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Ma Interpreting and translation studies

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Original post by KickingKat88
Thanks hannah_dru. I will certainly look into it.

You're welcome :smile:
Original post by hannah_dru
I wasn't being sarcastic or anything :confused:

It's difficult to say I think. The problem is that a lot of companies require experience and you may need multiple skills/qualifications with languages to get into certain jobs. That's why I said customer service or banking though as my friends who got into those jobs didn't have prior experience with those sectors as far as I'm aware.


You could try an internship first. That's what myself and some of my friends did and it seemed to help us.



it wasn't me being mean towards you - i just wanted to put an emphasis on "combinations" of courses with T and I. I was always wondering can you make yourself better qualified if you want to do particular job with one course by combining it with some other course?
and well yes experience...somewhere you have to start, right?
Original post by Presumptuous
it wasn't me being mean towards you - i just wanted to put an emphasis on "combinations" of courses with T and I. I was always wondering can you make yourself better qualified if you want to do particular job with one course by combining it with some other course?
and well yes experience...somewhere you have to start, right?

Possibly yes. I'm now thinking I could've done myself a favour by doing another subject so I'm now trying to make it for it by specialising in certain fields.
also i am very interested int his course for my MA but what worries me is that they require two languages on A level. I'm foreigner so yeah...mean TOEFL and stuff for me but that's only english for other languages i don't know
also i noticed some unis put emphasis on languages like french, german, spanish etc. means no weird languages just the "big" ones
Reply 24
Original post by hannah_dru
Possibly yes. I'm now thinking I could've done myself a favour by doing another subject so I'm now trying to make it for it by specialising in certain fields.


I hope you don't mind me asking, I presume you have finished your degree? Have you found it difficult finding work related to your chosen subject?
Original post by hannah_dru
Possibly yes. I'm now thinking I could've done myself a favour by doing another subject so I'm now trying to make it for it by specialising in certain fields.


maybe yes maybe no
some people like to go straight to the point with the thing which interests them the most :smile:
but i do believe that it can't hurt to have another subject

also...as i mentioned - being a foreigner and all...i was always wondering about minors and majors? is that smth what UK unis have or am i mistaken?
and what it actually means...i do know it's one subject like an A subject and another B subject. Where is the actual difference? B program not being so demanding as A one?
Original post by KickingKat88
I hope you don't mind me asking, I presume you have finished your degree? Have you found it difficult finding work related to your chosen subject?

Not at all :smile: I graduated last year and I've been very lucky. I did a translation internship during my year abroad and worked for one of the UK branches after I graduated. I started looking for a position at another translation agency in December and secured one in a month.

Original post by Presumptuous
maybe yes maybe no
some people like to go straight to the point with the thing which interests them the most :smile:
but i do believe that it can't hurt to have another subject

also...as i mentioned - being a foreigner and all...i was always wondering about minors and majors? is that smth what UK unis have or am i mistaken?
and what it actually means...i do know it's one subject like an A subject and another B subject. Where is the actual difference? B program not being so demanding as A one?

That's true. That's what I did really, I just didn't realise at the time that another subject would've been a good idea.

We don't have them I don't think. Essentially I think it means you focus more on one subject and less on the other.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 27
Original post by hannah_dru
Not at all :smile: I graduated last year and I've been very lucky. I did a translation internship during my year abroad and worked for one of the UK branches after I graduated. I started looking for a position at another translation agency in December and secured one in a month.


That's really interesting, are you enjoying it? Would you say the internships are hard to come by? I am thinking of spending some time abroad to see if it helps me with the experience side of things and possibly more opportunities.
Reply 28
Original post by Presumptuous
maybe yes maybe no
some people like to go straight to the point with the thing which interests them the most :smile:
but i do believe that it can't hurt to have another subject

also...as i mentioned - being a foreigner and all...i was always wondering about minors and majors? is that smth what UK unis have or am i mistaken?
and what it actually means...i do know it's one subject like an A subject and another B subject. Where is the actual difference? B program not being so demanding as A one?


You can take combined honours at some universities which could include 2 subjects. I've no idea about which uni's and courses are available though but I am certain there are a few.
Original post by hannah_dru
Not at all :smile: I graduated last year and I've been very lucky. I did a translation internship during my year abroad and worked for one of the UK branches after I graduated. I started looking for a position at another translation agency in December and secured one in a month.


That's true. That's what I did really, I just didn't realise at the time that another subject would've been a good idea.

We don't have them I don't think. Essentially I think it means you focus more on one subject and less on the other.


i used to have thous "dedication" issues but with me was mostly trying to do it but ended up starting to learn too many languages at once...then in the end i get to be good only few of them and the ones ive been learning since iw as a child (early age always helps)

about majors and minors... i always thought of it as a nice trick - you are able to do one subject very well and pick another one you like as well but maybe a bit less and you do it on easier program - it always sounded good to me

and yes another subject always open one more opportunity (or more of them) and it can come in handy in some life situations...
but also - it's good if it supports another subject you are studying in a way
like an expansion kinda
Original post by KickingKat88
You can take combined honours at some universities which could include 2 subjects. I've no idea about which uni's and courses are available though but I am certain there are a few.


so basically you can't combine whatever you would like but only the options uni allows?
OP, internships are certainly one way to approach the industry. Obviously, your circumstances are somewhat different - if you can't go abroad due to family commitments then signing up for an internship may be off the cards as well, particularly as you aren't doing a translation undergraduate degree. You may want to consider doing some work on a freelance basis, if you feel able to. A lot of it is about networking anyway - get to know the right people and things will come your way.
Original post by KickingKat88
That's really interesting, are you enjoying it? Would you say the internships are hard to come by? I am thinking of spending some time abroad to see if it helps me with the experience side of things and possibly more opportunities.

I love it :awesome: I struggled with the interpreting module I did but it got easier as it went along.
There doesn't seem to be that many about but I think it can't hurt to enquire at a company anyway.
If you can, I'd say go for it!

Original post by Presumptuous
i used to have thous "dedication" issues but with me was mostly trying to do it but ended up starting to learn too many languages at once...then in the end i get to be good only few of them and the ones ive been learning since iw as a child (early age always helps)

about majors and minors... i always thought of it as a nice trick - you are able to do one subject very well and pick another one you like as well but maybe a bit less and you do it on easier program - it always sounded good to me

and yes another subject always open one more opportunity (or more of them) and it can come in handy in some life situations...
but also - it's good if it supports another subject you are studying in a way
like an expansion kinda

That's where you've got an advantage I think. I didn't have the choice to do more than one language unfortunately.

I guess like KickingKat88 said, you've got combined honours which are similar. I like it too, although you are restricted in what subjects you can take together :frown:

Definitely! Knowing about contracts has helped me outside of work :biggrin:
Original post by hannah_dru
Aston's MA doesn't require a second foreign language but it's only in translation and not interpreting.


What made you choose translation over interpreting?
Original post by OddThings
What made you choose translation over interpreting?

I prefer to have the written word in front of me, I found making shorthand notes difficult and having enough time to get the message across verbally in both languages.

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