The objective of the Global Leadership and Communication program is to provide a once-in-a-lifetime immersion into American culture. Students will develop leadership capabilities, improve their attitude toward speaking English in a variety of academic and professional settings, and build cross-cultural competence and confidence. Students will experience real life communication situations in an environment where they build a good rapport with instructors, peers and mentors. All MITI programs integrate the philosophy of living English to enhance cultural and language skills in a unique way.
Period
Summer: July 11–Aug. 7, 2019 (arrival July 10, departure Aug. 8)
Winter: Jan. 9–Feb. 5, 2020 (arrival Jan. 8, departure Feb. 6)
Components
- Professional Communication (45 instruction hours): This course helps students develop real-world English skills while enhancing American cultural competency and cross-cultural communication. Students will build the skills necessary to speak confidently and coherently in any setting. The course includes language skills training, storytelling, persuasion and negotiation, and public speaking and presentation skills.
- Global Leadership Development (45 instruction hours): This course is an intensive exploration of the art of leadership. Students will examine the personal qualities and skills of good leaders, learn different leadership styles and understand how to develop their own leadership skills. The course will also examine how a good leader works with all kinds of people, especially in a global setting, including topics such as conflict management, effective teamwork, goal setting and effective communication.
- American cultural seminars (20 instruction hours): Students will be introduced to various topics in American culture through a series of weekly seminars. These seminars aim to help students adjust to life in the U.S. while learning about important historical, social and cultural events that shape the modern context of American society. Cultural seminars are often paired with site visits to help engage students in hands-on learning.
- Cultural and professional site visits: Experiential learning is an important part of our teaching philosophy, and experiences inside and outside the classroom are essential to a student’s development. During the program, students will participate in site visits including professional sites related to coursework and cultural sites that will help students better understand American cultural context.
- American ambassadors: The program opens doors for students to make meaningful relationships with American college students during their time at MU, with the intent that they will see many perspectives of American culture and return home with a more significant global view.
Requirements
- Must be current university student or recent graduate.
- Although there are no test requirements, English should be strong enough to communicate in English in professional and conversational settings. Video interviews may be conducted.
- Should have a desire to improve English and develop strong leadership skills.