Interpreter's Studies Certificate

Contact: Daniel Martin, Director

Office: 335 Herter

Phone: 545-0900

E-mail: dmartin@frital.umass.edu

The Field

The field of Foreign Language Interpretation explores the technical aspects of international communications in consecutive and simultaneous interpretations. While interpreting has been done for millenia, the skill has been studied and institutionalized just recently with the founding of the Schoolof Interpreters of Geneva, Switzerland in 1940. Interpreters must be college graduates; they must possess a broad cultural background and a general knowledge of politics, economics, and law. Public speaking skills are also important and our certificate program trains and screens students in that area.

The Program

Interpreter's Studies is an interdepartmental program to certify qualified students in general language interpretation in French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, or Portuguese, or in other languages as a special project. As specified in the list of requirements below, this program coordinates three disciplinary areas: interpretation, communication, and foreign languages. Courses in interpretation are courses in techniques and do not involve themselves with the teaching of foreign languages. A discipline such as interpretation is a meeting ground of all foreign language departments.

Studies in the field of interpreting would lead to the Certificate in General Language Interpretation (CGLI). This certificate opens two possible avenues: a) together with the B.A. or B.S. in any field, it can expand opportunities for employment in governmental agencies as well as in business and industry; b) the training required for the certificate screens and prepares potential candidates for graduate work toward a career as a conference interpreter.

Requirements: six courses or 18 credits are required for the certificate. Two courses are taken in each of the following three areas: interpretation, communication, and foreign languages.

A. InterpretationóINTERP 481 and 482.

B. Communicationsótwo courses chosen from a selected list of courses in English, international relations, political science, economics, geography, history, communications, journalism.

C. Foreign Languagesótwo courses in one or two foreign languages. These are advanced foreign language courses (above 300) in translation, composition, business, and communication.

Admission to the program and courses is by exam and/or interview with the Program Director. Residency abroad for at least one semester is required.

An ideal way to fulfill the residency abroad requirement and move toward the fluency essential to the Interpreter's Studies Program is to study abroad. Information on programs for study around the world is available at International Programs, William S. Clark International Center, tel. 545-2710. In addition to language study, it is possible to pursue a semester of study at the Interpreter's School of Zurich (DOZ).

Career Opportunities

Interpreters are employed in various agencies of the U.S. government. By far the largest staff of language specialists in the federal government is the Language Service Division of the Department of State. The FBI and the Immigration and Naturalization Service both employ full-time interpreters. An unspecified number of language specialists work at the CIA. Interpreters can also find employment with business and industries that have international operations such as the multi-national corporations. The opportunities for employment as an interpreter depend upon the particular language combination that the candidate has to offer. The market varies constantly.

Apart from full-time employment, job seekers can enhance their possibilities for employment by combining an advanced language skill such as interpreting and another major or profession.

The Courses

481 Techniques of Consecutive Interpretation (1st sem)

With lab. Historical background of consecutive interpretation. Acquisition of skills through lab practice in notetaking, organizing, presenting information from one foreign language into English. Paper or project. Core component for Certificate in General Language Interpretation (CGLI).

482 Techniques of Simultaneous Interpretation (2nd sem)

With lab. Introduction to theoretical aspects of simultaneous interpretation and to present research in the field. Acquisition of skills through lab practice in the interpreter's booth, with and without the text. Historical background and organization of the interpreting profession. Paper or project. Core component for Certificate in General Language Interpretation (CGLI).