An Investigation into the Intercultural Communicative Competence of Senior English Majors

Abstract

This study employs a questionnaire survey to assess the intercultural communicative competence (ICC) of senior English majors at Hubei University of Technology. The Assessment Scale of Intercultural Communicative Competence for Chinese College Students is utilized to examine their ICC across six dimensions. Findings reveal that participants demonstrate an above-average level of overall ICC, with notable disparities among dimensions: attitude ranks highest, while foreign cultural knowledge shows relatively lower competence. Regression analysis identifies foreign cultural knowledge and intercultural communication skills as the most influential predictors of overall ICC. Additionally, students who engaged in intercultural courses exhibit statistically significantly higher ICC scores than non-participants, highlighting the efficacy of intercultural courses. The study underscores the need to integrate contextualized cultural knowledge and authentic communicative scenarios in English major education to address dimensional gaps and enhance holistic ICC development.