Master of Arts in Cultural Diplomacy (MCD)

120 ECTS

Profile

The graduate programme’s in cultural diplomacy purpose is to cover both theoretical and practical tools for supporting and enhancing the training of professionals in cultural diplomatic relations, thus contributing to integrating them into EU policies as drivers of innovation and cooperation. Based on both classical and new  research approaches, the programme aims to increase the engagement and reciprocal knowledge of the European publics and diplomatic corps, including various types of communities, from the cultural and creative industries, to the academic, civic and political ones at the local, regional, national and European levels respectively. MCD will investigate the role of cultural diplomacy, through the EU cultural policies and creative industries as actors in the democratic and economic development, especially in the framework of a post-pandemic world and the rise of populist and nationalist movements. MCD is one of the components of the NARDIV – United in Diversity project, funded by the Horizon Europe Programme of the European Union (Grant Agreement Number 101095171). FSPUB is a member of the NARDIV Project.

Content

MCD is an attempt to train professionals that will be able to identify mechanisms through which the highly different European publics as well as public officials and politicians could be better exposed to art, culture, science and values that bring people and governments together and soften the reciprocal stereotypes. It is also an investigation into the efficiency of the soft power instrument in capacity building and cooperation, using case studies and cultural bodies (e.g., the cultural institutes, the local and European levels EUNIC clusters). Throughout the 4 semesters (3 course-based, 1 dedicated to field research in support for the final capstone project), we shall identify not only enhanced cooperation strategies, but also how practitioners can attract the additional funding sources that would enable he cooperation of the academic and cultural actors not only through bilateral programmes but also through multilateral networking.

To put it more simply, we shall address the following issue: The need for cultural diplomats/managers/professionals to (re)asses and develop innovative management practices and common strategies, by adopting an approach that encourages dialogue between larger and more targeted publics and enhance the cultural participation.

Career opportunities

MCD would provide students with a unique experience in terms of interacting with leading experts and practitioners, will allow them to create sound professional networks and form a good base for  their future academic and professional career choices, since they will be prepared for engaging in the European and international arena, either in civil society or politics,  in governmental and non-governmental organizations and international economic organizations and, last but not least, in the local and international cultural and creative sector.

The MCD programme consists of 120 ECTS/4 semesters, with mandatory and elective courses (e.g., language learning will be provided with the support of  the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the University of Bucharest and the cultural institutes based in Bucharest), which will be concluded with a capstone project defended in front of an international committee.

All FSPUB and associated teaching staff members hold a doctoral degree in social sciences or humanities (political science/international relations, sociology, foreign languages, drama studies philosophy, geography, contemporary history) and have pursued postgraduate studies at top European universities. They also collaborate as consultants/independent experts with numerous strategic partners from the labour market in the field of diplomacy, cultural relations international cultural affairs from France, Germany, Poland, Romania, such as the Romanian Cultural Institute, the Goethe Institut, the French Cultural Institute, the Polish Institute, EUNIC, embassies and other cultural institutes and bodies.

Academic coordinator: Lect. Dr. Oana-Valentina Suciu

Contact: cultural.diplomacy@fspub.unibuc.ro