Intercultural Communication MA

	Full-time	Part-time	Full-time distance learning	Part-time distance learning
MA	Y	Y	N	N

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 new MA programme is a joint undertaking by the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures and the School of Education. It brings together a wide range of expertise in the two schools 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 companies and organisations, in international projects and NGOs, and in multicultural and immigrant communities.

Research in the two Schools comprises a wide range of areas of relevance for this degree. For example, the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures has 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. Similarly, the School of Education has major interests in intercultural communication in professional contexts and beyond. 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. Our programme is distinct and different from many other programmes in the UK in that it is jointly situated in a School of Arts, Languages and Cultures and a School of Education. Participation in the programme is in itself a valuable intercultural experience.

The programme consists of a number of core and optional course units. An example of possible choices could be as follows:

Core modules

Introduction to Intercultural Communication

Explorations in Intercultural Communication

Developing Researcher Competence in Intercultural Communication

Optional Modules

Students take four options, at least three of which must be taken from the streams of electives the programme offers, whilst one may be taken from the wide menus offered by the two Schools, including a foreign language course. Currently, the streams of electives are as follows: language; migration/diaspora; memory; and education.

The choice of options will allow students to tap into the considerable expertise available across the School in areas such as media studies, migration, diaspora and gender studies, depending on their preferred career paths and/or research interests.

Academic entry qualification overview:

A good first degree or upper second class Honours or equivalent in a related subject area; typically this will be in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences but other subject areas will be considered on an individual basis. Professional experience in contexts which can be characterised as multicultural, intercultural, international, transcultural or transnational would be welcome but are not a prerequisite for the programme. Such professional experience would be considered on an individual basis.

English language:

Students whose first language is not English must submit either:

• an IELTS score of 7.0 or higher overall, with a score of 7.0 in the writing component
• a TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based test), 250 (computer-based test) or 100 (internet-based test) or higher overall, with a score of 5.5 in the TWE component (or 25 in the writing component for internet-based test)
• a Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 70 or higher overall, with a score of 70 in the writing component.

NB: All students must provide evidence of having achieved a minimum of an overall IELTS score of 6.0; an overall TOEFL score of 550 (paper-based test), 213 (computer-based test) or 80 (internet-based test); or an overall PTE score of 55.

Applications will not be considered complete without a copy of one of the above.

Other international entry requirements: We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country.

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry.  In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved.  We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.If you are applying for a place for the same year of entry through UCAS Extra, you should provide additional evidence of your suitability for the course. If you are applying through clearing you are required to meet the clearing requirements. In both UCAS Extra and clearing the places will be subject to availability.

All optional course units within the two Schools 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.

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.

All postgraduate students on this programme can make use of the purpose-designed Centre for Graduate Studies within the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures (they can also make full use of similar facilities in the School of Education). The Centre is located in one of the University's most interesting architectural spaces, highlighted in Pevsner's guide to Manchester for its `Corbusian external stairs and a curving rooftop pavilion ... the interior of which is an exciting space with big circular rooflights and very narrow window slits on one side only.' Care was taken to enhance those features while providing state-of-the-art facilities for postgraduate study. These include 30 computers (several with dedicated translation studies software), LaserJet printers, `hot-desk' facilities for around 50 students (including workstation facilities for students with disabilities), and 132 secure lockers. The Centre also houses a collection of past theses and dissertations from all subjects studied in the School at PhD, MPhil and MA level, which students can access to inform their own research and writing.

In addition to the Centre for Graduate Studies, the University has five major computer clusters, together with many smaller clusters. In total there are more than 10,000 PCs and workstations across the campus. All provide access to standard office software as well as specialist programs, and all are connected to the campus network and internet. Every student is registered for email, file storage and internet access. If more demanding computer access is required, our specialist computing division Manchester Computing can provide high-end and specialist computing services.

The University Library is one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the UK and is widely recognised as one of the world's greatest research libraries. We also have one of the largest academic IT services in Europe - supporting world-class teaching and research. 

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Support Office. Email: disability@manchester.ac.uk