferable course is a course that transfers to one of the Research Universities - SFU, UBC (UBCV or UBCO), UNBC, or UVIC in the BC Transfer Guide
50% (30 credits) of all coursework must be completed at Douglas College
Specializations are not noted on credentials but will be noted on the transcript
Time limit to complete program graduation requirements: seven (7) years

Course Requirements:

Students must fulfill all of the general requirements of the Associate of Arts Degree. Students pursuing an Associate of Arts Degree in Intercultural and International Studies must also complete the following program specific requirements:

Students must complete all courses in List A
List A: Course Number	Course Title	Credits
CMNS 1104	Foundations of Intercultural Communication	3.00
INST 1100	Introduction to International Studies	3.00

Students must complete at least one course in List B
List B: Course Number	Course Title	Credits
CMNS 1217	Intercultural Communication in the Workplace	3.00
CMNS 2317	Intercultural Conflict in Interpersonal Relationships	3.00

Students must complete at least one course in List C
List C: Course Number	Course Title	Credits
ANTH 1100	Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology	3.00
GEOG 1100	Introduction to Human Geography	3.00
HIST 1104	World History Since 1945	3.00
HIST 1105	Global Issues in Historical perspective	3.00

Students must complete two consecutive levels of one language (two courses) in List D
List D: Course Number	Course Title	Credits
MODL 1191, MODL 1192, MODL 2291, MODL 2292	Mandarin Chinese	6.00
MODL 1101, MODL 1102, MODL 2201, MODL 2202, MODL 3301, MODL 3302, MODL 4401, MODL 4402	French	6.00
MODL 1131, MODL 1132, MODL 2231, MODL 2232	German	6.00
MODL 1171, MODL 1172, MODL 2271, MODL 2272	Japanese	6.00
MODL 1151, MODL 1152, MODL 2251, MODL 2252, MODL 3351 MODL 3352	Spanish	6.00

Students must complete at least six courses in List E
List E: Course Number	Course Title	Credits
ANTH 1120	Indigenous Cultures of British Columbia	3.00
ANTH 1160	Canadian Indigenous Cultures	3.00
ANTH 1170	Anthropology in Developing Countries	3.00
ECON 1103	Globalization, World Economy	3.00
ENGL 1102*	Reading Literature and Culture (designated section)	3.00
ENGL 1106*	Reading Fiction (designated section)	3.00
ENGL 3160*	Topics in World Literature (designated section)	3.00
GEOG 2213	Social Geography	3.00
HIST 1103	World History, 1900-1945	3.00
HIST 2220	War and Society	3.00
HUMS 1171	World Religions - Oriental	3.00
HUMS 1172	World Religions - Occidental	3.00
MODL 1153	Introduction to the Language and Cultures of the Spanish-Speaking World	3.00
PHIL 1170	Philosophy and Religion	3.00
POLI 1103	Introduction to World Politics	3.00
POLI 2203	Current International Issues	3.00
POLI 2210	Introduction to Comparative Politics	3.00
PSYC 3340	Cultural Psychology	3.00
SOCI 1145	Canadian Society	3.00
SOCI 2230	Race and Ethnicity	3.00

* For the relevant sections of ENGL 1102, ENGL 1106, and ENGL 3160 please consult the English Department.

The following are the general requirements for an Associate of Arts Degree at any BC college:

6 credits first-year English* electives
6 credits Humanities electives
6 credits Social Sciences electives
6 credits Arts** electives
18 credits second-year Arts** electives in 2 or more subject areas
3 credits Lab Science elective
3 credits Math, Statistics or Computing Science elective
3 credits Math, Statistics or Science elective
9 credits other University Transfer electives

*English courses can include courses in written Communications (CMNS) and Creative Writing (CRWR) that transfer to one of the BC research universities (SFU, UBCV, UBCO, UNBC, or UVIC) as English credit. A maximum of 3 credits can come from such an equivalent; at least 3 credits must be earned in an actual ENGL course, so-named. For purposes of the Associate of Arts degree, English courses cannot be counted as Humanities courses.

** Arts courses are available in the Faculty of Languages, Literature, and Performing Arts, and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. To confirm whether a course is designated as "humanities" or "social sciences", check the Associate of Arts degree graduation checklist. Economics courses are Arts courses. Arts courses may also include Mathematics courses.

Definitions:

A course is defined by the subject for which it is granted transfer credit at one of the research universities (SFU, UBCV, UBCO, UNBC, or UVIC).

An Arts course is defined as any course in a subject area for which there is a Baccalaureate of Arts Degree at one of the research universities.
A Science course is defined as any course in a subject area for which there is a Baccalaureate of Science Degree or Baccalaureate of Applied Science Degree at one of the research universities.
The requirements specified above are intended to provide breadth of exposure to a variety of disciplines in both Arts and Sciences. In some instances there may be some ambiguity as to whether a course is in the Humanities or Social Sciences and is an Arts course or a Science course. Most Physical Geography and Mathematics would be designated as Science courses.
A course in an "other" area is defined as any course in a subject area for which there is a Baccalaureate Degree other than in Arts, Science or Applied Science at one of the research universities.
A first-year course is defined as a course that has assigned or unassigned transfer credit at the 100-level at one of the research universities.
A second-year course is defined as a course that has assigned or unassigned transfer credit at the 200-level or higher level at one of the research universities.
A laboratory science course is one in which a substantial component of instruction involves the study of natural phenomena, either in the laboratory or in the field.

For detailed information you should meet with a Student Success Advisor.

Co-operative Education Option:

Students enrolled in this program may be eligible for a Co-operative Education designation. Co-operative Education involves alternating full-time academic and work terms. For information contact the Co-operative Education Office.

Program Guidelines

Program Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this program and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the program, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

May 2025