Masters in Intercultural Communication for Business & the Professions (MSc)
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Overview This Masters degree in Intercultural Communication for Business and the Professions provides in-depth training in intercultural communication, with a focus on its relevance to people working in business or in other professions (e.g. education, medicine, PR). The core modules focus on culture and communication. They develop participants’ ability to analyse, explain and research effective communication across cultures, as well as help nurture participants’ practical skills in intercultural interaction. The option modules enable participants to specialise in a range of communication and/or professionally-oriented modules. Why study a Masters degree in Intercultural Communication? Most jobs nowadays entail intercultural (e.g. international, multicultural, cross-sector) contact, and employers are increasingly looking for graduates who have the professional skills and understanding that can maximise the benefits of this. Sectors for which intercultural competence is particularly important include:
Our degree aims to address this need. Why an MSc? Why not MA Intercultural Communication? We have validated it as an MSc (rather than an MA Intercultural Communication) because the Centre for Applied Linguistics is located within the University's Faculty of Social Sciences, and the disciplines of applied linguistics and social psychology, which inform the academic components of this degree programme, are empirical disciplines within the remit of the social sciences. They deploy a range of empirical research techniques to solve real-world problems and to impact upon social practice. For more information on the aims of the programme, click here Course Structure The Masters Intercultural Communication for Business & the Professions degree programme can be taken as a one year, full-time programme or as a part-time programme spread over a maximum of four years. It comprises two terms of taught modules, October to December, January to March; then from April, participants EITHER carry out a dissertation, OR undertake a 4 week experiential placement plus a major project. For their experiential placement, participants have the opportunity to spend 4 weeks at a prestigious university in Beijing, the University of International Business and Economics, or to make their own arrangements (by approval) to study or work in an unfamiliar country or environment of their choice. The Teaching Staff The Masters Intercultural Communication for Business & the Professions degree programme is multidisciplinary in approach and is taught by staff with a wide range of academic and experiential backgrounds. All staff have lived and worked in a variety of different countries and thus have both personal experience of, as well as academic expertise in, the topics they are teaching. The core of the programme is based in the Centre for Applied Linguistics where staff have a particular interest in the interconnections between language, culture and professional interaction/ communication. They engage in projects and research in this area, and participate in the Working and Communicating across Cultures (WACC) research interest group The course is affiliated to Warwick Business School (WBS) and WBS staff contribute to the business-focused modules. Chinese as a foreign language is offered by the University of Warwick Language Centre. Professional intercultural coaches/trainers help run the practically-oriented modules. Applying for the Course The Masters degree in Intercultural Communication for Business & the Professions is aimed at people who have a particular interest in working in multicultural or intercultural contexts whatever their professional and/or academic backgrounds. Successful applicants will normally have a good undergraduate degree or the equivalent in any field of study. Work experience is not essential, but candidates will need to demonstrate to the course admissions team that they have an evidence-based interest in and/or sensitivity to intercultural/multicultural issues. International students normally need to have an English language score of 6.5 on the IELTS test (usually with at least 6.5 in the Reading and Writing and components), or the equivalent on a test approved by the UK Border Agency. For those whose scores fall very slightly below the required level when they apply, studying on our pre-sessional course in English language and study skills may be deemed satisfactory. To apply for the course, please go to: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/ For details of university funding, please go to: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/academicoffice/gsp/scholarship/typesoffunding/masters Some of them are relevant to applicants from particular countries; for example, the LI Xiaoming scholarship applies to students from China. Bursaries: Masters in Intercultural Communication for Business & the Professions: Programme Term One (October to December)
AND TWO* of the following:
Term Two (January to March)
AND TWO* of the following:
* A limit may be put on numbers taking some additional modules, and their availability in any particular year may be subject to change. Term Three (April to September)
or
The nature of the work Students learn about the interconnections between culture and communication and how this applies to practical issues in the workplace. The course is taught by means of lectures, seminars, workshops and experiential practice sessions. In addition, there is much guided reading and a number of assignments in the form of long essays, portfolios of materials and oral presentations. Students are introduced to research methodology which will assist them in carrying out (with the support of a supervisor) the research for their dissertation/major project. Students are also prepared for living and working in unfamiliar cultures (including the experiential placement module) through several of the modules. Assessment Assessment is by a variety of written and oral assignments (each module has slightly different formats) plus a final dissertation/major project. Written assignments are usually 2,000 or 3,000 words in length. The final dissertation is 15,000 words in length; the major project 10,000 words in length. Students must normally pass in each component, thus gaining a total of 180 credits, to be awarded the degree. The MSc can be awarded with Distinction. Modular Structure The Masters degree in Intercultural Communication for Business & the Professions is organised on a modular basis. The whole course may be taken together within one academic year, beginning in October. Alternatively, students may complete the work in termly sections in different academic years but within a maximum of four years.
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