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Postgraduate Taught

MA Intercultural Communication and Public Administration

Please note: The below is for 2025 entries. Click here for 2024 entries.
UCAS code
Duration 1 year full time
2 years part time
Entry year September 2025
Campus Streatham Campus
Discipline Modern Languages and Cultures
Contact
Typical offer

View full entry requirements

2:2 Honours degree

Contextual offers

Overview

  • An interdisciplinary programme that will develop your intercultural awareness and competence, and give you an understanding of the theory and practice of intercultural communication, skills highly valued by employers in today’s global world.
  • Develop an in-depth understanding of the complexities of communication in a globalised world, the ability to apply the acquired discipline specific skills to address challenges and implement positive and sustainable solutions, and the ability to conflate others’ perspectives to navigate complex relationships locally and globally.
  • We take an international perspective to equip you with the skills and understanding you need to operate effectively in an increasingly global and constantly changing environment
  • Taught by experts in the field of intercultural communication, discourse analysis, language and globalisation, public administration, politics and international relations
  • There are three other pathways available for the MA Intercultural Communication, depending on interest: Education, Migration, International Business.

Apply online

View 2024 Entry

Fast Track (current Exeter students)

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Top 100 in the world for Politics

QS World University Subject Rankings 2024

Top 150 icon

Top 150 in world subject rankings for Modern Languages

QS World University Subject Rankings 2024

Medal with star on icon

Top 10 in UK subject rankings for Modern Languages

The Complete University Guide 2025

Research icon: a mortarboard and a cog

Develop transferable skills, specialist knowledge and professional experience through interdisciplinary teaching

Trophy icon

Top 100 in the world for Politics

QS World University Subject Rankings 2024

Top 150 icon

Top 150 in world subject rankings for Modern Languages

QS World University Subject Rankings 2024

Medal with star on icon

Top 10 in UK subject rankings for Modern Languages

The Complete University Guide 2025

Research icon: a mortarboard and a cog

Develop transferable skills, specialist knowledge and professional experience through interdisciplinary teaching

Entry requirements

We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree with 53% or above in their first degree in a relevant subject area. While we normally only consider applicants who meet this criteria, if you are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant work experience, we would welcome your application.

Entry requirements for international students

English language requirements

International students need to show they have the required level of English language to study this course. The required test scores for this course fall under Profile B2. Please visit our English language requirements page to view the required test scores and equivalencies from your country.

Fees

2025/26 entry

UK fees per year:

£12,500 full-time; £6,250 part-time

International fees per year:

£25,300 full-time; £12,650 part-time

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships*.

For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

*Terms and conditions apply. See online for details.

Course content

Core modules explore key concepts, such as culture, identity, acculturation, prejudice and othering, issues, debates, and critical approaches to intercultural communication from a global perspective that goes beyond Eurocentric or western perspectives.

You will also develop your research competence and critical reflection on the process of planning, designing, implementing, and presenting of research in preparation for your dissertation.

In one of the optional modules, Sustainable Development Goals Challenge, you join a team of international students and address a real-life sustainable development goal challenge. This ground-breaking module will help you gain first-hand experience in intercultural interactions.

The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

90 credits of compulsory modules and 60 credits of pathway modules, 30 credits from optional modules. 


Note a: Compulsory modules

Note b: Students select a further 60 credits from these elective compulsory options for the Public Administration pathway.

Compulsory modules

CodeModule Credits
SMLM087 Intercultural Communication: Key Concepts and Theories [See note a above]30
SMLM088 Dissertation [See note a above]60
POLM220M Management and Governance: Comparing Public Administration around the World [See note b above]30
POLM342M Public Accountability and Governance [See note b above]30
POLM222M The Politics, Policy and Practice of Sustainable Development [See note b above]30
POLM237M Collaborative and Participatory Governance [See note b above]30
POLM887 Public Policy Process [See note b above]30

Optional modules

Optional: Select 30 credits from the list below or other relevant modules of interest

CodeModule Credits
BEP3172 Future 17: Sustainable Development Goals Challenge 15
SMLM089 Language and Globalisation 15
SML3026 Corporate Language and Communication: When Sharks Work with Dolphins 15
SMLM090 Minority Languages: Maintenance, Revitalisation and Endangerment 15
SMLM091 Language, Discourse and Society 15
SML3043 Migration and Multilingualism 15
SMLM059 Language, Ethnography and Mobility 15
POLM228M Leadership, Equality and Diversity 30

Teaching and research

You will be taught by experts in the field of intercultural communication, discourse analysis, language and globalisation, multilingualism and migration. You will learn collaboratively with other students and the wider postgraduate research community.

Research in Modern Languages and Cultures is characterised by world-leading and internationally excellent research centres, which span a wide range of sub-disciplinary fields including:

The Politics department has a number of interdisciplinary research centres including:

Read more

Careers

A student celebrating her graduation on our iconic Forum North Piazza

Employer-valued skills

You will be equipped with skills highly valued by employers such as communication in multicultural environments, understanding the complexities of communication in a globalised world, analytical and presentation skills, critical thinking and research-oriented skills, including planning skills and time management.

Careers

Professionals with the ability to work in diverse cultural and linguistic settings are required in a range of organisations.  We have a long history of teaching public administration and public policy to postgraduates at Exeter. Students have gone on to careers in regional governments, ministries, embassies and other organisations around the world. Career paths include NGOs, international development, multilingual schools, and universities. Alternatively, you may undertake PhD research and an academic career.