Bachelor of Arts - Interpreting Auckland University of Technology

The Bachelor of Arts prepares you for a huge range of careers, and you can build your degree in a way that suits you – study a single or a double major, select from a wide range of minors or add elective papers from another area of study. Throughout your Bachelor of Arts you’ll develop effective communication, critical thinking and analysis skills, as well as the ability to research and present professionally. These skills are key to any professional role.

In the Interpreting major you learn to recognise cross-cultural implications for interpreting, and the ethical and professional responsibilities of an interpreter.

Interpreting is so much more than just repeating someone’s words in a different language. A good interpreter can understand nuances and cultural appropriateness, and convey levels of formality across a range of professions and industries. The challenge is to do justice to every situation.
You practise interpreting consecutively and simultaneously between English and another language.

You explore the effects of intonation and the use of idioms in spoken English. Throughout your studies you also become familiar with interpreting for legal, healthcare or business settings. These skills will serve you well in our increasingly multicultural local and global communities.
Key features:

• Prepares you for interpreting careers in medical, legal and business settings
• Suitable if you already speak two languages
• Workplace experience in your final semester

Career opportunities:

• Legal interpreting for government and local authorities
• Health interpreting for various health sector organisations
• Freelance interpreting work
• Foreign affairs and border control
• Movie voiceovers
• Language Line (telephone interpreting)
• Refugee and migrant services
• International business conventions or conferences