Sociology – Intercultural Mediation

Coordinator: dr Mateusz Karolak mateusz.karolak@u wr.edu.p l
Programme website: https://www.socjologia.uni.wroc.pl/en/Studies/Master-in-Sociology

About the programme

Are you engrossed in such issues as contemporary migrations and their impact on shaping new social identities? Are you interested what role cultural factors play in social integration processes? Do you want to know how conflicts arise, how we can prevent or mitigate them, and how the functioning of urban space and changes in the world of work affect social relations?

During Intercultural Mediation studies at the Institute of Sociology of the University of Wrocław, you will gain extensive knowledge of the sociology of culture, multiculturalism, sociology of work and employment, sociology of social structures and globalisation. These studies will instil understanding of how cultural factors affect the course of a social change and how this process may be facilitated with the use of knowledge of how people create groups and communicate. You will understand multiculturalism and its challenges for the functioning of societies.

You will also gain important practical skills in the scope of intercultural communication, mediation, negotiations and conflict resolution, which are necessary for work as an intercultural communication specialist, intercultural translator or mediator. You will learn the tools of a social researcher – qualitative and quantitative research methods, ways of gathering and analysing data, as well as basic statistical methods.

Studies in the subject of Intercultural Mediation will keep you up-to-date on the most important social trends, such as transformations of cities (e.g. metropolisation, gentrification or housing situation), changes in the world of work (automation, uberisation or gig economy), migration and many others. You will see how globalisation processes affect the dynamics of social processes and the quality of our lives. Our graduates are highly valued specialists in intercultural communication and facilitators of social processes, who find employment in public institutions, associations, non-governmental organisations, etc.

About the Institute

The Intercultural Mediation programme is offered by the Institute of Sociology of the University of Wrocław. The Institute of Sociology is one of the largest scientific and research institutes of this kind in Poland. We are part of the University of Wrocław, which last year was the winner of the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” competition organised by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

We offer the opportunity to attend classes run by outstanding specialists, both researchers and practitioners, in such fields as sociology of work, social psychology, migration studies, border studies, urban and rural sociology, and sociology of gender. Students are supported in conducting research and pursuing their own interests. They will also have individual consultations with lecturers and support in planning and developing their careers.

Candidate’s profile

You are interested in issues connected with the sociology of migration, intercultural communication, mediation and conflict resolution studies. You have graduated from a Bachelor’s programme. You have a good command of English (level B2) and have a certificate confirming your skills (IELTS score of 5.5 – 6, TOEFL score of 550 or other exam; this requirement does not apply to candidates who completed an English-language Bachelor Programme or English is their native language).

The Intercultural Mediation speciality is a two-year supplementary Master’s degree programme in Sociology. It is open to Polish citizens, citizens of other member states of the European Union and non-EU candidates. There are no age limits.

Learn more about criteria of admission to English-language studies and documents required.

Specializations

The Intercultural Mediation programme is an English-language speciality in the subject of Sociology. The curriculum of these studies focuses on searching for answers to questions about such social changes as migrations, social movements and cultural transformation happening around us. Their purpose is to train researchers and practitioners in intercultural communication, mediators and negotiators. The programme is carried out in cooperation with the Erasmus Mundus MITRA programme.

Curriculum

The programme of the Intercultural Mediation studies is focused primarily on the analysis of local, regional and global dimensions of culture and consequences of multiculturalism, mainly in the region of Central and Eastern Europe, which serves as an example.

Students participate in such courses as the sociology of culture and multiculturalism, the main paradigms in sociology, labour markets, sociology of social changes and globalisation, cultural factors in migration processes, sociology of nations, ethnic groups and civilisation, intercultural communication, mediation, conflict management and many others. The character of some classes is very practical, e.g. students visit local organisations dealing with social integration and intercultural cooperation and take part in mediation processes. Education ends with the submission and defence of an MA thesis.

Full list of courses

Workshops, internships, conferences

Students of Intercultural Mediation have the opportunity to participate in international student exchanges and foreign internships within the Erasmus+ programme as well as numerous bilateral agreements with world-class universities. Each student has a scholarship guaranteed under the Erasmus+ programme.

Students may also take part in summer schools organised by the University of Wrocław and other European universities, as well as in international scientific conferences organised by universities and professional organisations. They may participate in lectures and classes run by lecturers visiting our university within the Visiting Professors programme and in activities of student scientific organisations.

In the inter-semester period, students have the opportunity to do an internship in organisations operating on the local market (e.g. associations dealing with intercultural and social integration, non-governmental organisations, educational centres, cultural institutions, etc.) as well as in Polish and international companies in need of specialists in intercultural communication and mediation. Students apply for internships on their own.

Diploma

After graduating from the Intercultural Mediation studies at the Institute of Sociology of the University of Wrocław, you will obtain a Master’s diploma in sociology, Intercultural Mediation speciality.