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PL50587: Enterprise skills for linguists

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework 1 (CW 25%)
  • Coursework 2 (CW 25%)
  • Coursework 3 (CW 25%)
  • Coursework 4 (CW 25%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
This unit is designed to provide students with a general introduction to working in the translation industry, and in particular the implications of setting up in business as a freelance translator.

Learning Outcomes:
After completing the unit, students should be able to demonstrate qualities of the kind needed for employment in this specialised sector, including the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility and tackling and solving problems independently and in an original way.
Students will have acquired a practical knowledge of how freelance translators establish themselves in their profession. They should know what is required to deliver a high-quality product and be capable of dealing successfully with both agencies and individual clients.
In addition, they should have gained an understanding of commercial and regulatory practices and procedures as they affect small businesses and the self-employed.

Skills:
This unit teaches students a knowledge and understanding of the professional qualities, abilities and approaches that are required of newcomers to the translation industry.
They will learn how to market themselves and their services through effective communication and presentation, and how to maintain successful relationships with clients and work-providers.
Students will be shown strategies for dealing with time-management and other practical business issues, and look at ways of developing their businesses and/or career prospects.
After completing the unit, students will have the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment requiring: the exercise of initiative and personal responsibility, decision-making in complex situations and independent learning ability.

Content:

* Students will first be introduced to the concept of setting up and operating as a small translation business. The various options and requirements in terms of location, equipment, record keeping and financial and business planning will be explained and discussed.
* The main difficulty for newcomers to the translation industry is establishing their professional credibility without the benefit of a substantial track record. Students will be shown how to optimise their profile and overcome this problem by means of targeted and effective marketing and promotion.
* A wide range of practical scenarios will then be explored from the experience of the tutors. The issues raised will be discussed from the standpoint of all the parties concerned (i.e. clients, translation businesses or agencies, freelance translators).
* In their assessed coursework, students will be asked to report on how such issues might best be resolved, and to consider how a newly established translation business could be developed.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PL50587 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • THPL-AFM10 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills (French)
  • THPL-AFM10 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills (French & Italian)
  • THPL-AFM10 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills (French & Russian)
  • THPL-AFM10 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills (French & Spanish)
  • THPL-AFM10 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills (Italian & Spanish)
  • THPL-AFM10 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills (Russian)
  • THPL-AFM10 : MA Translation and Professional Language Skills (Spanish)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.