The article is devoted to the study of the problem of multicultural education, where not all aspects have received the necessary degree of scientific substantiation, which is reflected in the terminological and conceptual apparatus. Studying the history of the issue allows us to speak about the relevance and complexity of the stated problem. The authors of the article cited six main positions that reveal the complexity of the question posed by scientists from different countries. The results of the study and the questioning of respondents demonstrated the relevance of the formation of special knowledge in the framework of multicultural education, which is necessary for conducting professional activities, taking into account the peculiarities of the socio-cultural situation. Students are required to know the modern problems of multicultural education, the history of the emergence and formation of the ideas of multicultural education. Comparison and generalization methods allowed the authors of this article to determine the range of problems of modern multicultural education as a means of developing ethnocultural and professional competence. The results of the survey of respondents on the definition of tasks and the content of multicultural education are given. On the basis of these results, formed through sociological surveys, directions and conceptual provisions of the ideas of multicultural education are proposed. The practical significance of the study is aimed at the formation of the sum of competencies for the implementation of professional activities in a multicultural environment.