Interpreting - MA

The Interpreting MA covers both professional and academic training. You gain high-quality interpreting skills, spoken rather than written transfer, so you may enter the interpreting profession, in fields such as technology, commerce, international relations and journalism.

This course uses English and Chinese as working languages. This course has two stages lasting one year each. You can either:
-Join the course at Stage 1 and follow the two-year course
-Or join at Stage 2 and follow the one-year course. This depends on your previous qualifications and experience.

If you join at Stage 1, you take compulsory modules that typically include:
-Translating
-Simultaneous interpreting
-Consecutive interpreting
-Sight translation exercise
-Information technology for translators and interpreters
-Translation studies

This is followed by another year of specialised study in Stage 2. If you meet the entry requirements, you can start the course at Stage 2.

In Stage 2 you can follow one of four pathways:
-Interpreting (this pathway)
-Translating and Interpreting
-Translating
-Translation Studies

In Stage 2 you take compulsory modules and optional modules. You also complete either a dissertation or a translating/interpreting project. Depending on different focuses, you take further optional modules that cover:
-A sight translation exercise
-Bi-lateral interpreting
-English-Chinese subtitle translation
-Literary translation

Assessment

Assessment is by:
-Examination
-Practical assessments
-Class and seminar presentations
-Essays
-Assignments and other submitted work
-A dissertation or project

Placements

We organise study visits and/or internship work placements for our translating and interpreting students.

There are study visits to the United Nations Office in Vienna and the Directorate General for Interpreting of the European Commission in Brussels.

We also help our students to participate in conferences as interpreters, or take up translation assignments, when opportunities arise.

Facilities

Our facilities include:
-Three dedicated interpreting suites
-Professional translation software
-The Language Resource Centre, equipped with audio-visual and computing facilities linked to a digital speech bank
-A postgraduate common room