* develop their language skills, in a language of their own choice, and simultaneously develop their cultural understanding of (some of the) countries where their chosen language is spoken.
* understand how intercultural communication issues can either facilitate or hinder effective business interaction and workplace collaboration, depending on whether it is carefully managed or poorly understood.
* acquire knowledge about different possible career paths, and an understanding of the relationship between these career paths and course selections as well as other choices made throughout (and after) the programme.

Course learning goals The goals of this course are: 1. Exploration of your career path: Have clarity on the type of position you would like to have and what you need to do to get there 2. Development of skills: Active development of career-relevant competencies including a language course at the UM Language Centre 3. Self-reflection: Active reflection on personal development & career goals throughout the master 4. Building resilience: Learning from/dealing with rejections, no-replies etc. preparation for the “real” world In this way, we hope to stimulate both professional and personal development. Reflecting on the development of your competencies and skills will help you in orienting yourself on the labour market. Knowing your interests, strengths, talents and weaknesses supported by evidence, will be very useful when applying for a job. Additionally, this course/trajectory will serve the purpose of building a strong community around the programme, through a regular set of lectures and activities where students interact with core faculty members on a regular basis. Language course A central part of this course is a semester long language course at the UM Language Centre, equivalent to 3 ECTS credits. Students will choose a language out of a selected list relevant for Emerging Markets (Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, Arabic or Portuguese). Their pre-knowledge in this language will be evaluated by the Language Centre so that they can enter the appropriate level (levels are determined in line with the Common European Framework of Reference, see the appendix). The aim of this course is to bring each student to a higher level of autonomy in the selected language. This makes a real difference, whatever the initial level; at the entry level, especially in the case of more distant languages like Arabic or Chinese, it can show respect and interest in the culture of the people students will meet in their future career. More advanced students can be brought to the level required in order to be able to participate in a professional interview in the selected language. Intercultural communication and career support Besides language, working in an Emerging market environment poses challenges in terms of intercultural communication on the one side, and is associated with a more atypical career trajectory than what could be expected when working in advanced (and stable) economic and institutional contexts. On the one hand, industry-specific or country-specific shocks more often disrupt career paths; on the other hand, new opportunities could also emerge more frequently. In both cases, the professional engaged in Emerging market needs to be able to reflect on his/her personal qualities and experience and learn how to use this insight in order to adapt to the evolving context. The first aspect will be addressed in an interactive workshop, where analyses of intercultural issues in the life experiences of participating students will also be used. In line with the focus of the programme, special attention will be spent to issues relevant for Emerging Markets such as awareness of the impact of historical relations, including colonial context and histories of inequality, oppression and strong political hierarchies. This will be combined with the building of a personal portfolio of reflections that will gradually reveal insights to the students about match, or lack thereof, with different possible career paths, based on the shared experience of guest lecturers. Note that the form of assessment (written or oral exam) will depend on the language course chosen by the student.

Meyer, Erin, The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business, La Vergne: Ingram Publisher Services, 2014.