University of Bristol - Arts and Humanities

MSc Interpreting

This degree is for applicants with a high level of English and Mandarin proficiency who are not afraid of a challenge. The MSc Interpreting builds a highly versatile portfolio of skills that provide an entryway into the world of professional interpreting and related fields such as international business. Native English students may have an undergraduate degree in Chinese Studies or experience working in China for example, while native Mandarin speakers might have come from a variety of undergraduate disciplinary backgrounds while having developed an advanced level of English.

Students will be trained bi-directionally in consecutive, simultaneous, and liaison interpreting working with native experts in English and Mandarin. Through exercises such as shadowing, mock conferences, simulated interpreting exercises and live field trips, you will learn the techniques and develop the skills necessary for professional interpreting work. In addition, the course engages with content such as the basics of business management, international affairs, training in the use of augmented-intelligence technologies, trauma-informed methodologies, models of communication, and text-based translation.

As essential participants in cross-cultural and multilingual interactions, interpreters can be found at every level of global society. More than just linguistic intermediaries, interpreters interface with a broad range of scenarios, from grief counselling in the medical field to the highest level of international diplomacy between world leaders through institutions such as the International Atomic Energy Agency. Interpreters represent not only the most proficient experts in multiple languages but also those who develop a unique multidisciplinary understanding and ability to perform under extremely high-pressure conditions.

While traditional interpreter training has focused mainly on interpreting skills, our programme takes things one step further by directly engaging with the secondary competencies which are often displayed by experienced interpreters but are seldom taught systematically at the postgraduate level. By offering training in areas such as psychometrics and negotiation, the MSc Interpreting curriculum branches into subjects that build students' understanding and confidence across a range of parallel fields.

The structure of the course allows students to specialise in different directions in the second semester as their understanding of their future career goals continues to develop with the help of their tutor. Some will prefer to choose to major exclusively in interpreting disciplines, while others may wish to branch out into audiovisual translation or lay a foundation for PhD study and a career involving academic research.