Program highlights
- Advance your career. Become your employer’s go-to person for cross-cultural initiatives and deals that require international communication. Distinguish yourself in a competitive field with specialized expertise. Command higher salaries and enhance your promotion potential.
- Practical learning flexibility. Complete your certificate while maintaining your current career and/or academic momentum. Get the benefit of industry-relevant instruction without the time commitment of a full communication master’s degree.
- Immediate professional impact. Increase your influence across diverse cultural contexts and eliminate costly miscommunications. Learn to transform complicated cross-cultural team dynamics into productive, collaborative relationships.
- Complement to existing graduate studies. International/intercultural communication skills are an asset in virtually every industry – business, healthcare, education, engineering, marketing, government, media and more. This graduate certificate demonstrates your advanced capabilities in building authentic trust across borders and navigating complex multicultural environments with confidence.
#1 public university in Ohio for career prep
The Wall Street Journal
Career opportunities
A graduate certificate in international/intercultural communication from BGSU opens doors to diverse career paths that leverage cross-cultural competency and global communication skills.
These skills have proven valuable in industries such as:
- Business. Successful business operations increasingly rely on expertise in international and/or intercultural communication. These skills can help facilitate global partnerships, craft cross-cultural campaigns and prepare teams for international assignments.
- Media and communications. Global communications roles at media organizations may involve managing content for international audiences, covering multicultural communities domestically or helping organizations navigate communications challenges in global markets.
- Nonprofit and international development. International NGOs and development organizations need program managers who can work effectively across cultures and communicate with diverse stakeholders. Similarly, grant writers and nonprofit advocates benefit from knowing how to present projects and campaigns that address global issues.
- Education and training. Corporate training professionals, teachers and school administrators who understand the intersection of language, culture and communication are unique assets in their field.
- Government and diplomacy. Strong communication skills are invaluable for those working in foreign service, immigration services, cultural affairs, intelligence and security and more.
- Technology. Tech companies with global reach benefit from researchers, sales representatives and customer support professionals who understand cultural differences in technology adoption and possess cultural sensitivity when solving problems.
Career paths
- Cultural affairs specialist
- Export/Import specialist
- Global account manager
- Global communications coordinator
- Global marketing coordinator
- Intercultural consultant
- International broadcasting coordinator
- International correspondent
- International development specialist
- International project manager
- International public relations specialist
- International student services coordinator
- Journalist
Quick Facts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Curriculum
The graduate certificate in international/intercultural communication closely aligns with the international/intercultural communication specialization of the master’s program – but with half the required credits.
This 15-credit-hour program focuses on conflict resolution, social change communication and media analysis. It prepares graduates to navigate complex cultural dynamics and bridge diverse communities. The blend of theory and hands-on practice creates versatile professionals equipped for success in any field requiring effective cross-cultural communication.
Sample courses
- International Communication
- Intercultural Communication
- Communication and Conflict
- Gender, Media and Culture
- Global Journalism
- Race and Communication
- Communication for Social Change
- International Media
Media and communication graduate certificates at BGSU
In addition to the international/intercultural communication graduate certificate, the School of Media and Communication at BGSU offers graduate certificates in:
- Social and interactive media – Combine strategic thinking with hands-on digital expertise to lead in social media and interactive communication.
- Strategic communication – Build essential skills in public relations, advertising and organizational communication for immediate career impact.
Graduate certificate programs are open to current BGSU graduate students, prospective candidates and working professionals looking to advance their careers or strengthen their credentials.
#1 university in Ohio – big or small, public or private – students would choose again
The Wall Street Journal
The international/intercultural communication graduate certificate is part of the School of Media and Communication in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Updated: 11/25/2025 01:36PM