MA Interpreting & Translating

Programme

Languages offered:

• Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish

Pathways

Students may follow one of two possible paths:

Path 1: allows students with English as their ‘A’ language to offer two other languages - from Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish - working only into English.

Path 2: allows students to work in both directions between Chinese/English, Japanese/English or Russian/English.

Qualifications and durations

• Full-time MA 1 year (includes 3 months to submit dissertation)

Overview

This programme is designed to prepare linguists for careers as professional interpreters and/or translators. It has done this most successfully over more than four decades, and graduates are to be found working in language services throughout the world.

All students follow a core programme involving professional translation and simultaneous, consecutive and Public Service interpreting or liaison/Public Service Interpreting. A number of options are available in the second semester to allow students to further focus on their translation or interpreting skills.

The MA is awarded for a 15,000-word dissertation/project submitted after successful completion of the taught programme. 

Why study with us?

• Team of highly experienced professional staff
• State of the art digital interpreting suites provide excellent teaching and practice space.
• Small class sizes provide high levels of student and teacher contact.
• Work placements in interpreting and translating are often an option during the programme and provide invaluable practical experience.
• Motivated and multi-national student cohort offers a diverse and stimulating learning environment.
• Students are exposed to realistic training from experienced translation and interpreting trainers which prepares them for work after graduation.
• The University and city of Bath offer ample exposure for non-native students to the English language and culture of the UK.
• Programme is held in high esteem by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). A number of funding opportunities are available, including studentships from the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

Programme structure

European Stream (French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish)

• Consecutive interpreting (1 year)
• Simultaneous interpreting (1 year)
• Public service interpreting (Semester 1 core unit)
• Professional translation I (Semester 1 core unit)
• Professional translation II (Semester 2 core unit)
• Public Speaking (Semester 2 option)
• Using technology in the T & I Industry (Semester 2 option)
• Dissertation: 15,000 word thesis: annotated translation or a project type

Chinese or Japanese Stream

• Consecutive interpreting (1 year)
• Liaison/Public service interpreting (1 year)
• Simultaneous interpreting (1 year)
• Professional translation I (Semester 1 core unit)
• Professional translation II (Semester 2 core unit)
• Public Speaking (Semester 2 option)
• Using technology in the T & I Industry (Semester 2 option)
• Dissertation: 15,000 word thesis: annotated translation or a project type

View programme catalogue for further information.

Through our extensive network of contacts, we aim to organise placements for all students with the language services of international organisations, government departments or translation companies.

These placements provide an invaluable insight into the work of professional linguists and are valued highly by employers. They are not however compulsory and are not always guaranteed.

Our students have previously undertaken placements/internships in:

• United Nations (New York, Geneva, and Vienna)
• European Commission and European Parliament
• Council of Europe

Learning and teaching

Our programmes are modular, consisting of self-contained units, taught and assessed on a semester basis. As you progress through each semester and successfully pass the examinations, you will receive credit for the units, thus providing you with a clear indication of your academic progress.

Teaching takes the form of lectures and intensive translation and interpreting. Lectures are quite formal, whereas classes involve closer interaction between the lecturer and a small number of students for intensive training in the Translating & Interpreting discipline with plenty of time for informative discussion.

Methods of assessment

Assessment consists of a combination of class assignments and examination.

Careers

The MA Interpreting & Translating is a highly vocational programme with a worldwide reputation for training professional translators and conference interpreters.

Our graduates have excellent employment prospects. While some have found rewarding jobs in smaller companies and institutions, or chosen to remain as a freelancer, many have gone on to pursue stimulating careers as professional translators and interpreters with major international organisations.

Graduates have worked for the following organisations:

Institutional markets

• United Nations (Geneva, Vienna and New York)
• European Commission (Brussels and Luxembourg)
• European Parliament (Brussels and Luxembourg)
• Council of Europe (Strasbourg)
• International Court of Justice (The Hague)
• NATO (Brussels)
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office (London)
• European Bank (Frankfurt)
• BBC World Service (London)

Private markets

• Microsoft
• Talk Finance
• Nintendo
• Mitsubishi Securities
• Honda
• Sophos
• Prudential
• Power Network
• Gazprom

Fees

See the Tuition Fees Schedule.

Please note, when applying for this programme, candidates must pay a £50 application fee.

Following an offer we require a £250 deposit to secure your place. The deposit is offset against your course fees.

Funding

The Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Graduate School provides guidance on potential sources of funding (studentships and scholarships) for postgraduate students.

One year of funding is available to Home/European Union (EU) students through the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC).

The European Commission Directorate General for Interpretation offers a bursary for students.

Further information on more general funding opportunities is available in the funding section.

Entry requirements

Good honours degree.

Applicants for Path 1 need to offer English as their ‘A’ language and demonstrate degree-level competence in two foreign languages (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Spanish).

Applicants for Path 2 with Chinese, Japanese or Russian as their ‘A’ language need to demonstrate a degree or equivalent qualification in English. Applicants whose ‘A’ language is English should demonstrate degree level attainment or similar in either Chinese, Japanese or Russian.

English requirements

Academic IELTS 7.0 (with no less than 6.5 in each of the four components)

TOEFL paper-based 600 (at least TWE of 4)

TOEFL computer-based 250 (at least TWE of 4)

TOEFL iBT 100 (with not less than 24 in each of the four bands)

Application deadlines

Path 1

Deadline for applications: 31 May

Path 2

Deadline for applications

UK/European Union based applicants: 31/05/2012
Russian: 31/05/2012
Chinese: 31/01/2012
Japanese: 30/06/2012

Interviews

All applicants will be further assessed for their suitability before acceptance to this programme (you will be contacted individually regarding this process). Interviews will take place on the following dates:

European stream (French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish)

Interviews for places for 2012-13 will take place in the UK and Moscow  from October 2011.

Chinese stream

The deadline for applications is 31/01/2012

Japanese stream

Interviews for places will take place in Japan (Tokyo and Osaka) in the week of the 30 January 2012 (final dates to be confirmed).

How to apply

Applications must be made through the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Graduate School.

View our how to apply section for guidance on making an application.

Contact
Email: polis-pgt-admissions@bath.ac.uk
Tel +44 (0) 1225 386180
Fax +44 (0) 1225 385207
Web www.bath.ac.uk/polis

Our Research

Experts from our department are publishing regularly in the most highly ranked international journals and we have consistently achieved top results in official Research Assessment Exercises (RAE).

Our academic expertise and research activities are organised into three broad Research Clusters:

• Conflict, Security & International Order
• Governance, Citizenship & Policy
• Norms, Identities & Representations

International collaboration

Many staff are internationally leading scholars in their field. We are involved in a wide range of research activities, including collaborative projects at both national and international levels.

Projects are funded by a variety of bodies such as:

• Economics & Social Research Council (ESRC)
• European Commission Framework Programme
• Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)

Stimulating cutting edge research

Our diversity and the disciplinary mix of political science, political theory, policy analysis, social anthropology, political sociology and others make for a very stimulating environment for students to develop their own research projects.

The integration of our research community is further enhanced through the International Relations & European Politics (IREP) postgraduate group.

Keywords: Europe, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Translation, Conference, Liaison, Interpreting, Conference Interpreting, public service interpreting, Chinese, Liaison Interpreting, public speaking, CI, SI, LI, PSI, 通訳、翻訳、会議通訳、逐次　

About the Department

The Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies (PoLIS) is one of the largest departments in the University.

Many staff are leading scholars in their field and are involved in a wide range of research activities, including collaborative projects at both national and international levels.

International and industrial links

• Our department has links with 22 Erasmus partner institutions, as well as universities in Russia and Mexico.
• Research students regularly engage in fieldwork abroad, especially in the countries of the European Union, but also in Russia, Latin America and the United States.
• Students on the Euromasters programme study at two or three different sites in either Europe or the USA.
• In the case of the MA Interpreting & Translating and the MA Translation & Professional Language Skills, a number of work placements in Western Europe are made available to students in the language services of international organisations, government departments and commercial enterprises.

Careers

Our graduate prospects have been consistently ranked among the best in the UK.

Our wide-range of programmes enables graduates to find employment in many different fields. Some examples include:

• Diplomatic service
• Media
• Academia
• International organisations
• Multinational corporations
• Policy-forming institutes
• The language services of the United Nations and European Union

Many of our undergraduate programmes include a year abroad or placement year. These are highly valued by employers and will give you an edge in the competitive job market when you graduate.

Faculties

• Specialist interpreting laboratories
• Language laboratories
• Online international TV streaming service
• Self Access Language Centre (SALC)
• European Community and European Union publications
• Extensive local archive collections relating to research programmes in French and German politics
• Departmental film library

Centres

Our Foreign Languages Centre offers a wide range of language courses at different level that students can also choose to follow.

The English Language Centre provides Academic English classes and support for international students.