Business Communication: Culture and Ethics
This course explores intercultural and ethical awareness in business. You will receive broad knowledge of theoretical and ethical ideas.
Learning outcomes:
- Understand how culture influences business communication and apply intercultural theories in practice.
- Identify stakeholders and make ethical decisions in complex business situations.
- Develop skills in writing formal business English.
This course explores various theoretical concepts and how cultural differences shape business situations. Through self-reflection and case studies, you will develop the ability to interpret how cultural patterns of thinking influence communication and decision-making in international business contexts. You will also apply ethical theory to practical business situations and challenges which require more complicated decision-making criteria than that of simple self-interest.
After completing the course, you will be able to navigate intercultural business environments. You will have the skills to analyze how cultural differences impact communication and decision-making, allowing you to apply intercultural theories to real-life business situations. You’ll be able to make informed, ethical decisions by identifying relevant stakeholders and considering their interests.
Who can take the course?
Admission requirements: To enroll in a bachelor’s program, you generally need to have a higher education entrance qualification. If you do not have this, you can still apply based on experience-based qualification if you are 25 years or older in the year of admission.
Required prerequisite knowledge: English from upper secondary school or equivalent
- Read more about admission requirements for our bachelor’s programs (Norwegian page).
Take the course alone or as a part of a degree
This course provides valuable knowledge, but it also offers formal qualifications. The course is worth 7.5 ECTS credits, which can be included in a bachelor's degree. Please contact us for more information on which degrees this can be part of.
- Read more about part-time bachelor’s degrees here (Norwegian page).
Practical Information
The lectures consist of webinars, a total of 8 to 12 during a semester. This course is only offered in the fall semester and the first webinar takes place in week 34.
Webinars:
- Duration: Last 1 to 2 hours
- Typically scheduled once a week or every other week
- Always held between 5 PM and 9 PM, Monday to Thursday
In addition to webinars, the online courses include various learning activities, such as digital self-assessments, topic videos, assignments, discussion groups, case studies, and more.
You will have access to all learning activities through a digital learning platform. There, you will also find the study guide -a handbook with assistance and advice on how to navigate the course.
Exam: The exam consists of an 8-hour written exam at the end of the semester, which counts for 100% of the final grade.
Syllabus: The syllabus will be available in the student portal after you have been admitted to the course. You can also view the syllabus here.
Course content
- Intercultural Communication: The syllabus materials present students with a portfolio of theoretical ideas within the field of intercultural awareness which are presented in detail in the required reading list (see below). The supplementary reading list provides students with an opportunity to acquire an awareness of the limitations of interpretive science.
- Ethical Awareness: The syllabus materials will present students with a selection of ethical decision-making tools. Students are expected to learn these ideas and to then practice using them in business situations in which simple economic models of utility maximization are not sufficient.
Workload
All our courses are structured to fit alongside work and family life, but you should allocate some time for study. A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore, a course of 7,5 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 200 hours.
The amount of time each participant dedicates to the courses can vary greatly. Classes are scheduled at fixed times, primarily in the late afternoons and early evening, to accommodate other commitments. You can largely determine how much time you spend on reading and other learning activities based on what best suits your routine.
Tuition
This course is eligible for support from the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund.
Want to know more?
We regularly host informational webinars that you can join (Norwegian page).
Similar courses
Not quite the course you were looking for? We offer a range of courses in the same subject area - from short courses to part-time master's level studies.