Master's Programme in Language and Intercultural Communication
No fees are charged for EU and EEA citizens, Swedish residence permit holders and exchange students.
Summary
This programme combines high-level skills in languages with intercultural communication and gives the student access to a broad labour market. The programme starts each autumn semester.
The main fields of study are African languages, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.
About
Interpreting and understanding
Mobility and migration are growing elements of our society today, and it is therefore becoming important to be able to detect and respond to a variety of linguistic and cultural phenomena, to be able to interact with people from a variety of backgrounds, and to handle issues, contradictions and frictions that may arise, which can have linguistic and cultural causes.
Studies within the Master’s programme in Language and Intercultural Communication give you the linguistic tools you need to explore, interpret and understand a range of linguistic and cultural expressions and to draw conclusions about how discourses on culture and cultural differences can influence communication between and about different cultures. This capacity to analyse and discuss communicative manifestations of culture gives you a global education in languages and a cultural competence that is extremely useful for working in international milieus and handling intercultural encounters and opportunities.
Read about what students say about the education:
https://www.gu.se/en/study-gothenburg/sik
If you have questions about the programme, please contact the study counsellor:
https://studentportal.gu.se/english/my-studies/sprak/student-counsellors
Apply for scholarship
If you are liable for tuition fees for this programme, you can submit an application for a scholarship to University of Gothenburg Study Scholarships and University of Gothenburg Study Scholarships Syria. Information about applying for these scholarships can be found here: http://www.scholars4dev.com/14248/the-university-of-gothenburg-study-sc…
Programme structure and content
You do not need to have studied languages at university level in the past, but you must have good reading and writing skills in the language that you choose to take your degree in. Read more about the language requirements under Prerequisites.
The programme has an interdisciplinary structure, which means that you will study with students specialising in other languages as well, not just the language that you have selected. This in itself provides intercultural experiences within your studies, and prepares you for work in an international milieu.
Courses in the programme
You find the course syllabus, literature list, timetable and information about the structure and content of the courses in the programme in the Canvas virtual learning environment: https://canvas.gu.se/courses/30871
Who should apply?
For admission, students must hold a Swedish or foreign Bachelor’s degree (alternatively 180 credits that included an independent project of 15 credits at second-cycle level). In addition, the student must have completed English 6 (English 6 within the Swedish secondary school education system, or equivalent), as well as 60 credits in English, French, Spanish or German; or alternatively 90 credits in Arabic or Russian; or 120 credits in Japanese or Chinese, or equivalent prior learning, which is assessed by the Department. For students with African languages as their main field of study, no prior knowledge in the subject is required.
Prerequisites and selection
Requirements
The requirement for admission to the programme is a Bachelor's degree of 180 higher education credits or an equivalent foreign degree, including an independent study project of 15 higher education credits at in-depth level. An additional requirement is English 6 from the Swedish upper-secondary school or the equivalent level at an internationally recognized test. Depending on the chosen main field of study, an additional 60 higher education credits are required in English, French, Spanish or German, alternatively 90 higher education credits in Arabic or Russian, alternatively 120 higher education credits in Japanese or Chinese, or the equivalent level of proficiency in these languages at an internationally recognized test. A list containing these tests, and the corresponding levels of language proficiency, is to be found in the information concerning the Master's programme 'Language and Intercultural communication' in the Course & program catalogue of the University of Gothenburg. For students with African languages as their main field of study, there is no special requirement for prior knowledge in the subject. Entry requirements for the courses in the programme and for elective courses are stated in the course syllabi for each of the languages mentioned above.
Assessment of qualifications
Language Certificate
Language proficiency tests that are internationally recognized as qualifying for the Master's in Language and Intercultural communication programme:
https://www.gu.se/studera/hitta-utbildning/sik-qualifying-language-cert…
Selection
Selection is based upon the number of credits from previous university studies, maximum 225 credits.
For admission to the summer 2021 and onward the following selection applies: selection is based upon the number of credits from previous university studies, maximum 165 credits.
After graduation
Broad labour market
Language skills, general skills and knowledge of cultural differences along with communication skills are highly valued by employers. Potential occupations and fields of work include positions within tourism and NGOs, communications, commissions of inquiry, public relations, human resources, migration and integration issues, to name a few. In other words, the potential labour market for graduates of this programme is very broad and the potential employers are many.
See some examples of current workplaces of the programme’s alumni: https://www.gu.se/en/study-gothenburg/sik