University of Surrey
Interpreting (Chinese Pathway) MA
University of Surrey

Key Course Facts

Course Description

Why choose this course

Our Interpreting (Chinese Pathway) MA course is taught in collaboration with KL Communications Ltd, whose Managing Director, Dr Kevin Lin OBE, is the Lead Interpreter (Chinese) for the UK government’s Foreign Office. Our programme has a strong practical component that responds to the needs of the Chinese interpreting market. It will give you advanced interpreting skills in all interpreting modes, including consecutive/simultaneous interpreting, chuchotage, sight translation, dialogue and distance interpreting.

Our programme also provides exceptional opportunities for simulated and industry-relevant interpreting experience. It will train you to be ready for your first conference interpreter job upon graduation. We support ‘virtual internships’ which enable you to collaborate with language service providers and build a professional engagement portfolio that you can present to future employers.

The Chinese interpreting market has experienced exceptional growth despite a challenging international economic climate. Globalisation creates new opportunities and creates demand for interpreting services to enable knowledge exchange, migration, trade and diplomatic relations, and communication between business clients. Technological innovation is also rapidly reshaping the interpreting industry, presenting new research opportunities. As an MA Interpreting graduate, you'll be able to take advantage of global employment opportunities.

The Centre for Translation Studies has developed an ambitious new research programme which will place us and our students at the very heart of future developments. The programme informs our teaching with a strong focus on the responsible integration of human and machine translation.

What you will study

Our course covers the main principles, techniques and professional requirements of interpreting between Chinese and English, preparing you to work as an interpreter in conference, business and political settings.

You'll develop skills in all interpreting modes (consecutive, dialogue and simultaneous interpreting, and sight translation), through on-site and remote interpreting via audio/video link, note-taking and public speaking. The Interpreting and Technology module focuses on practical knowledge and professional requirements for integrating different technologies in interpreting, for example, to support the interpreter’s preparation and performance (such as accessing electronic glossaries, digital note-taking) and delivery of interpreting services (audio/video-mediated distance/remote interpreting). This provides you with the necessary digital skills to develop a successful interpreting career in a fast-changing world and work environment.

The Professional Translation Practice module engages students in practical workshops for translating specialised texts, whilst our optional modules allow you to customise your learning experience.

Your dissertation will enable you to consolidate the knowledge and skills acquired during the taught components of the course and guide you along the identification and selection of an appropriate research topic or an extended interpreting project and analytical commentary. It’s also one of the many ways of getting involved in ongoing research in the Centre for Translation Studies. We regularly have students who decide to stay on for a PhD and pursue an academic career in translation and interpreting studies. For further information, see our PhD course.

During your studies, you will have an opportunity to demonstrate academic and professional excellence by winning prizes. These include the following:

RWS Campus Top Student Award (two Trados licenses)

Project management training (one free-of-charge place in the Pro PM Training and Certification Programme)

Professional Engagement Portfolio Prize

Best Performance in Interpreting Prize.

Entry Requirements / Admissions

Requirements for international students / English requirements

IELTS academic test score (similar tests may be accepted as well)

    • 6.5
    • All Degrees

We are proud to be one of the most culturally diverse universities in the UK, with more than 140 nationalities playing a role in university life. Our International Recruitment team are here to help you throughout the application process – from advising on choosing the right course to applying for a visa and preparing for your first few weeks at Surrey. You can contact them via [email protected] Applicants who require a Student Visa to study in the UK: To apply for a Student Visa, you must have a Confirmation of Acceptance (CAS) for the University you wish to study at. This is a unique number which will enable you to apply for your visa. The University is under no legal obligation to sponsor any individual and exercises caution with respect to issuing a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to avoid risking its status as a Student sponsor. Confirmation of Acceptance to Study (CAS) will be issued in accordance with the Student Route and CAS Issuing Policy, available at: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/apply/policies

The University of Surrey offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to support our students, please visit https://www.surrey.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries for more details.
Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Interpreting (Chinese Pathway), MA, if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

A minimum of a 2:2 UK honours degree in English or a related subject. You must be a native Chinese speaker to apply.

English language requirements

IELTS Academic: 7.0 overall with 6.5 in Writing and Speaking and 6.0 in each other element.

Alternatively, if you have successfully been awarded the Certificate of Excellence offered by our partner, KL Communications, and had an IELTS of 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each category before you took this course, and this IELTS will still be valid for the start of the MA, then you will not need to take another IELTS.

Costs

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

University Rankings

Positions of University of Surrey in top UK and global rankings.

See all 30 university rankings of University of Surrey

About University of Surrey

The University of Surrey is a government funded research university located in Guildford, England. The university’s stated goals are to become a leading global university performing important research and innovation, creating great researchers and achieving outcomes which make important contributions to society.

List of 341 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of Surrey - Course Catalogue

Student composition of University of Surrey

undergraduates:
10985
postgraduates:
3275
Total:
14260
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Where is this programme taught

Stag Hill
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