LA895-7-FY-CO:
Professional Skills for Translators and Interpreters
2024/25
Language and Linguistics
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Postgraduate: Level 7
Future
Thursday 03 October 2024
Wednesday 01 October 2025
0
13 March 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
In this module, you will improve your employability in translation and interpreting-related professions by compiling and refining self-promotional materials as well as expanding your translation and interpreting capability to accommodate complex situations where added and transferrable skills are required.
Building on practical training, you will gain insights into the translation and interpreting profession, become confident in applying for translation and interpreting-related freelancing and in-house positions, perform tasks with specific subject backgrounds, identify translation and interpreting challenges and overcome them by applying different strategies and techniques.
The aims of this module are:
- To provide an overview of the translation and interpreting market and help you to prepare materials required for entering the market, expand your peripheral skills and improve your employability for translation and interpreting-related positions.
- Address issues of self-marketing, time and finance management, communication with team members and clients, as well as features and techniques of specialised texts. Discussions covered include CV and cover letter writing, translation and interpreting tests, peripheral skills, service list and rates, etc.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Construct your personalised toolkit for employment in the translation market, including CV versions, cover letter template, professional profiles and portfolio of works, etc.
- Gain a deeper understanding of the structure of the translation and interpreting market and identify your advantages and disadvantages of entering the market reflecting on your interests, educational and work experience.
- Become aware of the multiple dimensions and transferrable skills of translation and interpreting as a profession, and be able to apply to translation and interpreting-related positions with confidence.
Syllabus information
- Professional Skills Overview, CV and Cover Letter
- Platforms, Portfolio and Personal Branding
- Careers and Startups
- Translation and Interpreting Tests on the Market/by Professional Bodies
- Translation Challenge
- Time Management and Pricing Strategies
- Freelance vs In-house Work
This module will be delivered via:
Weekly practice of professional skills and translation of texts belonging to different genres and dealing with different topics. Classes will be complemented by departmental workshops and seminars led by professionals in the field.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
Additional coursework information
LA895 is a compulsory, non-credit bearing module for:
- MA Translation, Interpreting and Subtitling
- MA Audiovisual and Literary Translation
- MA Translation and Professional Practice
- MA Western Marxism and Translation
- MA Conference Interpreting and Translation (Chinese-English)
- MA Advanced Interpreting with Specialised Translation (Chinese-English)
- MA Chinese-English Translation and Professional Practice
- The assessment will be classified as PASS or NOTC (not complete)
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Module is either passed or marked as not completed.
Reassessment
Module is either passed or marked as not completed.
Module supervisor and teaching staff
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.