Overview

Our MSc Chinese-English Translation and Interpreting programme at Heriot-Watt University is a dual-focus master’s degree that will prepare you for an exciting, international career as a professional translator and interpreter working between Chinese and English languages.  

Our specialist programme will allow you to develop the necessary balance of theoretical knowledge and professional language skills, with options to study intercultural communication or international politics and organisations alongside your translation and interpreting courses. 

During the master’s programme, you will gain a critical understanding of Translation and Interpreting Studies theories and concepts and their application to the processes of translating and interpreting between Chinese and English. You will develop analytical skills using theoretical concepts applied to practical problems of translating and interpreting between two languages and cultures to professional standards. 

Each course will equip you with highly employable expertise and skills. In addition to the core courses in Translation and Conference Interpreting, you can choose one optional course – including International Politics and Organisations, Intercultural Communication in the Workplace, Liaison and Public Service Interpreting, Translation Technologies and Subtitling. This will allow you to customise your learning and develop specific interpreting and translation interests.

You will benefit from the industry relevance of the programme, with lifelong career opportunities after graduation. The master’s programme will provide the transferable skills and qualities necessary to build a successful career in a variety of professional settings where Chinese language and intercultural knowledge is in demand. Our graduates have gone on to have successful careers as interpreters and translators but many have also gone on to be project managers, copywriters, editors, media specialists and educators. Beyond the subject-specific knowledge and skills, you will learn and practice transferrable skills such as presentation, communication, analytical and ICT skills. 

Expertise 

We were ranked 2nd in Scotland and 8th in the UK for Modern Languages in the National Student Survey 2020. Around 95% of our students are in employment or further study within six months of graduating.   

You will be taught by our team of experienced translation and interpreting practitioners, who possess the most up-to-date knowledge of the profession and maintain strong connections with industry to provide you with a curriculum rooted in current industry practices. 

Our teaching team also includes leading researchers in the fields of translation, interpreting, and intercultural communication. Our specialised areas include medical interpreting, police interpreting, subtitling, translation ethics, machine translation, and literature and culture translation.  

Your learning environment  

Our MSc Chinese-English Translation and Interpreting programme uses state-of-the-art language labs and interpreting booths which will provide you with the ideal setting to develop your translating and interpretation skills to professional standards. Our suite of interpreting booths has been refurbished and modelled on those used by the United Nations, the European Union and the Scottish Parliament. 

The programme is taught through a combination of seminars, lectures, masterclasses, workshops and virtual classes allowing you to get to know and build relationships with your peers, the teaching staff and academics.  

To create an authentic learning environment that replicates the professional world, you’ll attend mock conferences to practice and develop skills in simultaneous interpreting, relay, event chairing and public speaking for a live audience of lecturers and peers. You’ll also have the opportunity to practice these skills in a public multi-lingual debate in semester 2. 

You will be assessed by independent coursework, written examinations, projects, short and long translations, oral examinations and dissertations.  

Additionally, you can join Heriot-Watt’s Languages Society, which holds regular social events in a welcoming environment. They encourage a safe, culturally diverse community where you can explore language and linguistics.  

Customise your learning  

You’ll learn from eight courses on the syllabus. The optional course allows you to focus on the area of translation or interpretation that interests you most. This allows you to customise your degree to match your specific interests or career pathway by selecting a specialist course option.  

In the last stage of your degree, you will select an area of interest to research more in-depth by conducting a research dissertation. This will require independent research, to develop your critical and analytical thinking, deepen your understanding of research methodology, and further develop key transferable skills such as project management, data analysis, time management and communication skills. 

You can choose whether to study the programme full-time or part-time. This flexibility allows you to fit your postgraduate studies around your lifestyle.  

Industry  

By studying our MSc Chinese-English Translation and Interpreting, you will gain access to an ever-growing international network of employers who recognise the high standard of skills and expertise of interpreting and translating graduates. 

Our departmental careers team maintains strong links with international organisations such as the United Nations and the European Union, to provide you with opportunities for learning, networking and career development with these organisations. 

We also maintain links with industry bodies such as the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), the CIOL (Chartered Institute of Linguists) and the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC). 

These organisations contribute to our SWATI Day (Starting Work as a Translator or Interpreter), an industry-focused conference which brings key figures from the industry to Heriot-Watt University for a day of professional guidance and networking. 

Accreditation 

Our MSc Interpreting and Translating is regarded as one of the strongest degree programmes of its kind by many within the industry. This is reflected in our professional membership of Conférence Internationale Permanente d'Instituts Universitaires de Traducteurs et Interprètes (CIUTI) – a multinational organisation of universities which is dedicated to upholding a standard of excellence in the teaching of interpreting and translating. 

CIUTI recognition is a guarantee that the course content, teaching and examinations are conducted at the highest standard. It is a mark of quality which is recognised by major international employers of interpreters and translators.