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:

• International business
• Diplomatic service
• University international offices
• Non-governmental organisations/aid agencies
• Public sector organisations in multicultural contexts
• Education, Medicine, Public Relations etc.

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. For more information on the competencies needed for effective intercultural interaction, and which this degree aims to help foster, click here. For more information on careers with a qualification in intercultural communication, 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 Global People resources were recently developed by staff from the Centre for Applied Linguistics.

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:

The Centre for Applied Linguistics is pleased to offer two types of bursary.

Tuition fee bursary: One bursary worth 50% of the full tuition fee is available on a competitive basis for applicants who have accepted an unconditional offer. If you would like to be considered for this bursary, and are eligible, please send a personal statement describing (a) your academic achievements, (b) your reasons for taking the course, and (c) any other information that you think should be considered. The statement should be sent to appling@warwick.ac.uk and should be clearly marked ICBP Bursary.
Applications are now open for receipt of your personal statement: Closing date: 29 June 2012.

Experiential Placement bursaries: Up to 10 bursaries will be available for students wishing to undertake the optional Experiential Placement module. Application details will be available at the end of Term One of the course.

Masters in Intercultural Communication for Business & the Professions: Programme

Term One (October to December)

• Understanding Culture
• Competence in Communicating across Cultures
• Culture & Communication Management
• The Practice of Intercultural Interaction (Part 1) (half module)
• Researching the Workplace (Part 1) (half module)

AND TWO* of the following:

• Professional Communication
• International Business
• Chinese 1 (Mandarin) for Masters (Part 1) (full module)
• Translation, Culture and Society

 Term Two (January to March)

• Culture, Identity and Adaptation
• Leadership, Culture and Communication
• Globalisation, Cultural Diversity & the Workplace
• The Practice of Intercultural Interaction (Part 2)
• Researching the Workplace (Part 2)

AND TWO* of the following:

• Critical Issues in Intercultural Politics
• Intercultural Coaching & Development
• Management across Cultures
• Marketing across Cultures
• Chinese 1 (Mandarin) for Masters (Part 2) (full module)

* 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)

• Experiential Placement + Major Project

or

• Dissertation

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.

See what our students are doing on their Experiential Placement

Professor Spencer-Oatey
Course Director

Dr Saxena
Course Manager

Dr MacDonald
Admissions Tutor