Key information
Our MSc Intercultural Business Communication programme will provide you with the opportunity to study culture and communication in an academic setting.
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time, Part Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September, January
During your studies, you’ll apply your learning directly to intercultural business contexts which are relevant to international organisations and teams, allowing you to work with people from all around the world.
This programme is embedded in Heriot-Watt University’s highly respected Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies. You’ll develop advanced practical communication skills in the context of diverse business settings, alongside a broad range of professional transferable skills. You’ll cultivate a critical cultural understanding of the complexities of communication in a globalised world. You’ll also gain insights from communication studies and cultural studies to develop a comprehensive understanding of effective communication in business settings, so you’ll be ready to thrive in dynamic workplaces.
You’ll be taught and assessed entirely in English, which makes it suitable for those who would like to adapt their English language skills for a professional context and develop an understanding of intercultural issues in international business.
Your student experience
Our teaching team comprises interdisciplinary experts in communication, cultural studies, and business psychology, ensuring an interdisciplinary educational experience.
Our faculty includes active researchers who engage with cutting-edge research in the field, as well as experienced professionals with hands-on experience in cross-cultural communication who bring real-life examples to their teaching.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer
Course content
September intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory September
- Business Communication 1: Communication in the Workplace
- Intercultural Communication in the Workplace
- Comparative Social and Cultural Issues
Optional September
- Organisational Culture
Mandatory January
- Research Methods
- Business Communication 2: Communicating with External Audiences
- Global Englishes and the International Workplace
Mandatory May
- Dissertation in Intercultural Business Communication
Optional January
- Psychology for Marketing
- Psychology of Leadership
January intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory January
- Business Communication 2: Communicating with External Audiences
- Research Methods
- Global Englishes and the International Workplace
Optional January
- Psychology of Leadership
- Psychology for Marketing
Mandatory September
- Business Communication 1: Communication in the Workplace
- Comparative Social and Cultural Issues
- Intercultural Communication in the Workplace
Optional September
- Organisational Culture
Mandatory Second January
- Dissertation in Intercultural Business Communication
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time | Part Time |
|---|---|---|
| UK | £10,528 | £5,264 |
| International | £21,192 | £10,596 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Scholarships and bursaries
Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
A minimum of honours degree at 2:2 or non-UK equivalent. Applicants must have demonstrable evidence of essay writing. Degrees across humanities and social sciences and related disciplines are preferred: Modern Languages, Communication Studies, Culture Studies and Business Management. Non-related degrees with sufficient evidence of essay writing will be considered.
We welcome applications from international students and accept qualifications from around the world. Please refer to the entry requirements for your country for more details.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
Employability
Our MSc Intercultural Business Communication programme will develop the necessary skills that will allow you to work in major companies and organisations around the world where trained professionals are needed to liaise with international clients and/or support international workforces. Jobs that request business communication skills include:
Potential career paths
- Business Communications Specialist
- Diversity and Inclusion Specialist
- Global Business Development Manager
- Intercultural Consultant
- Advertising and public relations directors
- Sales accounts and business development managers
- Public relations professionals
- Marketing and sales directors
- Marketing associate professionals
- IT business analysts, architects and systems designers
- Sales related occupations
Student life
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