As China raises its international profile in the spheres of economics, politics and culture, it has declared high-level training for specialist translators and interpreters as one of the country's educational priorities. In line with the Chinese Ministry of Education's recent introduction of a new framework for masters degrees in Translation and Interpreting (MTI), the University of Nottingham Ningbo, China has established an Interpreters' Institute that will recruit its first postgraduates in September 2008.
Educational Aims
In the first instance the Institute will offer an MA in Interpreting and Translation in Mandarin and English. Further languages will be combined with Mandarin in each successive year. The degree aims to train students who already possess high-level English and Mandarin language skills to professional levels of competence in interpreting and translation. Graduates from the course will be capable of interpreting across a wide range of subjects involving dialogues at specialist consultations. They will also be capable of interpreting presentations by the consecutive mode and, subject to performance in Semester 1, will have an introduction to simultaneous interpreting. Graduates will be capable of translating across a wide range of subjects and have a sound conceptual understanding of the material being translated.
The course will raise students' language skills to a higher level, introduce students to interpreting and translation theory, the new technologies for translating and interpreting, key concepts of economics and business, technology and ICT, media and culture. Students will also have the opportunity to continue a second foreign language from intermediate level. Teaching will be enhanced with input from professional interpreters and translators, and the Interpreters' Institute will seek accreditation for the degree from Chinese and British professional bodies.
Admission Requirements
Applicants with English as a second language should have a good undergraduate degree in any subject and an IELTS score of 7 (with no less than 6 in any element) for admission to the one-year programme. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be accepted onto the pre-Masters course with an IELTS score of 6 and are required to achieve the equivalent of IELTS 7 by the end of the pre-Masters course. Applicants with Chinese as a second language should have a good undergraduate degree (Upper Second level or international equivalent) and a high level of competence in written and spoken Chinese. Applicants may be required to attend for interview and aptitude tests before admission to the programme.
*TOEFL paper-based 600(no less than 4.5 in TWE)
*TOEFL computer-based 250 (no less than 4.5 in essay rating)
*TOEFL iBT 100(no less than 21 in any element)
Pre-Masters Programme
The pre-Masters Programme is taught by the Centre for English Language Education (CELE).
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Examination, coursework, and final results in the Pre-Masters' Year are not credit-bearing and do not count towards the final degree classification. However, students must achieve sufficient marks in the modules they take to progress to their degree programme.
Admission Requirements for Chinese Students
Applicants should offer a full transcript of their undergraduate studies but admission is based on the average of their second, third and fourth years of studies.
In order to apply for the one-year programme the minimum average score of key university graduates is 80, or top 10% in the class. The minimum average score for non-key university graduates is 85 or top 5% of the class.
In order to apply for the two-year programme the minimum average score for key university graduates is 70; for non-key university graduates the minimum average score is 75.
Outline of Masters Programme
The programme is made up of core modules in the theory and practice of interpreting and translation. In addition, students may take optional modules in specialist areas of interpreting and translation, and continue their study of a second foreign language. In the second semester students will continue with both interpreting and translation but they will have the opportunity to specialise in one more than the other through the advanced translation module or the advanced interpreting module. Admission to the advanced translation or interpreting module will be subject to performance in the Practical Written Translation module or Introduction to Interpreting Skills module in semester 1. Students will write a dissertation or complete an interpreting or a translation project for submission by the end of September. Students will have the opportunity to undertake a 4-week internship in the summer in China, the UK or Europe with an international agency, public service sector organisation or private company.
Case study
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