Masters in Intercultural Communication at Manchester

Transcription

1 Masters in Intercultural Communication at Manchester Offered jointly by: The School of Arts, Languages and Cultures and The School of Education 1

2 This booklet aims to provide the information currently available for this new programme beginning in September We have tried to make this introduction accurate and helpful, but note that there may be minor changes to the programme as we finalise its content and organisation. Why Study at The University of Manchester? Manchester is one of the largest cities in the United Kingdom with a vibrant student community and rich multicultural life. The University of Manchester is recognised as one of the UK s leading universities, ranked third after Oxford and Cambridge in terms of research funding. So, a degree from the University of Manchester is prestigious. Why Do a Masters in Intercultural Communication (MAIC)? The global era has stimulated transnational flows (of people, practices and products) and local cultural complexities that were inconceivable even a generation ago. The digital revolution has added greatly to increasingly interconnected world. As a consequence, intercultural communication skills have become a necessary part of life for most people in most aspects of their lives, and such skills are also increasingly sought after by employers. So, an MA in Intercultural Communication is valuable in the workplace as well as more generally. What is special about MAIC at Manchester? The MAIC programme is a joint undertaking by the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures 1 and the School of Education. The programme thus benefits from a wide range of expertise from these two schools. It offers a broad exploration of the intercultural communication phenomenon and how it can be studied, and it builds on the language, culture and education specialisms of these two schools. Are there Pre-requisites? For all applicants, a Bachelor s degree with a 2:1 classification or above (or the equivalent for degrees from outside the UK) is necessary. For native English speakers, knowledge of a foreign language is an advantage. For non-native speakers of English, an IELTS level 7 in both speaking and writing is required. Who are the lecturers? The University of Manchester has a wealth of lecturing and research staff in the fields of languages, cultures, education and beyond. The MAIC team is led by the joint Programme Directors, Richard and Siobhan (see below). 1 Some of you will be used to communicating with the School of Languages, Linguistics & Cultures (SLLC). From September 2012, SLLC will merge with the School of Arts, Histories & Cultures to create the new School of Arts, Languages and Cultures. 2

3 Programme Directors: Richard Fay, Lecturer in Education, specialises in TESOL, Intercultural Communication, Researcher Education, and Narrative Research. He has been developing courses in intercultural communication since He coordinates the core courses in Semester 1, and in Semester 2 co-tutors Developing Researcher Competence (core) and Intercultural Education in Practice (elective). Siobhan Brownlie, Lecturer in Translation Studies, has an interest in intercultural relations in relation to memory. She teaches the Semester 1 elective course Memory, Interlingual Translation & Intercultural Relations. Other Teaching Staff: Susan Brown, Lecturer in Educational Technology and TESOL, specialises in digital literacies, and Global Citizenship (including Sustainability Education). She contributes to the core courses in Semester 1 and is co-tutor of the elective Intercultural Education in Practice in Semester 2. Margaret Littler, Professor of contemporary German culture, researches in the field of diaspora cultures as one of her main interests. She teaches the Semester 2 elective Border Crossings: Comparative Cultures of Diaspora. Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen, Professor of French Language and Linguistics, researches pragmatics and verbal interaction amongst other areas. She teaches the Semester 2 elective Interactional Pragmatics & Intercultural Communication. Ian Pople, Senior Language Tutor in English, has a keen interest in new writing. He teaches the Semester 1 elective English as a Global Language. Juup Stelma, Lecturer in TESOL, works in the area of Language (Teacher) Education and has particular interests in Ecological Theory and Research Education. He co-tutors the Semester 2 Developing Researcher Competence (core). 3

4 Summary of Programme Structure and Content Full-time Semester 1 (Sept Jan) Core courses Introduction to Intercultural Communication -- Richard Fay, 15 credits Explorations in Intercultural Thinking -- Richard Fay, 15 credits Developing Academic Competence -- Juup Stelma & Richard Fay, non-credit-bearing, for formative feedback [with the MA TESOL participants] Elective / option courses* English as a Global Language -- Ian Pople, 15 credits [Stream 1: Language] Memory, Interlingual Translation & Intercultural Relations -- Siobhan Brownlie, 15 credits [Stream 3: Memory] Semester 2 (Jan - Jun) Core courses Elective /option courses * Developing Researcher Competence -- Juup Stelma & Richard Fay 30 credits [taken with MA TESOL participants] Interactional Pragmatics & Intercultural Communication -- Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen, 15 credits [Stream 1: Language] Border Crossings: Comparative Cultures of Diaspora -- Margaret Littler, 15 credits [Stream 2: Migration, Diaspora] Intercultural Education in Practice -- Susan Brown & Richard Fay, 15 credits [Stream 4: Education] Summer (Jun -Aug) Dissertation -- individually supervised, 60 credits * Elective / option courses MAIC participants have 60 credits of elective courses. These normally comprise four courses of 15 credits each. Typically, two such courses are taken in each semester. A minimum of three of these should be chosen from the options within the four programme streams (i.e. Language, Migration/Diaspora, Memory, and Education). Additionally, participants may take one free choice option normally drawn from Masters courses offered by the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures or the School of Education. 4

5 Summary of Programme Structure and Content Part-time The courses indicated above for the full-time programme can be studied part-time typically following this pattern over two academic years: Year 1 Semester 1 Semester 2 Core: Introduction to Intercultural Communication Core : Explorations in Intercultural thinking Core (unassessed): Developing Academic Competence 2 x electives / options Year 2 Semester 1 Semester 2 Summer 2 x electives / options Core (assessed): Developing Researcher Competence Dissertation Summary of Programme Streams Stream 1: Language Semester 1 Semester 2 English as a Global Language -- Ian Pople, 15 credits Interactional Pragmatics & Intercultural Communication -- Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen, 15 credits Stream 2: Migration, Diaspora Border Crossings: Comparative Cultures of Diaspora -- Margaret Littler, 15 credits Stream 3: Memory Memory, Interlingual Translation & Intercultural Relations -- Siobhan Brownlie, 15 credits Stream 4: Education Intercultural Education in Practice -- Susan Brown & Richard Fay, 15 credits 5

6 Course Descriptions Core courses Semester 1: Introduction to Intercultural Communication -- Richard Fay (15 credits) This course provides an introduction to key theoretical concepts in intercultural communication and maps how this phenomenon is studied across a number of contributing disciplines. It begins with an exploration of key questions such as: What is culture? What is communication? What is intercultural communication? What is cultural identity? What is languaculture? What is cultural learning? What is cultural awareness? What is intercultural (communicative) competence? What is otherisation? What is cosmopolitanism? How does the digital age impact on intercultural communication? What is intercultural communication education and training? Building on these areas of exploration, the course examines intercultural communication against the backdrop of the transnational flows and local complexities of our time, presents a model of intercultural communication as interpersonal communication between individuals with differing cultural identities and backgrounds, and problematises the default large culture approach to culture, cultural difference, and intercultural communication. Explorations in Intercultural Thinking -- Richard Fay (15 credits) One challenge when exploring Intercultural Communication is the wide range of areas in which it is relevant. On this MA programme, some of this breadth is explored via the elective options in the streams we offer. But other streams could be added (e.g. business, psychology, cultural studies, faith studies, international affairs). Therefore, this course seeks to explore the elective areas on offer and others areas as well. It does so with the aim of seeing how each of these areas (such as memory, diaspora studies, international exchanges etc) might be viewed through an intercultural communication lens. In this way, we aim to give all of you a taste of every elective area as well as other areas which could become elective streams in the future. The intended objective of such an intercultural lens is that of programme coherence, i.e. enabling you to see how each of these areas might be explored interculturally, and to become aware of the interdisciplinary connections between them. Developing Academic Competence Juup Stelma and Richard Fay (non-credit-bearing, for formative feedback, taken with the MA TESOL participants) We recognise that Masters-level study will be a new experience for most of you and that there can be a steep learning curve as you come to understand what is expected of you and what you can expect of us. This DAC component carries no formal credits but it could not be more important for your studies and we therefore view it as compulsory for all MAIC participants. In practical terms, it has two elements - it begins with a number of workshops exploring aspects of academic practice (including assignment writing); and this is followed by an initial writing task designed to establish for your benefit and ours any writing needs you may have. Feedback on this task is formative, designed to enable you to more confidently and competently undertake the assignments required for your assessed courses. 6

7 Core course Semester 2: Developing Researcher Competence Juup Stelma and Richard Fay (30 credits, taken with the MA TESOL participants) This course is concerned with the development of your researcher competence through the planning, designing, implementing and presentation of a small-scale research experience (the topic for which ideally links to the one that you hope to explore further in your subsequent dissertation). The course aims to: provide a conceptual understanding of the principles and practice of research; introduce the principles and practice associated with a number of research approaches, methods, and techniques; introduce the principles and practices associated with several areas of data analysis; encourage critical reflection on the process of planning, designing, implementing, and presentation of research; encourage you to reflect critically on the appropriateness of particular approaches, methods, and techniques for your own specific research activities; and encourage your critical reflection on the process through which you develop your researcher competence. Electives / Options courses (15 credits each, four option courses to be taken). These options are mostly drawn from the MA IC streams (see below) but participants may, as negotiated with the Programme Directors, take one free choice option. A free choice would normally be drawn from Masters courses offered by the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures or the School of Education. Stream 1: Language English as a Global Language Ian Pople (15 credits) The course begins with an introduction to some of the issues involved in the study of English as a Global language. The following weeks will look at the history, current situation and future evolution of English as a Global language. Over the duration of the course, participants will examine the problematic concept of a Global English, in order to tease out the nature of those problems. Many of these areas will be explored using a case study approach which will be designed to draw on the participants own interests and concerns. Interactional Pragmatics & Intercultural Communication Maj-Britt Mosegaard Hansen (15 credits) This course focuses on conversation analysis and politeness theory applied both to monolingual and intercultural settings. The aims of the course are to enable participants to analyze and interpret the use of language in spontaneous spoken interaction including the analysis of conversational structures, to enable participants to identify and analyze different strategies of politeness used in interaction, and to familiarise participants with a range of contemporary theoretical and methodological approaches to verbal interaction in the oral channel. Participants will be sensitized to both similarities and differences in communicative practices in different speech communities. 7

8 Stream 2: Migration, Diaspora Border Crossings: Comparative Cultures of Diaspora Margaret Littler (15 credits) This course is taught by a team of staff within the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, in different groupings depending on staff availability. It will take as its premise various key concepts concerning transnational identities and migration, which will then be related to specific texts/case studies. This will both illustrate the applicability of theoretical frameworks across cultural boundaries, and illuminate the cultural specificity of each different history of migration. The course aims to identify and debate core theoretical concerns of cultural migration studies and to encourage interdisciplinarity. Texts and case studies will be available in English where participants do not have the relevant language skills. Stream 3: Memory Memory, Interlingual Translation and Intercultural Relations Siobhan Brownlie (15 credits) The first part of the course concentrates on the intersection of memory and translation. The following topics will be covered: autobiographical memory, national and transnational memory (literary translation); textual memory (translation of famous historical documents); and institutional memory (translating for international organizations). The second part of the course investigates the intersection of memory and intercultural relations. Topics covered are: cultural myths and traditions; migrant nostalgia and acculturation; the impact of memory of past conflictual intercultural relations; and communicative strategies in situations of opposing traditions. Stream 4: Education Intercultural Education in Practice Susan Brown and Richard Fay (15 credits) This course involves two interconnected strands running concurrently throughout the semester these involve: a) the introduction and discussion of theories and practices of curricular design in the area of intercultural education (ICE) in general and, more particularly, with regard to intercultural communication and global citizenship; and b) the participantobserver experience of one or more ICE courses typically provided by The University of Manchester. These two concurrent strands in combination enable participants to explore ICE curricular theories in practice. The courses experienced will be selected each year from current provision but are likely to include both undergraduate courses (e.g. Computer- Mediated Intercultural Communication, and Becoming Global) and professional development courses in IC (e.g. for language teachers and translators and interpreters). The ICE courses that participants experience may be either/both in face-to-face (as supported by Blackboard) and distance/elearning modalities. 8

9 Free Choice Option (typically 15 credits) As indicated above, as negotiated with the MA IC programme Directors, one course may be taken from outside the MA IC provision. Such a choice would normally be drawn from the Masters courses of the School of Education or the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, as provisionally listed in these webpages: School of Languages, Linguistics & Cultures, MA Handbooks School of Arts, Histories & Cultures, MA course directory School of Education, Postgraduate course modules Dissertation (60 credits) The dissertation represents the culmination of your studies for this MA programme, the space where you bring your developing academic and researcher competence together with your growing understanding of the overall field of intercultural communication. It is also where you demonstrate maximum individualisation i.e. your choice of a topic and approach should be of direct relevance for you personally and perhaps professionally, and thus, every dissertation will be unique piece of work. Each MA IC participant is supervised by one tutor for the dissertation and most of the work takes place during the summer period (June-August), building on a pilot study you undertake in Semester 2 as the main element in the Developing Researcher Competence course. Some dissertations will have conceptual orientation (for example, exploring models of intercultural competence); others may be more empirical (for example, reporting on a research study you have undertaken); and some will be more professionally-oriented (for example, focusing on the intercultural training needs of an organisation). Whichever of these equally-valued orientations you adopt, your 15,000 word dissertation will represent the biggest piece of work you undertake for the MA programme, and something that may open new doors for you once you leave Manchester. Questions and Other Communications Prior to commencing your MA IC studies at Manchester, we recognise that you may have questions about the programme and what it might mean for you. Please contact Richard with all such communications: richard.fay@manchester.ac.uk 9

10 Recommended Advance Reading This is a list of suggested readings, i.e. not a list of required readings. Our advice at this stage is to be curious and explore some items on this list. We hope that you not daunted by this you should not feel that you must read all of them before the programme begins. As background reading for the core intercultural courses: Autobiographical perspectives: Hoffman, E. (1989). Lost in translation. New York: Penguin. Kapplani, G. (2010) A short border handbook. (translated by A.-M. Stanton-Ife). London: Portabello Books. Lvovich, N. (1997). The multilingual self. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Intercultural training perspectives: Bennett, M.J. (ed.) (1998). Basic concepts of intercultural communication. Yarmouth, ME.: Intercultural Press. Gudykunst, W.B. and Mody, B. (eds.) (2001). Handbook of international and intercultural communication. Lodon: Sage. (2 nd edn.) Jandt, F. (2004). Intercultural communication: Identities in a global community (4th edn.). London: Sage. Landis, D., Bennett, J.M. and Bennett, M.J. (eds.) (2004). Handbook of intercultural training. London: Sage. Singer, M.H. (1998). Perception and identity in intercultural communication. Yarmouth, ME., Intercultural Press. Language and culture shock perspectives: Agar, M. (1994). Language shock: Understanding the culture of communication. New York: William Morrow. Ward, C., Bochner, S. and Furnham, A. (2001). The psychology of culture shock. London: Routledge. More practical perspectives: Brislin, R.W. (2000). Understanding culture's influence on behavior (2nd edn.). London: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Holliday, A.R., Hyde M. and Kullman, J. (2004). Intercultural communication: An advanced resource book. London, Routledge. O'Sullivan, K. (1994). Understanding ways: Communicating between cultures. Sydney, New South Wales: Hale and Iremonger. Storti, C. (1999). Figuring foreigners out: A practical guide. Yarmouth, ME.: Intercultural Press. 10

11 More critical perspectives: Appiah, A.K. (2006). Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a world of strangers. London: Penguin Books. Holliday, A.R. (2010). Intercultural communication and ideology. London: Sage. Piller, I. (2011). Intercultural communication: A critical introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Van Hooft, S. (2009). Cosmopolitanism: A philosophy of global ethics. Stocksfield: Acumen. More educational perspectives: Byram, M., Nichols, A. and Stevens, D. (eds.) (2001). Developing intercultural competence in practice. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Feng, A., Byram, M. and Fleming, A. (eds.) (2009) Becoming interculturally competent through education and training. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. As background reading for the core research course: Holliday, A.R. (2007). Doing and writing qualitative research. London: Sage. As background reading for the elective courses: English as a global language: Culpeper, J., Katamba, F., Kerswill, P., Wodak, R. and McEnerty, T. (eds.) (2009). English language: Description, variation and context. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Interactional pragmatics and intercultural communication: Brown, P. and Levinson, S.C. (1987). Politeness. Some universals of language usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Levinson, S.C. (1983). Pragmatics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Border crossings: Comparative cultures of diaspora: Braziel, J.E. and Mannur, A. (eds.) (2003). Theorizing Diaspora. Oxford: Blackwell. Memory, interlingual translation and intercultural relations: Cairns, E. and Roe, M. (eds.) (2003). The role of memory in ethnic conflict. Houndmills, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Intercultural education in practice: Alred, G., Byram, M. and Fleming, M. (eds.) (2006). Education for intercultural citizenship. Concepts and comparisons. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. 11