Due to global mobility, IBCLC certificants must have a broad understanding of sociological concepts and be sensitive to cultural differences. An introductory course in the sociological concepts and cultural aspects of human behaviour is required.
Courses in economics will not be accepted.
The table below describes typical courses that meet the sociology or cultural sensitivity or cultural anthropology requirement.
| Typical Course Name | Typical Course Description |
| Introductory Sociology | Introduction to basic sociological concepts. Examines aspects of human behaviour in cultural framework including: individual and group interaction, social mobility and stratification, status and class, race and gender relations, urbanism, crime and criminology, and social change and reform. |
| Elements of Sociology | The study of social life, including how human groups are organised, how they change, and how they influence individuals. Consideration is given to a variety of human organisations and social institutions and how these groups and institutions both determine, and are determined by, human beings. |
| Cultural Competency | Course is designed to provide a variety of experiences using various strategies to enhance the student’s understanding of the impact of culture upon clients’ perception of health and the delivery of care. |
| Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | An introduction to the anthropological study of cultures, based on ethnographic descriptions and analyses of tribal, developing, and modern state societies. The course explores a variety of concepts and approaches to the study of culture, and participants acquire experience in critical reading, critical thinking, and analytic writing. |