What You Can Do with a World and Intercultural Studies Degree

Do you find yourself fascinated by the intricacies of different cultures? Do you enjoy learning about how people across the world live? Or, more importantly, are you interested in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ to nations around the globe? If so, a degree in world and intercultural studies from Concordia University, Nebraska may be the ideal way for you to work toward interacting with other cultures in a professional capacity.  

In the year 2024, we live in a very globalized, multicultural world. No matter where you live, especially within the United States, you will almost certainly encounter people from cultures different than your own on a daily basis. Therefore, cultural sensitivity is indispensable – and there is no better place to learn this skill than Concordia Nebraska.  

At Concordia, world and intercultural studies students have myriad opportunities for hands-on engagement with people of other cultures. Studying abroad, serving on mission trips, and taking part in the Mission-Minded Students organization are all ways that globally focused students can fulfill their desire to serve and learn about other cultures.  

Beyond the undergraduate experience, however, a world and intercultural studies degree can launch you into a career focused on hands-on service, further study or teaching. Depending on your desired area of specialization, minors like Spanish, geography, history, missional leadership or others can provide you with the additional skill sets needed to pursue graduate studies or a career in your chosen field. 

One common line of work for graduates with world and intercultural studies degrees involves serving in the mission field. In The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, missionaries serve across the globe, in countries like Panama, Tanzania and Russia, and can remain in these places for as little as a few weeks up to several years. For “career missionaries,” service of five or more years is most likely. A world and intercultural studies degree will provide you with the knowledge of world religions, social problems and theology that you will need to spread the Gospel on a global stage.  

A world and intercultural studies degree can also lead students into other types of service abroad – types of service that can double as mission opportunities but may not be primarily theology-focused. Global healthcare is one primary example of this service. Students may choose to pair their world and intercultural studies major with further classes in biology, exercise science, or public health that can teach them the healthcare-related skills that they need to work abroad in underserved regions. Providing healthcare for populations in need is a uniquely global and tangible way for culturally sensitive students to serve.  

Furthermore, world and intercultural studies degrees pair well with educational practice. The Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) degree is an obvious pathway for students who wish to serve as educators to foreign populations; however, education can also translate to teaching other subjects abroad or pursuing a career as a professor of world and intercultural studies! Any one of Concordia’s education programs can help students pursue their dual goals in education and intercultural studies.  

As our world increases in cross-cultural interaction with each passing day, intercultural awareness is steadily becoming a vital skill for college graduates. With a degree in world and intercultural studies, you can engage with people from many backgrounds in a way that is uniquely sensitive and understanding. Whether you choose to pursue pathways in education, healthcare, mission work or something else, supplementing your undergraduate studies with or focusing them on intercultural studies will open the door to a lifetime of valuable service.  

Interested in foreign and multicultural experiences at Concordia University, Nebraska? Learn more about the world and intercultural studies program here or the TESOL program here, explore various mission opportunities here or read about the Mission-Minded Students club here.