125 credits
required for program
- Minor Available
- PSEO/Early college online classes
Understand different cultural, ethnic, and religious groups for work and ministry. Learn from seasoned Christian faculty who have served overseas. The intercultural studies major was designed to promote the interest and concern of all students for intercultural ministry both in North America and overseas. This degree lays the foundations for you to live and work all around the globe.
Intercultural studies may be the right degree for you if you
- are mission-oriented
- are interested in humanitarian outreach
- have an international mindset
- are interested in a career working overseas or with domestic immigrants
Why do intercultural studies at Northwestern?
Your vision of what God is doing in the world will expand as you learn from intercultural leaders who have spent much of their lives living and working in other countries. You will gain valuable hands-on experience doing cross-cultural work right here in the diverse communities of Minnesota and abroad.
One of the distinguishing requirements of the program is participating in the Intercultural Studies Internship (ICS). This degree also includes a variety of concentrations including: Cross-cultural Ministry, English Language Teaching, Global Education, Nonprofit Leadership, Social Justice, and Spanish Language. The concentration track is also designed for students hoping to double major.
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What degree concentrations are offered with this major?
Intercultural Studies majors can choose from the following concentrations or work with their advisor to design their own concentration.
Students will be prepared for evangelism, discipleship, and church planting missionary work. Classes include Evangelism and Discipleship, Communicating the Biblical Message, Understanding Islam, Short-term Missions, and Relief and Development.
Students will learn how to teach English in ministry or nonprofit contexts either domestically or internationally. Although students do not receive licensure to teach in K-12 schools, a TESOL certificate is embedded into this program. Required courses include Introduction to Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Structure of English Grammar, and Theory of Second Language Acquisition.
Students will learn the educational skills necessary to lead and teach in community education and international education settings. Although students do not receive licensure to teach in K-12 schools, they may be able to achieve ACSI Certification. Classes include Educational Foundations, Instructional Foundations, Educating Diverse Learners, Instructional Technology I, and Child Development.
Students will complete 12 credits specific to Media Ministry.
- Story Structure
- Audio Production
- Video Production
Students will gain essential skills in relational leadership, managerial leadership, and missional leadership to work a local church or nonprofit organization. Classes include Leadership in Ministry, Management, Introduction to Entrepreneurship, and Principles of Marketing.
Students will be prepared with the theological and practical understandings to help them act mercifully and love justly in a broken world. Required classes include Theology for Social Engagement, Social Justice, Race and Ethnicity in America, and Urban Intercultural Studies.
Students will complete 12 credits specific to Youth Studies.
- Serving Youth and Emerging Adults
- Leading Youth and Emerging Adults
- Contemporary Issues and Interventions with Youth
- Spiritual Lives of Youth
Accelerated MA in Ministry Leadership
Students may apply through the Ministry department to combine an undergraduate degree in Intercultural Studies with an accelerated Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership. Intercultural Studies majors complete up to 14 credits of the MA degree during their undergraduate program and the remaining 22 credits during a fifth year of study. The fifth year can be completed on site or through online learning. This pathway saves students time and tuition expense as they add a graduate degree to their portfolio.
The experience I will remember for the rest of my life is traveling over seas for almost three months. Right before Covid hit I had the opportunity to travel to Asia for just under three months. We got to go to Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Japan. During this time I met some of my life long friends, solidified my want to work with youth experiencing struggles, and truly saw how God is at work in so many people’s lives.
Careers in intercultural studies
There are a variety of career and academic pathways that begin with a degree in intercultural studies.
What types of work are related to this degree?
- Missions
- Humanitarian aid
- Foreign Service official
- Diplomacy
- Policy analysis
- International development
- Church staff member
- Community organization director (cross cultural)
- Evangelism and church planting
- Government work
- Hospitality ministries
- House parent
- Inner city ministry
- Overseas business
- Refugee resettlement
- Teaching English to speakers of other languages (with TESOL minor track)
What will I learn?
You will develop an international ministry mindset and establish strong written and verbal communication skills.
ICS 3107
Biblical Theology of Mission
A biblically based study of the plan of God to be glorified among the nations, stretching from Genesis to Revelation, plus skill development in biblical theological method.
ICS 3067
Social Justice
An interdisciplinary examination of social evil and social righteousness with the goal of constructing transformational responses to contemporary issues in social justice. Special topics will include ideology, power, sexism, religion, public policy, education, consumerism, and media.
ICS 2015
World Religions
A survey of the beliefs and practices of the major religions of the world, including Animism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam.
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