Intercultural awareness is recognized as an integral part of professional training of future diplomats, journalists, interpreters and translators, personnel of international organizations and international relations departments. The author aims to identify and explore the means of building analytical and research competences of International Relations students in the process of studying “The Basics of Intercultural Communication”. The article met this aim through a study of relevant literature and experimental practical research. The author provides a detailed description of professionally oriented case analysis and project work performed by the students of MGIMO-University as well as assessment criteria used for grading students. The research analysis produced a number of key findings, which were supported by the survey results. The author concludes that the suggested practical tasks contribute to building intercultural, analytical and research competences.