Intercultural Studies – (M.A.)

Contents

The MA in Intercultural Studies comprises a number of core and optional modules. While the core modules ensure all students become familiar with the fundamental concepts relevant to the field, the wide variety of optional modules allows students the opportunity to pursue and explore specific topics of personal interest.

Modules are delivered via lectures and interactive seminars, which give students the opportunity to engage fully in the learning process. DCU has an ethos of creating a welcoming and supportive learning environment for all students and this is a central tenet of the MA programme. Over the course of the programme, students will work autonomously and in collaboration with fellow students on a variety of different tasks, and in doing so will reflect on their own cultural identity and personal experiences of intercultural contact.

Universities both identify and respond to educational needs within society, and the ability to communicate and interact successfully with people from different cultures has been identified as one of the key competencies needed for the 21st century. With this in mind, DCU's MA in Intercultural Studies represents a unique offering in Irish higher education. It seeks to equip graduates with the ability to understand intercultural contact from both theoretical and practical perspectives, drawing on a variety of case studies, cultural outputs and personal experiences to facilitate this process.

The programme attracts students from all around the world, as well as those from the local community, and offers a wide range of stimulating modules which discuss and explore intercultural contact from multiple perspectives. For a full list of modules offered on the programme please click here.

Student Profile

Given that intercultural contact is a defining characteristic of modern societies, the MA is of relevance to everyone. Students come from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, both local and international, and each has their own specific reasons for choosing the programme.

For individuals who work - or wish to work - in industry sectors in which cultural diversity has become a central feature, such as healthcare, education, policing and other social services, the programmme offers the opportunity to reflect on their changing workplace, identify the key challenges and opportunities associated with cultural difference and operate more effectively. Equally, for those who work in fields which are international by nature, such as international business and tourism, the programme gives them a new lens through which to analyse their experiences and improve their competencies.

Furthermore, for individuals who have migrated from one cultural environment to another - or who plan to do so in the future - the exploration of topics such as cross-cultural adaptation can offer important insights into the experience of adapting to a new culture and can assist in the development of strategies to overcome the related challenges. This is also true for individuals who have had extremely rich experiences of intercultural contact throughout their lives - for example, 'third culture kids' who have lived in numerous countries - and who wish to make sense of this by locating it within a relevant theoretical context.

The programme is also relevant to policy makers and community activists interested in overcoming the challenges and harnessing the benefits of diversity within communities, while also appealing to individuals who are interested in how intercultural contact is depicted and examined in film, literature and other creative arts.

Overall, the programme is designed for individuals who are curious about culture and how its varied manifestations and representations shape our experience of the world.