Interested in other cultures and languages but can’t spend a year abroad? JCCC’s Intercultural Semester gives you the opportunity to "go global while staying local." You’ll get some of the language preparation and cultural immersion usually associated with study abroad without leaving JCCC. Students who enroll in the Intercultural Semester will have an opportunity to interact on a regular basis with members of another culture, work in an intercultural environment and study in a cluster of courses that focus on a specific culture - all on JCCC’s campus. At the end of the semester, you may choose to use an intercultural short-term study abroad program, where you can apply your semester’s experience in the culture you choose.

Program components include:

Intercultural Course Clusters
Each student will study Intercultural Communication and the language and history of a particular culture. Possibilities include:

- Spanish and Latin American History
- Russian and Russian Culture
- Chinese and Eastern Civilization

Students may wish to enhance their semester by enrolling in additional courses such as International Relations, Comparative Government, Introduction to International Business, Cultural Anthropology, World Cultures, Global Resources, or World Humanities.

Language and Culture Partners
Students will be paired with a language and culture partner from the area they are studying. Partners will have a minimum of 20 hours of structured time to discuss various aspects of the target culture and to compare it with the United States.

Internship/Service Learning
Student may choose between an internship in an international business and a service-learning experience in a local agency. You will spend at least 20 hours in one of these environments with people from the target culture.

Weekly meetings
All participants will meet together each week to continue their interaction and discuss program issues.

Intensive Weekend Retreat
In February, students participate in an intercultural retreat at a Kansas City area site. Special workshops, speakers and intercultural simulations will intensify your learning.

Scholarship for Study Abroad
Students who complete all aspects of the program are eligible for a  $400 study abroad scholarship to be applied to one of JCCC’s study abroad programs.

JCCC students who have completed a minimum of 10 college credit hours and achieved a GPA of 2.5 may apply. Each applicant will be required to make a commitment to participate in all aspects of the program.