Glossary

Use this search only if you have an exact code for a Program, Stream, or Course, e.g. 3403, ACCTA13502, ACCT1501 or ACCT*.

Interpreting - 8202

Program Summary

Faculty: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Contact: hal@unsw.edu.au

Campus: Sydney

Career: Postgraduate

Typical Duration: 1.5 Years

Typical UOC Per Semester: 24

Min UOC Per Semester: 6

Max UOC Per Semester: 24

Min UOC For Award: 72

Award(s):

Master of Interpreting

View program information for previous years

Program Description

This program is for students commencing in 2018 onwards.

If you commenced prior to 2018, please refer to the program rules for the year you started.

The Master of Interpreting (MInt) is a 72 UOC program endorsed by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). The program prepares you to sit the National Authority for Translators and Interpreters certification exam at the professional level in interpreting. With appropriate coursework selection, the program also prepares you to sit the certification exam at the conference interpreter level. The program aims to equip you with the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to work as a competent and ethical interpreter in international and domestic settings. The areas of specialisation covered in the program are legal, medical, business, community and conference interpreting. The program is staffed by leading researchers and practitioners in the field. You receive training that draws on the results of research and practical experience to ensure relevance and effectiveness. Academic content is complemented by professional practical experience where you are able to apply what was learned in class in real professional settings. The program is offered in the following language combinations, subject to student demand: English and Chinese (Mandarin), French, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Spanish.

Program Objectives and Graduate Attributes

The aim of the Master of Interpreting is to develop your professional capabilities as an interpreter who engages in ethical and self-directed practice, is capable of working as an independent and collaborative interpreter and is rigorous in their analysis, critique and reflection.

Program Learning Outcomes

By the end of the program, you will acquire the program-level learning outcomes necessary to meet the occupational needs of the interpreting profession. You will be able to:

1. Advanced disciplinary knowledge and practices

understand interpreting theories, ethics and professional conduct
demonstrate professional interpreting competence acquired through the development of interpreting skills and competencies
apply the theories, ethics and principles of professional conduct to the professional practice of interpreting

2. Enquiry-based learning

plan and implement professional projects
critically evaluate and undertake research in the field of interpreting

3. Cognitive skills and critical thinking

analyse and reflect upon own interpreting performance in a number of complex professional environments
make and justify informed decisions as a professional interpreter
demonstrate a high level of professional autonomy and accountability in the application of interpreting knowledge and skills

4. Communication, adaptive and interactional skills

work collaboratively in a professional team
communicate effectively in multicultural and multilingual settings

5. Global outlook

understand cultural and linguistic differences in multicultural and multilingual communication
effectively communicate in multicultural and multilingual settings

Career Opportunities

The Interpreting profession offers opportunities for employment in the public and private sectors, particularly in conference, legal, medical, community and diplomatic settings.

Entry Requirements

The entry requirements are as follows:

Bachelor degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average of 65% and an advanced level of bilingual proficiency
Bachelor degree (or equivalent qualification) in any discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average of 65% plus one year relevant professional experience and an advanced level of bilingual proficiency
Honours degree or Graduate Diploma* (or equivalent qualification) in any discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average of 65% and an advanced level of bilingual proficiency

Relevant disciplines include:

Interpreting and Translation
Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences
Media, Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing
Business, Economics, Commerce
Law
Linguistics
Languages
TESOL
Cognitive Science

Applicants with a degree in a discipline not listed here but who wish to make a case for its academic relevance to these programs should enquire here: studyarts@unsw.edu.au.

* It is expected that a Graduate Diploma will have been completed after an undergraduate degree.

Credit Transfer

If you are seeking credit transfer you must submit documentary evidence of courses completed at the time of initial enrolment. UNSW Arts and Social Sciences will then determine the number of units of credit to be granted. Credit transfer will not be granted for courses completed more than ten years previously. The maximum credit transfer for a Masters is 50% of the stream, that is, a maximum of 36 UOC credit transfer for the 72 UOC stream.

Award with Excellence

You are eligible for the award of a degree "with Excellence" if you achieve a Weighted Average Mark (WAM) of at least 80 in all courses and complete at least 50% of the requirements of your award at UNSW.

Program Structure

The program consists of theoretical and practical courses that complement each other. Theoretical courses cover the theories that can be directly applied to inform and improve practice. The results of the latest research form an integral part of the content of the program's courses. The practical courses apply the learning from the theoretical courses to the development of bilingual interpreting skills. In addition to the knowledge and skills of interpreting as a discipline and as a profession, you will also learn related academic and practical skills such as critical analysis, independent research and preparation, project management, team work, and genres and public speaking - which are all related to the work of interpreters. You will also learn about the different settings in which interpreters work, such as law, health, business and international relations. Teaching methods match the objectives of the program by combining lectures with practical tutorials and a variety of exercises where students actively participate. You will be assessed through different tasks that target the varied skills and knowledge the courses aim to develop; these include tasks such as: simulated interpreted interactions, virtual translation projects, critical self-analysis of students' own performance, research projects and theoretical papers.

The program has a strong linguistic component which underpins the theoretical basis of the process and practice of interpreting. Course content addresses the most pressing areas of interpreting, legal, medical, business, community and conference interpreting. It also offers a wide variety of language combinations not available at other institutions. The program combines theoretical lectures delivered in English with language-specific practical tutorials where the theories learned in the lectures are applied to the practice. It also provides you with a comprehensive practicum component.

The program can be completed full-time, normally 3 semesters (18 months), or part-time. It is structured as follows:

1. Disciplinary Core Courses (12 UOC)