The University of Bath has a great reputation among overseas students. Its academic strengths, together with high student satisfaction, convinced me that it would be the ideal place to pursue a master’s in Interpreting and Translating (Chinese pathway).
‘Growth’ is the word that sums up my experience at Bath. The course helped me to grow academically and professionally while the activities and connections with people outside of class contributed to my personal growth. I’ll always value the time I spent there.
Interpreting and translating for global brands
Since graduating, I’ve worked as an interpreter for Shanghai Disney Park, assisting the daily communication among stage managers, technicians, choreographists, and dancers. I’ve also worked for an advertising agency, working with brands such as adidas to create product copy for e-commerce.
Currently, I’m a Copywriter and Localization Specialist for athletic apparel retailer, lululemon. I produce localized content to fulfil global and local needs, assisting with product education, brand awareness, and other business requests. I also support internal and office-to-store communication and collaborate with stakeholders across the business to ensure alignment.
With international businesses growing and attaching more importance to local markets, there’s great potential and room for development in localization. In the future, I hope to expand my scope further and discover more possibilities.
What I learned from the master’s
The content of the Interpreting and Translating MA was very practical and prepared me well for my career. I learned to keep my readers in mind and think about what’s more accessible for the target audience. This is key to my daily work, since delivering the intended message is the goal of translation in a business environment.
Public speaking is another valuable skill I developed on the course. It’s always been a challenge for me, but I learned how to structure speeches, manage body language, and control the pace, all of which benefit me whenever I need to present a project, a report, or even just an idea to my co-workers.
Advice to new students
Besides professional knowledge, my experience at Bath also taught me to always keep an open mind, be curious, and never stop learning. My advice to new students is to make full use of what the course offers and develop their strengths as well as their passion.
Don’t forget to explore all the fun clubs and societies too. I joined the Photography Society and learned some interesting skills, and it’s always a delight to take a tour of the city with people who share the same interests. Development doesn’t have to be limited to the classroom.
