Relationships Among Cultural Competence, Studying Abroad, and Future Career Opportunities

Abstract

This paper offers a review of literature on the effects of cultural competence and studying abroad on future career opportunities. The concept of cultural competence is explored, especially from the viewpoint of a school study abroad experience. Several fields of study – nursing, mental health, teaching, and engineering – are examined. Finally, the study proposes an experiment to examine further whether the perceived cultural competence gained from a study abroad experience will truly enhance future career opportunities.