Course details

Summary

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

Entry criteria

Applicants must be 18 years old and have obtained a qualification equivalent to New Zealand year 13.

(Spoken language) Interpreting and Translation majors: High level of competency in English and one other language. (NZSL and English Interpreting major: NZSL fluency is not required)

Selection criteria

Interpreting and Translation majors: Applicants will complete an interview, listening test and writing test to assess their competency in both languages.

Preferred New Zealand school subjects

All subjects are useful, in particular Classical Studies, English, Geography, History, History of Art, Media Studies and other languages.

English Language Requirements:

IELTS (Academic) 7.0 overall with 7.0 in Writing and Speaking, and 6.5 in Reading and Listening; or equivalent; TOEFL iBT score of 80; Computer-based: Total score of 213 with a minimum essay rating of 4.0; Certificate in English for Academic Study (CertEAS) with B/B+ grade; GIE with B grade; CAE minimum overall score of 169; PTE minimum overall score of 50.