Interpreting MA

University of Surrey

Why choose this course

This is the only course in the UK that will give you advanced interpreting skills in all interpreting modes, including consecutive, simultaneous, dialogue and distance interpreting. We’re the first university to teach video-mediated and telephone interpreting based on research in distance interpreting, giving you excellent and flexible career opportunities.

The course has a strong practical component designed to suit the needs of the interpreting market today. We’re one of the UK’s top translation and interpreting research centres, with decades of experience in postgraduate education and research training. We focus on exciting and newly developing areas of the discipline, such as interpreting technologies, distance/remote interpreting, hybrid modalities of interpreting, corpus-based approaches, artificial intelligence (AI) tools, audiovisual translation and multi-modality studies.

What you will study

Our MA Interpreting course has both a multilingual and a Chinese pathway.

On this multilingual pathway we offer Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Greek, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish paired with English (languages subject to availability and/or demand). Other languages may be available upon request, subject to a minimum number of students.

You'll develop skills in all interpreting modes (consecutive, dialogue and simultaneous interpreting, and sight translation), delivered on-site and remotely via audio/video link. Lectures enable you to understand, discuss and justify interpreting-related decisions. For example, the compulsory Interpreting and Technologies module focuses on the integration of different technologies in interpreting, e.g. to support the interpreter’s preparation and performance (such as accessing electronic glossaries, digital note-taking) and delivery of 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.

Careers and graduate prospects

We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.

91 per cent of our School of Literature and Languages postgraduate students go on to employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2023, HESA).

The language services industry continues to grow despite a challenging international economic climate. Globalisation and technological innovation open new markets and create novel demands for multilingual interpreting services to exchange knowledge and communicate with clients. As an MA Interpreting graduate and qualified language professional, you'll be able to take advantage of global employment opportunities.