PhD in Global and Intercultural Engagement
Study Engaging Cultures Across Global Contexts Through Liberty’s PhD in Global and Intercultural Engagement
Liberty University’s Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Global and Intercultural Engagement (GICE) is a doctoral degree centered on leadership, communication, and culture across diverse global contexts. Through advanced coursework, you can study how intercultural communication, global engagement, and leadership practices shape organizations, communities, and institutions. A biblical worldview remains central to the degree, guiding how you examine culture, responsibility, the dignity of individuals, and broader questions related to human flourishing across various contexts.
The curriculum begins with doctoral study in academic writing, qualitative research methods, and foundations of global engagement for practitioner-scholars. As you progress, you’ll examine cultural systems, communication practices, and current issues that influence decision-making in multicultural environments. You’ll also engage multidisciplinary perspectives while pursuing focused areas of interest through mentored research that reflects intellectual rigor and supports deeper academic inquiry into complex, real-world challenges.
The GICE degree culminates in a dissertation, where you can conduct original research, synthesize scholarship, and contribute to academic discussions in the field. Throughout the process, your study will take place in a residential environment that includes opportunities for synchronous course participation and engagement with faculty and peers. This setting encourages thoughtful interaction, global humility, and sustained academic development.
Credit Hours
View CoursesNext start date: Aug 24, 2026
Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC
Highlights
Highlights of Our Doctor of Philosophy in Global and Intercultural Engagement
Promote Human Flourishing Across Cultures
Explore how leadership, communication, and culture relate to human flourishing across diverse global contexts. Within these settings, attention is given to the dignity and inherent worth of individuals and communities. Cultural systems and leadership practices can then be evaluated to understand how they shape outcomes in complex environments.
Grow as a Practitioner-Scholar
Develop as a practitioner-scholar within a structure that combines elements of American and European PhD models. Through mentored study, you can pursue focused research areas connected to your field while refining research questions grounded in complex challenges. Academic mentorship will emphasize intellectual rigor and disciplined inquiry, allowing you to contribute to scholarly and professional dialogue.
Explore Intercultural Communication and Culture
Study intercultural communication by analyzing communication patterns, cultural frameworks, and relational dynamics across cultures. The PhD in GICE program incorporates synchronous course participation, allowing you to engage in academic collaboration from many different locations around the world. Concepts such as cultural intelligence and cultural competence will be explored to promote communication across cultural boundaries.
Join a Community Committed to Cultural Intelligence
Engage in a varied learning community. Opportunities for collaborative discussion, guided research, and sustained academic inquiry are available through interaction with faculty and peers both in person and synchronously from your location. A structured and academically rigorous environment supports focused doctoral study throughout the degree.
Career Potential
What Can You Do with a PhD in Intercultural Communication and Global Engagement?
Liberty University’s PhD in Global and Intercultural Engagement can help prepare you to pursue the following occupations:
- Cross-cultural practitioner or faith-based organizational leader
- Global or multicultural professional in business, healthcare, engineering, or education
- Humanitarian aid or community development specialist
- Nonprofit or humanitarian organization leader or director
- Professor, curriculum developer, or educational administrator
- Researcher, program evaluator, analyst, or grant writer
#2 Best College Campus in America
At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education designed to help equip students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence has earned us recognition as the #2 Best College Campus in America by Niche.com for 2026.
Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.
Courses
What Will You Study in a Doctor of Global Engagement?
In our GICE PhD, practitioner-scholars like you can begin doctoral-level studies in research design and qualitative methods used to examine complex cultural and organizational questions. Early coursework introduces academic writing and qualitative approaches to data collection and analysis, including interviews, participant observation, and qualitative frameworks such as ethnography, case study research, and grounded theory.
As you progress, you can study global engagement from both theoretical and applied perspectives. Cultural systems, communication practices, and leadership frameworks will be examined to understand interaction across diverse contexts. Coursework also emphasizes ethical responsibility, contextual differences, and the dignity of those you serve.
Additionally, mentored research and specialized studies are designed to help you pursue areas connected to your academic or professional background. You can refine research questions, engage with existing scholarship, and develop sustained inquiry within a defined area of interest. This process helps to support the integration of research with practical application while emphasizing intellectual humility.
The global and intercultural engagement degree culminates in a dissertation, in which you can conduct original research and contribute to academic discussions in related fields. Through this process, you’ll be encouraged to synthesize theoretical frameworks, research findings, and multidisciplinary perspectives in a structured research environment.
Featured PhD in Intercultural and Global Engagement Courses
GICE 900 – Academic Writing and Research
GICE 910 – Foundations in Global Engagement
GICE 920 – Intercultural Communication and Global Leadership
GICE 930 – Current Issues in Global Engagement
Degree Information
- This program falls under the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity
- View the Degree Completion Plan (coming soon)
- Check out our course catalog
- Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
BENEFITS
Why Choose a PhD in Global Leadership and Intercultural Engagement?
Share a Passion for Global Human Flourishing
You can study how leadership, communication, and culture relate to human flourishing across diverse global contexts. A biblical worldview shapes how you examine cultural responsibility while recognizing the dignity and inherent worth of individuals and communities. This focus allows you to analyze how values, decision-making, and cultural systems influence outcomes in complex environments.
Explore Multidisciplinary Global Engagement
You can discover global engagement through a multidisciplinary structure that draws from multiple fields of study. Cultural systems, communication practices, and organizational dynamics are examined together to provide a broader perspective on complex issues. This approach supports deeper analysis of how challenges are addressed across sectors and cultural contexts.
Conduct Research in Intercultural Contexts
Your context becomes the laboratory in which you will apply your research to both academic and professional settings. Through mentored study, you can explore focused areas related to your background while refining research questions grounded in real-world challenges. This process emphasizes disciplined inquiry and supports contributions to ongoing academic and applied discussions.
Study in a Community of Globally Minded Leaders
Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) – meaning you can study within an institution that maintains established academic standards. Additionally, this environment supports focused doctoral study in a structured setting designed for advanced scholarship alongside experienced faculty and like-minded peers.
Admissions
How Do You Become a Global and Intercultural Engagement Student at Liberty University?
Every application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants must submit the following documents and meet the minimum requirements for admission:
- Admission application
- Official transcripts showing a master’s degree related to the student’s planned study in Global and Intercultural Engagement with at least a 3.0 GPA for admission in good standing
- Contact information for 3 approved recommenders (2 academic contacts from graduate degree faculty and 1 pastoral contact)
- Professional vita/résumé (including degrees earned, documented ministry and/or teaching experience in global and intercultural engagement, and career goals)
- Statement of Purpose that specifies purpose and goals for entering the program (300-word minimum)
- John W. Rawlings School of Divinity Questionnaire
- Academic writing sample from master’s degree or recent research (10-12 pages)
- Department Admission Review approval required – upon receipt of all documents, the application will be sent for admission review by the department. This review can take 1-2 full business days for review (24-48 hours)
Have Questions?
We’ll make sure you have the information you need to take your next step.