| Unit name | Liaison Interpreting for Business |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MODLM0026 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Mr. Paul Golf |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Modern Languages |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
This unit is designed to enable students to develop their linguistic mediation skills for business and conference situations. The focus is on oral, bilateral interpreting between English and Chinese in the context of interactive, one-to-one spoken discourse, along with consecutive mode interpreting presentations.
As well as furthering their bilateral communicative and linguistic skills, students will also gain experience in creating powerpoint presentations, presenting sales pitches, conducting business negotiations, and field interpreting etc. Since business liaison interpreters are often required to interpret in consecutive mode, students will also gain experience in consecutive interpreting.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
Students of translation at MA level develop a portfolio of transferable professional skills in addition to their academic and research capabilities. Having laid down a foundation in translation theory and practice in the first teaching block, this unit opens additional professional avenues for graduates in the language services field. Interpreters are intercultural mediators, and training in this discipline will strengthen students’ awareness of other cultures and different points of view, especially as this relates to the professional world.
A 2-hour, weekly student-centred and interactive seminar. Tutors will provide extensive feedback and coaching on interpreter performance. Students will contribute to preparing simulated scenarios for class practice. Interpreting field trips may also take place.
The curriculum is design to simulate the real world of the interpreting profession, mixing a variety of situations with different modes of interpreting and presentation training. As well as linguistic skills, students also engage with ethical matters and other professional skills. The examination not only assesses performance, but serves itself as an important analogue to the real situation of the industry.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
No formative assessment is involved, but extensive feedback is provided in class to prepare for the examination.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
An examination (100%, ILOs 1-3) involving either:
a) A bilateral interpreting dialogue testing interpreting in both directions.
OR
b) A 2-part examination involving one EN->ZH speech and one ZH->EN speech testing interpreting in both directions.
The examination will take place in-class in week 24.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MODLM0026).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
