MA INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION

The MA International Communication is delivered by five European universities, all of whom specialise in communications and public relations in professional contexts. These universities are Leeds Metropolitan University, the Hanze University Groningen, IULM Milano, New Bulgarian University and Vilnius University. The course is designed to develop effective communications practitioners able to work in an international setting. There is a clear focus on working with clients and on practical problem-solving in the communications sphere of both private and public sectors.

You can study your first semester at Leeds Metropolitan, where you will benefit from being taught in an English language culture at the biggest and most prestigious centre for public relations education in Europe. You will spend the second semester at one of our partner universities abroad and choose specialisations offered by those universities. You can also take an optional industrial placement in semester three.

The five partner universities formulate a consortium, named after Prof Geert Hofstede, a pioneer and international leading scholar in the field of international communication. Students on the course will fully benefit from the collective expertise of the five European partner universities and their international networks both in academia as well as in professional practice. Those taking the first semester at Leeds Met will benefit from being taught in an English language culture at the biggest and most prestigious centre for public relations education in Europe.

The concept of competency-based learning is at the heart of the curriculum. This means that students are equipped to become reflective practitioners with the transferable competencies and skills needed for their employability and ongoing personal development. The content and learning experience of the course enables students to apply their knowledge and skills directly in professional practice. To enhance their employability, students can also take an optional industrial placement in semester three.

This module aims to develop an understanding and a critical awareness of the strategic nature of planning communication campaigns, the role of communication as a management function and the contribution it makes to the achievement of strategic business objectives. This module aims to develop students' critical thinking and analytical skills in relation to strategic corporate communications functions within an intercultural context. The focus of the module is on the critical discussion of culturally sensitive issues in the communications of different types of organisations. This module aims to enable students to analyse and critically appraise the inter-relationships between businesses and the global external environment, including major trends and impacts of globalisation. The aim of this module is to develop, through reflective practice, postgraduate students' personal, academic and professional skills to enable them to achieve their full potential at University as well as to increase their employability. Research Methods aims to develop skills, knowledge and understanding that will enable students to design and implement self-directed research in an academic context required for the successful completion of a Dissertation. Hanze University Groningen
International Public Affairs
International Marketing Communication
Designing Strategic Development Communication

IULM Milano
Development & Communication
Public Affairs & Advocacy
Social Responsibility & Communication

New Bulgarian University
Managing / Communicating Through Special Events
Exploring Communication in New Media
Psychology of Mass Media

Specialisations Vilnius University
International Crisis Communication
Innovative Methods in Corporate Communication
Media & Sustainable Development

The course will be assessed through a variety of appropriate methods for mature learners. Where possible the assessment will be work-related and reflective practice in keeping with current practice in most areas of professional development, completing a 15,000 -18,000 words traditional dissertation while adhering to the aims of postgraduate research practice.

The estimated completion time for the course is 12-18 months.

Where possible the teaching, learning and assessment strategy will build on students' experiential knowledge. Students will be encouraged to use their own organisations as case studies for discussion in class as well as in their assignments and dissertation.

Graduates of the course will be interculturally competent communication professionals who are able to work in a global setting. They will be equipped with the skills to anticipate change and to create, offer and manage sustainable and innovative solutions to problems from the professional field at a senior managerial or consultancy level. Graduates of the course could work for an international PR consultancy, a multinational company and global organisations either in the private or the public sector, including several institutions of the European Union.