VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY – HO CHI MINH CITY
UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES
FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE
COURSE SYLLABUS
I. General information
1. Course title INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
2. Course code NVA199.1
3. Type of course (compulsory, optional) Compulsory
4. Level of course Bachelor
5. Year of study (if applicable) 3
6. Semester when the course is delivered 5
7. Number of course credits allocated 2 credits (1 theoretical credit + 1 practical credit)
Independent study: 60 hours
8. Name of lecturer(s) N/A
9. Mode of delivery (face-to-face, distance 9 face-to-face sessions
learning)
10. Prerequisites Students are expected to have successfully completed the
courses of Language Skills and Introduction to
Vietnamese Culture.
11. Language of instruction English
12. Work placement(s) N/A
II. Course overview
The course is designed to provide learners with:
● an understanding of the relationship between culture and communication;
● an intellectual framework that allows description and understanding of communication between
culturally heterogeneous individuals;
● the role of cultural patterns, verbal codes, and nonverbal codes in the development of intercultural
interpersonal relationships;
● an understanding of obstacles to competent intercultural communication;
● communication skills that improve competence in intercultural communication.
III. Course learning outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1. define intercultural communication;
2. identify similarities and differences between at least two world cultures; between low-context cultures
and high-context cultures;
3. predict the impact of non-verbal codes in understanding cultural competence;
4. discuss the effects of code usage in intercultural communication;
5. appreciate cultural variations in interpersonal relationships;
1
6. develop cultural sensitivity in intercultural communication.
II. Recommended or required readings: (available at English Resource Center, Faculty of English
Linguistics and Literature)
1. Required readings
Storti, C. (1998). Figuring Foreigners Out. A Practical Guide. Intercultural Press. Boston & London.
2. Optional readings
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
TED Talks: The Danger of a Single Story, Chimamanda Adichie, Western Women Eastern Men,
Wang Jia (TEDx) and interview How to Magically Connect with Anyone , Brian Miller (TEDx)
[Link]
[Link]
IV. Course contents and schedules
Sessions Course contents Required readings Planned learning activities and teaching
methods
Syllabus
Introduction to course & grading
policy
Course Assignments & Group
1 Building Bridges: A Peace Q&A
organization
Corps Classroom Guide to Class discussion
Introducing culture Cross-Cultural
Understanding.
Lesson 1
Q&A
Introduction to Intercultural Storti. Chapter 1
Lecture
Communication (1) Building Bridges: A Peace Class discussion
1.1. Definition of culture Corps Classroom Guide to
Cross-Cultural
1.2. Components of culture
Understanding.
Lesson 2-4 (Included in
Lecture)
2 Lecture
Introduction to Intercultural Storti. Chapter 1
Group presentation
Communication (2) Building Bridges: A Peace Class discussion
1.3. Definition of communication Corps Classroom Guide Q&A
and aspects of communication
to Cross-Cultural
1.4. Definition of intercultural Understanding. Lesson 2-4
communication (Included in Lecture +
Handouts)
1.5. Some aspects of intercultural
communication [Link]
u/pdf/9780
[Link] (Intro
to IC)
Lecture
Factors influencing Intercultural activities
Group presentation/case study
intercultural communication
Class discussion
1. Low-Context/Direct vs. High- Q&A
2
Context/Indirect cultures
2. Stereotypes, generalizations,
and ethnocentrism
3 Lecture
Styles of communication Sorti. Chapter 3
Group presentation/case study
1. Communication Styles Group presentation: The Class discussion
values hidden behind Q&A
2. Communication Techniques
common proverbs.
(Homework)
Group presentation:
3. Switching Styles
Students find a video clip
or social media post. Not a
clip/post explicitly about
culture, but a regular,
everyday clip (a speech, an
interview, a TV show, a
post written by a student,
etc.). Then, analyze the
hidden values.
Lecture
Language, culture and 3ae2003_huberkriegler.pdf
Group presentation
communication (An intercultural
Class discussion
communication textbook)
1. Language and culture Q&A
Bennet, M. How Not to Be Quiz
2. Culture and communication
a Fluent Fool:
Understanding the Cultural
Dimension of language.
(Handout)
4 Lecture
Language, culture and Group presentation: Present
Group presentation/case study
communication (Cont.) examples of how non-
Class discussion
verbal cues differ across
3. Verbal language in cross- Q&A
cultures.
cultural communication Quiz
4. Non-verbal behavior in cross-
cultural communication
5 Lecture
Cultural dimensions in Storti. Chapter 2
Group presentation/case study
intercultural communication
Class discussion
1. Individualist-Collectivist Q&A
Group presentation:
2. Universalist-Particularist Students show excerpts of a Quiz
movie and analyze hidden
3. Monochronic-Polychronic
dimensions or analyze
4. Internal-External cultural differences.
6 Lecture
Cultural dimensions in Storti. Chapter 2, pp. 19-85
Group presentation/case study
intercultural communication (Required Textbook)
Class discussion
(Cont.)
[Link] Q&A
5. Hofstede’s Framework [Link]/product/comp
are-countries/
[Link]
ulture-geert-hofstede-gert-
jan-hofstede/6d-model-of-
national-culture/
Group presentation:
Students find a video clip
3
or social media post. Not a
clip/post explicitly about
culture, but a regular,
everyday clip (a speech, an
interview, a TV show, a
post written by a student,
etc.). Then, analyze it
according to the
dimensions.
7 Lecture
Overview of the Vietnamese [Link]
Group presentation
culture /crossculture/2014/08/vietn
Class discussion
[Link]
1. Vietnamese values, beliefs and Q&A
(Handout)
behaviors, and communication Quiz
styles Group presentation: What
are the current top 2 songs
2. Factors influencing
in Viet Nam and the current
Vietnamese communication
top 2 songs in America?
What do these songs show
about culture?
8
Overview of other cultures Germany, Japan, Korea,
India, Mexico, Egypt,
MIDTERM
9 Lecture
Culture in the workplace Storti. Chapter 4
Class discussion/case study
Q&A
Guest speakers
Lecture
The cross-cultural perspective Storti. Chapter 5
Class discussion/case study
Revision from week 1 to week Q&A
9 for the final exam
VI. Assessment scheme
Assessment tasks Scores Weighting
Midterm test 30 %
100 pts Mid-term score
- Quizzes/ Participation 20 pts 70 %
- Oral presentation/ Role- 30 pts Final score
play/ Talk show 50 pts
- Final test 100 pts
100% (Passing Grade: 5/10)
Guidelines for group oral presentation
a. Each group will summarize and synthesize the key points from the assigned texts, and present their output in no more
than 15 minutes (in MS Power-point format). The group will be in charge of answering questions related to the readings.
b. Oral group presentation handouts should be submitted to the Instructor on the day of their presentation. Other members
of the class should have a copy of these, too (but after the group presentation).
VII. Course alignment matrix
4
Course learning outcomes (CLOs) Programme learning Teaching and Assessment tasks
outcomes (PLOs) learning activities
CLO 1 - Define intercultural PLO 2 – L2 L, D & GP A1 + A2 + A3 +A4
communication.
CLO 2 - Identify similarities and PLO 2 – L2 L, D & GP A1 + A2 + A3 + A4
differences between at least two
world cultures; between low-context
cultures and high-context cultures.
CLO 3 - Predict the impact of non- PLO 2 – L2 D, GP & P A1 + A3 + A4
verbal codes in understanding
cultural competence.
CLO 4 - Discuss the effects of code PLO 2– L2 D, GP & P A1 + A3
usage in intercultural
communication.
CLO 5 - Appreciate cultural PLO 5 – L2 D, GP & P A1 + A3
variations in interpersonal
relationships.
CLO 6 - Develop cultural sensitivity PLO 6 – L2 D, GP & P A1 + A2 + A3 + A4
in intercultural communication.
(Note: L = Lecture, D = Discussion, GP = Group Presentation, and P = Practice)
VIII. Course policies
1. The course will be conducted in different modes including lecturing, discussion, practice, and group
presentation.
2. Attendance in all sessions is strongly recommended. Participants are required to give advance notice of
their absence in case of illness or any other situations. 80% is the minimum attendance required for a
student to take the final test.
3. Participants are expected to be well prepared and take an active role in class discussions and work
collaboratively with their peers.
4. Forms of plagiarism and cheating will lead to a failing grade or zero on the assignment or test.
5. For late submitted work, 5% of the component grades will be deducted per day.
6. Slides for presentation should be emailed to the instructor at least three days before the presentation
date.
FORMAT OF THE FINAL TEST
- A 60-minute in-class test under test conditions without any dictionaries or materials, including 5 main parts:
Multiple choice: 10 items about Vietnamese culture and six other cultures (1pt)
True/False: 10 items (1pt)
Matching: 10 items (1pt)
Gap filling: 10 items (1pt)
Open questions: 2 questions (1pt)
