Masters Degrees (Intercultural Communication)

This unique course in intercultural communication will expand your awareness of different cultures and workplace diversity, enhance your understanding of intercultural communication, and encourage you to reflect on your own culture and language use. You will also improve your professional and business communication skills, including written, oral and interpersonal skills, in international settings. The programme, which is based within Birkbeck's MA Intercultural Communication in Business and Professions, values the importance of bridging the gap between theory and practice in the field of intercultural communication and is structured to strike a balance between ideas and real-world experience.

This course is specifically designed for intercultural trainers, coaches and consultants interested in enhancing their existing knowledge and experience, and for professionals working in fields such as communication, public relations, human resources, management and business consulting, who want to expand their global perspective and increase intercultural effectiveness. You will develop the professional and business communication skills you need to proceed to a career in the international business world.

The programme benefits from a combination of knowledge-based and skills-oriented training, world-class experts in intercultural communication, Birkbeck's flexible, student friendly support, and London's position as an international multicultural and multilingual city.

If you unable or unsure about committing to a full Master's, this programme will help you gain cutting-edge, practical knowledge of the field of intercultural communication. Upon completion of the course, you can choose to go on to complete Birkbeck's MA Intercultural Communication for Business and Professions, if you wish.

Why study this course at Birkbeck?

Arts and humanities courses at Birkbeck are ranked third best in London and 11th in the UK in the Times Higher Education 2015-16 World University Subject Rankings.
Our intercultural communication programmes are internationally recognised higher professional qualifications, which could help you improve your employment prospects.
This multidisciplinary programme brings together communication studies, applied linguistics, language studies and business studies.
Applied linguistics has been taught at Birkbeck since 1965, making this one of the oldest departments in the world. You will be taught by leading researchers in the field.
The programme takes an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approach, with staff expertise in a wide range of sub-disciplines, from humanities to social sciences and life sciences. Teaching and research take place within a strong research culture.
Birkbeck’s central London location and unique evening study is ideal for working professionals. A unique advantage of studying this programme at Birkbeck is that students who are working professionals in London are taught side-by-side with others coming from across Europe and around the world.
We have a multimedia library and computing facilities. Birkbeck Library has a large holding of books, as well as over 40 current print journal subscriptions in the subject area, with an additional 100 available electronically. We are located within walking distance of the British Library and libraries at the Institute of Education, School of Oriental and African Studies, University College London and Senate House.
Birkbeck's Applied Linguistics Society, an official University of London society, was formed to bring together students interested in applied linguistics and related fields (for example, multilingualism, intercultural communication, TESOL etc) in the London area. You will also benefit from intercollegiate seminars and lectures offered by various departments located in Bloomsbury.
Birkbeck's Centre for Multilingual and Multicultural Research hosts visiting scholars from all over the world and runs regular research seminars given by speakers from overseas and other UK institutions. The centre also supports postgraduate training in applied linguistics, bilingualism, intercultural communication and translation.

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Our communication programmes were among the first in the UK and combine the research and teaching strengths in the School of English and Languages with the expertise of Surrey Business School. We’ve successfully trained over 300 graduates who have left equipped for a range of careers in communication and intercultural consultancy, many within government overseas agencies, international diplomatic organisations and business consultancies.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

The Masters in Intercultural Communication with International Business combines linguistic studies, cultural studies, international business components and training in research methods.

You will take six compulsory modules, two optional modules and write a dissertation where you have the opportunity to specialise according to your personal interests. The programme includes numerous opportunities to apply and develop your skills through practical tasks.

The programme is ideal for business professionals who wish to enhance their profile with a postgraduate qualification; and for graduates of humanities, English language or business disciplines who would like to deepen their insight into business across linguistic and cultural boundaries.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

This programme is studied full-time over one academic year and part-time over two academic years. It consists of eight taught modules and a dissertation. The following modules are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that not all modules described are compulsory and may be subject to teaching availability and/or student demand.
-Introduction to Research Methods
-Organisational Behaviour
-International Business Management
-Intercultural Communication for Business Purposes
-Teaching Intercultural Communication
-Interpersonal Communication
-Global Diversity in Language and Communication
-Theories of Professional Communication
-Identity: Marketing and Communication in Practice
-Globalisation: Theories, Discourses and Practices
-The Language of Advertising
-Organisations and Written Communication
-Dissertation

CAREER PROSPECTS

This degree will prepare you for a career in the areas of communication and intercultural consultancy, particularly, though not exclusively, where the use of English is required.

More specifically, the programme will appeal if you are seeking to work in multinational and international business, in particular in the fields of intercultural training, human resource management, and communication and marketing.

It will provide valuable preparation for careers in government overseas agencies and international diplomatic organisations, the voluntary sector, local government community initiatives and business consultancies, as well as in the communication industries.

Many of our graduates go on to find employment in a wide range of international organisations and businesses; others choose to take research degrees in their subject.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT

As a student of the School of English and Languages, you will benefit from the expertise of a vibrant, multidisciplinary group of academics. You will also have access to a number of conferences, seminars and workshops hosted throughout the year.

These events cover a range of topics to broaden your thinking in the fields of literature, language and linguistics, cultural studies and creative writing.

The business component of the programme will also allow you to benefit from the close affiliation with the Surrey Business School, a leading provider of internationally recognised postgraduate vocational management degrees.

The School has strong links with industry and has established a number of high-profile partnerships with multinational organisations. You will be supported by a team of international staff with a wealth of global experience and specialist expertise. Programmes available to all students include:
-Oral Skills
-Academic Listening
-Contemporary British Society
-Pronunciation
-Critical Thinking
-Legal English
-Academic Reading and Note-Taking
-Grammar Revision
-Essay Writing
-Essay Writing for Native English Speakers
-Thesis / Dissertation Writing

EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME

The overall purpose of the programme is to:
-Provide a comprehensive and differentiated understanding of intercultural communication in contemporary socio-cultural contexts
-Supply the tools enabling students to apply this understanding to the task of addressing the market needs of the international business environment
-Instil in students the capacity for carrying out advanced supervised research in an area ofIntercultural Communication

In particular, the programme aims to:
-Develop students’ awareness of the linguistic and cultural differences arising from the intercultural encounter of Anglophone culture(s) with the diverse cultures subject to its influence
-Sensitize students to linguistic and cultural difference in the construction of everyday and institutional discourse resulting from the increased marketization of private and public services, as well as to the issues and concerns of the rapidly growing media industries
-Impart the knowledge and skills of intercultural communication and international business necessary to enable students to compete for jobs/research opportunities in fields relevant to their degree (intercultural training, human resource management, government local/overseas agencies and agencies for international co-operation, business consultancies), as well as PhD opportunities in this area
-Develop students’ abilities to evaluate and judiciously apply scholarship in Intercultural Communication

PROGRAMME LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge and understanding
-A critical understanding of different types of communication, in particular intercultural, cross-cultural, non-mediated (face-to- face) and mediated (telephone, internet,etc.) communication
-A critical awareness of the issues and concerns involved in mediated and non-mediated intercultural communication
-A comprehensive knowledge of the strategies and processes of social interaction either spoken or written
-A detailed understanding of business organisations, their management challenges, and the changing external environment in which they operate

Intellectual / cognitive skills
-Demonstrate an ability to create and carry out a project in the field of (non) professional communication of significant complexity
-Demonstrate an ability to reflect upon the knowledge gained and incorporate this into independent learning strategies
-Critically appreciate the different frames for analysing social interaction to be applied to the research work required for the writing of the MA dissertation

Professional practical skills
-Create appropriate strategies for effective communication with members of the same and/or other (sub)cultures
-Evaluate communication processes already in place in different contexts and implement communication policies

Key / transferable skills
-The capacity to work both independently and with others in order to achieve common goals
-An ability to manage learning self-critically

GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES

We often give our students the opportunity to acquire international experience during their degrees by taking advantage of our exchange agreements with overseas universities.

In addition to the hugely enjoyable and satisfying experience, time spent abroad adds a distinctive element to your CV.

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About the course

We’ll cover the main theories of intercultural communication, including best practice for effective communication at work. This will enable you to connect theory with real-life situations. If you want to work in an international, multicultural environment, and develop advanced intercultural competence and communication skills in more than one language, this course is for you.

Your career

Our reputation for excellence means your MA will be highly respected by employers. You’ll develop the skills to work in translation, culture and communication internationally or in the UK. Recent graduates have gone on to work for employers such as SDL, Transact, The Big Word, Kaplan, the University of Leeds, the State University – Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Centre for French and Francophone Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and as International Projects Director at a South Yorkshire College.

You may also choose to follow in the footsteps of students who have continued to PhD and have been awarded highly prestigious grants for PhD study such as Wolfson and WRoCAH scholarships.

About us

We constantly review and revise our degrees to make sure you keep on top of the latest developments in the field. You’ll learn academic theory and practical skills – and how to relate the two.

Sheffield is at the forefront of modern languages research. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) ranks us among the top ten Russell Group universities for impact in this field. Recent projects include e-learning and knowledge exchange with industry, and three initiatives looking at language teaching and learning.

Our facilities

You can practise your English, French, German, Italian or Spanish with native speakers at our Modern Languages Teaching Centre. Our specially designed building has modern spaces for teaching and research. We’re right next to the other arts and humanities departments, and there are lots of opportunities to share ideas.

Core modules

Concepts and Approaches in Intercultural Communication
Intercultural Communication in Practice
Reflective Practice: Ethnography
Dissertation

Examples of optional modules

A range including: Languages for Intercultural Communication; Tandem Learning for Intercultural Communication; International Management; International Project Management; Critical Reading and Writing at MA Level; Language in Context; Localisation for Linguists; Approaches to Translation Genres; Enhanced Languages/Translation Modules; Professional Problem-Based Learning.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching takes place through lectures, seminars, small-group work and workshops. You’ll be assessed by essays, presentations and a dissertation.

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About the course

This course is designed to produce international developers with advanced intercultural communication skills – it’s taught by the School of Languages and Cultures and the Department of Geography (page XXX). A module on international project management integrates the two subjects and there are communication seminars designed for developers.

Fieldwork is important. The course includes a compulsory field class in the global south. Recent field classes were in the West Pokot region of Kenya and the suburbs of Cairo.

In a global society based on fairness, everyone’s voice should be heard. The world needs developers who can communicate across cultural boundaries and bring people together. As a graduate of this course, you’ll be well placed to make a difference.

Your career

Our reputation for excellence means your MA will be highly respected by employers. You’ll develop the skills to work in translation, culture and communication internationally or in the UK. Recent graduates have gone on to work for employers such as SDL, Transact, The Big Word, Kaplan, the University of Leeds, the State University – Higher School of Economics in Moscow, Centre for French and Francophone Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and as International Projects Director at a South Yorkshire College.

You may also choose to follow in the footsteps of students who have continued to PhD and have been awarded highly prestigious grants for PhD study such as Wolfson and WRoCAH scholarships.

About us

We constantly review and revise our degrees to make sure you keep on top of the latest developments in the field. You’ll learn academic theory and practical skills – and how to relate the two.

Sheffield is at the forefront of modern languages research. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) ranks us among the top ten Russell Group universities for impact in this field. Recent projects include e-learning and knowledge exchange with industry, and three initiatives looking at language teaching and learning.

Our facilities

You can practise your English, French, German, Italian or Spanish with native speakers at our Modern Languages Teaching Centre. Our specially designed building has modern spaces for teaching and research. We’re right next to the other arts and humanities departments, and there are lots of opportunities to share ideas.

Core modules

Concepts and Approaches in Intercultural Communication; Ethnography: reflective practice; Ideas and Practice in International Development; Spatial Planning and Development in the Global South; Placement Dissertation. You’ll also take a ten-day field class overseas. There is an extra charge for overseas trips but it’s great experience and value for money.

Examples of optional modules

International Management; Language in Context; Key Issues in Environment and Development; Understanding Environmental Change; HIV/AIDS; Living with Climate Change; International Project Management; Approaches to Translation Genres; Enhanced Languages Project 1; Enhanced Languages Project 2; Tandem Learning for Intercultural Communication; Localisation for Linguists; Critical Reading and Writing at MA Level; Cities of Diversity; Cities of the South: planning for informality; Intercultural Communication in Practice; Professional Problem-based Learning.

Teaching and assessment

Lectures, seminars, small-group work and workshops. You’re assessed on coursework and a dissertation. The dissertation involves a work placement (often understaken in the global south) with a development organisation.

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The MA Intercultural Communication and Education develops critical understanding of education and intercultural communication in the context of global movements of people and the internationalisation of education. The programme provides students, educators, and policy makers with resources for reflecting on and responding to the growing need for intercultural education and communication in an increasingly intercultural/international world. This programme is available for part-time and full-time students through the academic year. It can also be studied part time at the School of Education International Summer Postgraduate Institute (ISPI) programme that runs in Durham every July.

Course structure

Students on this pathway must do Research Methods in Education (30 credits) with two core modules, Intercultural and International Education and Intercultural Communication. They then have a choice of one additional module from across those running in the School of Education (see MA Education for full list). Students also do a 15,000 word dissertation within the field of intercultural education and internationalisation. This is a supervised piece of work working with specialists in the field.

Modules

-Intercultural and International Education (30 credits) Assessment by 5,000 word assignment
-Intercultural Communication (30 credits) Assessment by 5,000 word assignment

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Are you ready for the global workplace?

Our MSc in Intercultural Communication for Business and the Professions (ICBP) is for anyone who wants to develop their intercultural skills, and apply those skills to the world of business or beyond. With research increasingly showing a need for employees who can work across cultures, the intercultural skills you’ll learn on the course will prepare you for wherever you want your career to take you.

A programme tailored to your needs

With a wide variety of modules to choose from, our MSc ICBP lets you tailor your studies to your own career aspirations. Want to apply your intercultural knowledge in a role within marketing? Or perhaps you’re interested in issues in intercultural politics?

Our core modules focus on culture and communication, developing your ability to analyse, explain and research intercultural communication, as well as strengthening your practical cultural skills. You can also choose from optional modules that enable you to specialise in various communication and/or professionally oriented areas, including marketing, international business and even learning and working in a new language.

What’s more, you can choose the pace of your studies, with full-time and tailored part-time study options available.

Apply your intercultural skills in the real world

On our MSc ICBP, our programme is rooted in the understanding that teaching needs to be informed by research and practice alike. Our research with organisations across a wide range of industries is reflected in both our course content and our approach to teaching. That’s why each module on our programme gives you the chance to apply your intercultural skills and knowledge in a practical way – from in-class discussions and group projects, to case studies or an experiential placement.

As an MSc student you’ll also have many opportunities to gain first-hand insights into challenges that organisations face, thanks to our guest speaker series that runs through all terms. In previous years, we’ve hosted speakers from businesses and organisations from around the world, on a wide range of intercultural, international issues.

Experiential placements: go beyond the classroom

In today’s competitive workplace, opportunities to put theory into practice when studying are invaluable. As a student on our MSc ICBP, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake an experiential placement as part of your degree programme – giving you hands-on experience of applying the skills you’ve learned in the real world.

Our students have undertaken placements ranging from visiting our partner universities around the world, to organising their own work placement. Whether you want to study in China, or work with an international business in South Africa, you’ll have the chance to gain a real edge in taking the next step in your global career.

Where will our course take you?

Our students have gone on to follow a huge range of career paths in including the following:

Marketing
- Fashion & Lifestyle
- Mobile communications
- Web technology
- Education management
- Arts

Public Relations and Media
- Editing & Publishing
- Primary sector industries
- Education
- Consulting
- Journalism

Consulting
- Management & Business
- Electronics
- Insurance
- Translation & Interpreting
- Food

Management/HR
- Oil & Energy
- Investment
- Medical devices
- International recruitment
- Tourism

Education
- Secondary education
- Central administration
- Teaching
- Higher education
- Research

To find out more about where our course can take you, send us an email ([email protected]), or visit our website: MSc Intercultural Communication for Business and the Professions (http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/al/study/msc/)

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Intercultural communication is crucial to comprehending the world today and participating in the world of tomorrow. Globalisation has broken down barriers of time and space but it has not removed linguistic and cultural barriers. Expertise in intercultural communication is a key skill that is of critical value in a whole range of professions that operate on a global scale. This programme will open doors into multiple roles where expert intercultural communicators are needed in multinational and international private sector companies, as well as in a host of public sector professions.

You will develop a broad-based approach to the study of language and intercultural communication, both as a cultural resource and a cultural practice, and an understanding of how new media and mobile technologies which characterize contemporary global networks are affecting communication.

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In the interdisciplinary Master's in Intercultural Communication you will carry out practice-oriented research relating to communication optimisation in multilingual and international contexts.

The world is becoming ever 'smaller'. Due to technological and economic developments we are increasingly being brought into contact with different languages and cultures. Whether in multicultural societies, international organisations or online: communication has become an international, and therefore an intercultural, matter. In business, too, the importance of cultural parameters and mutual perceptions are rapidly increasing.

The Intercultural Communication Master's programme teaches you how to approach linguistic and cultural diversity in various, international, contexts. It is implementation-oriented, interdisciplinary, international and multilingual. After graduation your skills as a multilingual and intercultural expert mean you will be ready to contribute to mutual understanding within Europe and to the good worldwide relationships that are so important in this age of globalisation.

Tracks

This Master offers seven tracks:
-Multilingual
-German
-English
-French
-Italian
-Dutch
-Spanish

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This course offers you an opportunity to raise your cross-cultural awareness and enhance your intercultural communicative competence in international business settings, to reflect on your own culture and language use, and to develop the professional and business communication skills necessary to advance your career in the international business world.

It focuses on intercultural communication skills, including written, oral and interpersonal skills, and is specially designed for:

- Language and communication graduates who are looking to develop a career in international organisations or the business sector.
- Business graduates who would like to improve their professional and business communication skills to enhance their employability.
- Professionals working in fields such communication, public relations, human resources, management and business consulting who want to expand their global perspective and increase effectiveness.
- Intercultural trainers, coaches and consultants interested in enhancing their existing knowledge and experience.


The programme benefits from a combination of knowledge-based and skills-oriented training, world-class experts in intercultural communication, Birkbeck's flexible and student-friendly support, and London's position as an international multicultural and multilingual city.

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his course provides a high quality education at Master's level in Intercultural Communication, based on the teaching and research strengths of a well-established team of English language scholars.

The course will help you to obtain a systematic and broad understanding of key aspects of intercultural communication.

An important advantage in taking this course is that it merges academic knowledge with practical analytic skill. You will acquire a sound knowledge of how to analyse and interpret interaction via English within and across cultures, developing professional skills that are highly relevant to the job market.

You will have an option to learn a foreign language, which helps you finding high-profile jobs in the market.

There is an emphasis on analysing English language in use, including spoken and written language.

You will learn how to use different methods of analysis and based on a range of theories of culturally appropriate language use.

Your tutors are active in their own specialist areas and recognised by the Higher Education Academy.* You can be confident that your studies are led by experts with flair and enthusiasm, renowned nationally and internationally for their excellence in teaching and research. As leading researchers in their fields of expertise, your tutors are published authors, award-winners and acclaimed thinkers. Indeed, 75% of work submitted for the most recent Research Assessment Exercise was said to be 'internationally significant' and 'world leading'. (Research Excellence Framework 2014)

We have a vibrant research community of both national and international students. We regularly host conferences which reflect the research interests of our academic staff, and research seminars by our own students, staff and visiting guest speakers.

Linguistics is home to the internationally-recognised Centre for Intercultural Politeness Research, which hosts internationally-reputed experts and which operates with the support of the Linguistics Politeness Research Group.

Linguistics is also home to the internationally-recognised Stylistics Research Centre and English academic staff have held official positions in the Poetics and Linguistics Association (PALA) the world's leading organisation for the study of linguistics.

permanent staff, after probation: some recently appointed colleagues will only obtain recognition in the months after their arrival in Huddersfield, once they have started teaching

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his course provides a high quality education at Master's level in Business English and Intercultural Communication, based on the teaching and research strengths of a well-established team of scholars involved in English linguistics and interaction studies.

The course will help you to obtain a systematic and broad understanding of key aspects of intercultural communication, with special attention devoted to practical business settings. It will also help you to acquire Business English at an advanced level.

An important advantage in taking this course is that it merges academic knowledge with practical skill: you will acquire a sound knowledge of interpersonal interaction via English within and across business cultures. In this way you will develop professional skills that are highly relevant to the job market.

There is an emphasis on the practical analysis of English language in use, including spoken and written language.

You will learn how to use different methods of analysis, based on a range of theories of culturally appropriate language use.

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Learn to communicate effectively in an intercultural workplace. Advance your knowledge of language and cultural theory, as well as your business and professional communication skills, in a community of students from all over the world. You’ll even have the chance to spend a semester on a European campus.

Overview

In our increasingly global world, contact between cultures is of vital economic and sociocultural importance. Our Master’s course will give you the skills and knowledge to build a successful career in an intercultural environment.

You’ll gain an understanding of how cultural differences impact on human interaction in both the workplace and society. With modules that focus on topics like migration, identity and cultural relations, you’ll advance your theoretical knowledge at the same time as improving your business and professional communication skills.

You’ll also learn to use different methodological tools that will help you understand language and communication, as well as sharpen your analytical skills. This will give you the confidence to think independently and innovatively around the interdisciplinary, and often multinational, challenges of the modern world of work.

As a full-time student, you can choose to spend one semester at a European university (the Eurocampus). At the Eurocampus, your studies will be equivalent to those of Cambridge-based students, and you’ll still work in English.

On both our Cambridge campus and the Eurocampus, you’ll be working alongside students from all over the world, including the USA, Canada, Germany, France, China, Japan, Taiwan, Spain, Italy, Finland, Turkey and Lithuania. This will give you additional experience and understanding of intercultural environments to support your academic studies.

Teaching times: Mondays and Thursdays from 6-8pm (full-time); Mondays or Thursdays from 6-8pm (part-time).

See the website http://www.anglia.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/intercultural-communication

Careers

This course will prepare you for many roles in international companies, local government, European institutions, social work or education and training.

Our past students now enjoy careers like intercultural training (eg for Communicaid), intercultural mediation in educational and social contexts, work with non-governmental organisations (UNESCO, UNICEF), language teaching (both English and other languages in the UK and abroad), translating and interpreting (in agencies or community contexts), administration (in business, education or embassies), international property sales, and human resources.

Or you might choose to move on to a research degree, like our PhD English Language and Intercultural Communication.

Modules

Core modules:
Major Project

Optional modules:
Discourse and Identity
Impacts of Migration
Eurocampus
Language, Identity and Policy
Intercultural Relations and Communication
Independent Learning Module

Assessment

Our course gives you the option to spend one semester at a European university, or study in Cambridge only.

On the Cambridge-only route, you’ll show your progress through written coursework: 6,000-word essays for all modules except Impacts of Migration, which requires a 5,000-word essay and a presentation. You'll also complete a 15,000-word dissertation.

On the 'Eurocampus' route, you’ll be assessed through a combination of methods depending on the institution.

Awards and distinctions

By taking this course, you’ll be studying on a programme that has twice been awarded the UK Trade and Investment National Languages for Export award (for the Eastern region in the UK), in the category 'Innovative courses in adult, further and higher education which prepare students for working in, or with, people from non-English-speaking markets'.

Study abroad options

Every year, the Eurocampus takes place at a different institution. Participating universities include: Bayreuth, Germany: Universität Bayreuth; Cambridge, UK: Anglia Ruskin University; Jyväskylä, Finland: University of Jyväskylä; Lisbon, Portugal: Universidade Aberta; Lugano, Switzerland: Università della Svizzera Italiana; Paris, France: Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales; Tartu, Estonia: University of Tartu; Utrecht, Netherlands: University of Utrecht.

The Eurocampus location for the next two years will be:

2015: Cambridge
2016: Bayreuth

Events

You’ll be able to attend regular seminar papers by visiting scholars, organised by our Research Unit for Intercultural and Transcultural Studies (RUITS) network.

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The global era has stimulated transnational cultural flows (of people, practices and products) and local cultural complexities that were inconceivable even a generation ago. Nowadays, individuals increasingly recognise not only their own cultural complexity but also the need to function effectively in culturally-diverse contexts ranging from the home and neighbourhood, to places of worship and recreation, to organisations and workplaces, and to societies and regions.

Through face-to-face interactions at home and overseas, through the media, and through digital communications, the need to live interculturally is fast becoming the norm for more and more of us rather than the exception experienced by a few. As a consequence, intercultural awareness and communication skills are now a necessary part of life for most people in most aspects of their lives.

This MA programme is run jointly by the School of Arts, Languages & Cultures, and the Manchester Institute of Education. It brings together a wide range of expertise, in order to explore the cultural complexities and diversity of our current times, from a variety of conceptual, disciplinary and professional perspectives. It invites students to consider what these complexities might mean for individuals in a variety of contexts and also to further develop their own intercultural awareness and skills. The degree is designed for a broad range of students who are interested in intercultural matters, both international and UK / EU students. Some knowledge of a foreign language is preferable although not a prerequisite. Professional experience with an intercultural dimension to it is also valued but is not required. Those successfully graduating from the degree should find that it enhances their opportunities to gain employment in fields where intercultural competence is valued, for example in many multinational organisations, in international projects and NGOs, and in multicultural and immigrant communities. Here are some examples of posts obtained by MAIC alumni: officials in the United Nations agencies UNEP and UNHCR, university study abroad administrators, and administrative officers in cultural organizations with an international outlook.

Aims

Staff research comprises a wide range of areas of relevance for this degree; for example, in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures we have major interests in languages and cultures including world languages (e.g. English, Chinese, Arabic, Russian, Spanish, French and Portuguese) as well as diaspora and minority cultures. In the Manchester Institute of Education we have major interests in intercultural communication in professional contexts and in intercultural training.

These interests allow us to offer a comprehensive programme which engages with cultural diversity and processes of cultural contact in a wide range of settings. Participation in the programme is, in itself, a valuable intercultural experience.

Teaching and learning

All optional course units are taught on a tutorial or seminar basis, with group sizes varying depending on the course unit. Tutorials give the opportunity for intensive scholarly work, with areas of concentration determined by the participants and their individual interests, which can be investigated in considerable depth. Seminars offer more opportunities for developing group work and presentation skills.

Coursework and assessment

Most course units are assessed by assignments and other marked work, rather than by written examination. Deadlines for assessment are stated in the Programme Handbook.

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Summary

This brand new MA is perfect for multilingual students who want a career in the creative industries.

In our cosmopolitan global culture talented people with multilingual skills are increasingly sought after by the creative industries. In this trailblazing MA you will have the opportunity to combine your language and translation skills with the study of London’s vibrant creative industries.

On the programme you will use your language skills and first-hand experience of different cultures to explore new territory in and around the use of languages. You will reach beyond the traditional role of translation and localisation by studying how these disciplines are applied in the creative industries, paying particular attention to the practical application of these skills in a professional environment.

You will be introduced to the emerging area of transcreation, which refers to the creative process of altering messages so they are suitable for the target local market, while maintaining its original intent, tone, style and context, and how this is used within creative industries such as arts, advertising, entertainment and marketing.

London’s rich cultural scene is central to this MA and a series of visits to festivals, studios, cinemas and galleries are incorporated into the programme, giving you the opportunity to engage first hand with the many different cultural institutions the capital has to offer. There is also the opportunity to undertake a work placement, meaning you can build a strong CV and make vital industry contacts.

In addition you will be able to study modules from a wide range of creative disciplines from the Department of Media, Culture and Languages, including audiovisual translation, film, media and journalism.

Content

In the module Think, Create, Translate: Transcreation and the Creative Industries, you will analyse different examples of translation and transcreation which you will compile into a portfolio of work (which you can use as part of your CV) and discuss how multilingualism and multiculturalism are put into practice in a creative environment. You will combine a series of lectures, workshops and group projects with visits to many of London’s cultural institutions including festivals, studios, cinemas and galleries.

In the Cultural Adaptation in the Creative Industries module, you will explore the theory and concepts that underpin practices of transcreation and localisation, drawing on multiple disciplines, including linguistics and audiovisual translation, film, game and television studies, media management and advertising. For instance, you may be analysing localised popular entertainment shows, consider regionalisation in video games and marketing campaigns, or explore localisation from an audience perspective.

There is also a wide variety of options modules on offer on a range of subjects including translation-related fields such as subtitling and videogame localisation, as well as media and communications, project management, and social media and data journalism. You can also choose between undertaking a research based dissertation and working with a cultural institution as part of a work placement.

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Note: this MPhil can develop into a PHD.

Research in the Centre focuses on the relationships between Applied Linguistics and professional practice in a range of international and multinational contexts, especially in the areas of English Language teaching and learning, professional discourse, and working across cultures. We are one of the leading centres nationally and internationally for work in these areas, and our aim is to continue to nurture and carry out high quality research.

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