MSc Intercultural Business Communication

Develop an in-depth, understanding of nuances of language in an international business context

This course will give you a solid understanding of intercultural business communication and a range of issues related to cross-cultural business. You'll be well prepared for a career in international tourism, commerce or marketing.

Intercultural business communication deals with the study of communication in intercultural and cross-cultural business contexts. It plays a key role in the global economy and world commerce as it considers cultural differences between international business partners and clients.

Course details

You’ll critically examine issues related to cross-cultural business behaviour, cultural dimensions, the key role of language, critical cultural awareness, and training for intercultural sensitivity.

You’ll discuss the works of major intercultural researchers and the critiques they have received in order to contribute to a more widening debate of intercultural theory and research.

This course gives you grounding in the global economic environment and the opportunity to specialise in an area of business. You’ll also study an in-depth introduction to research methodology, appropriate to undertaking research at this level.

With an international outlook, MSc Intercultural Business Communication attracts students from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. By the end of the course, you’ll have a systematic understanding of intercultural business communication and competing theories of culture and communication.

You’ll also have the ability to critically and flexibly apply theoretical models to cross-cultural business contexts, including those of international marketing, commerce, advertising and tourism.

Modules

Modules that you will study* as part of this course

• Advertising as Cultural Discourse ( LNG11105 )
• Business Skills for Events Management in the Tourism Industry (TSM11101 )
• Case Studies in International Tourism ( TSM11105 )
• Contemporary Human Resource Management ( HRM11101 )
• Developing Intercultural Competence in the Workplace (LNG11120 )
• Dissertation ( LNG11130 )
• Global Economic Environment and Marketing ( SOE11129 )
• Global Marketing ( MKT11104 )
• Intercultural Business Communication ( LNG11106 )
• International Business Event Management ( TSM11113 )
• Marketing Communications ( MKT11101 )
• Organisational Change and Management ( HRM11118 )
• Postgraduate Language - French ( LNG11111 )
• Postgraduate Language - German ( LNG11113 )
• Postgraduate Language - Italian ( LNG11114 )
• Postgraduate Language - Spanish ( LNG11112 )
• Principles and Practice of Marketing ( MKT11108 )
• Research Methods ( SOE11131 )
• Understanding Language in the Global Workplace ( LNG11118 )

* These are indicative only and reflect the course structure in the current academic year. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

How you’ll be taught

This is a one year full-time course starting in September and is split up into three trimesters. You'll learn by a variety of teaching methods including lectures, tutorials and independent study.

There is also a January start option for this course, but please note that if you choose this option the course, although not involving any more work than for the September starts, will last longer due to timings of delivery of the modules.

• Duration:September starts: 12 months
• January starts: 18 months with a three-month break over the summer (after the first taught trimester)

Careers

Opportunities in international tourism, commerce and marketing and also human resources, where trained professionals are required to negotiate business ventures with overseas clients and markets and train and support international workforces.

You could also progress to further academic study on a higher research degree.

Careers for those having studied the MSc in Intercultural Business Communication often go into Marketing or Human Resources related areas such as:

• International Officer
• Human Resource Management
• Global Marketing

Visit the MSc Intercultural Business Communication page on the Edinburgh Napier University website for more details!