MPS in Interpreting
Department of Communication
College of Arts and Humanities
The Master of Professional Studies in Interpreting (MPS in Interpreting) is designed to equip students with the required competencies to compete successfully for work as conference interpreters for international organizations, government agencies and ministries, international courts, and other public and private sector institutions or community interpreters in legal, health care, and other public service settings, and to manage communication and language services programs in these sectors.
The MPS in Interpreting is a two-year curriculum that students begin with introductory coursework in consecutive interpreting in the first year. Specialization, including instruction in simultaneous interpreting, is offered in the second year through two tracks:
Conference Interpreting
- Example skills include specialized work in both the consecutive and simultaneous modes in health, legal and political settings, for major corporations, international organizations, government ministries, and international, federal, and state courts requiring simultaneous capability. * Classes in simultaneous interpreting will begin in the fall of 2014 to coincide with the second year of coursework.
Public Service Interpreting
- Example skills include consecutive work in dialogue settings involving specialized health and legal content, and the administration of public service interpreting services, such as those mandated in hospitals, courts, and community settings.
You may specialize in conference interpreting, which requires competence in simultaneous interpreting (oral rendering while the principal speaks, using equipment), often in multiple language combinations for governmental and international organizations, or in public service interpreting for health, legal, and community settings, for which simultaneous interpreting coursework may be selected as an elective.
Instruction for the 44-credit MPS in Interpreting includes:
- 21 credits of core training in the fundamental skills of consecutive interpreting in one language combination, interpreting studies, the interpreting profession, intercultural communication, and communication in either political and legal or healthcare settings; and
- 23 credits of advanced training in consecutive interpreting, simultaneous interpreting, advanced training in interpreting studies, intercultural communication, and/or communication in political, legal, or healthcare settings, and/or training in communication and language services program management.
- Through the fulfillment of a research project, you will also acquire theoretical knowledge of interpreting studies.
As a cohort member, you build a platform of professional network support, benefitting you throughout your career. Intensive training begins immediately on the first day of the program and leadership skills are woven throughout the two-year program. The professional practice forum enables you to integrate your entire course learning. The MPS in Interpreting also familiarizes students with the basic research skills needed for admission to a research degree.
Languages
For fall 2013, the program will feature the language pair of English/Chinese and Chinese/English. In addition, for fall 2013, the program will also feature a multilingual track to accommodate all other languages. New language pairs will be added based on student interest with the intent of developing full language programs in Spanish, Arabic, French, German, Italian, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, and Russian and other language programs as demand allows. Contact the program director for information on class size and language combinations currently offered.
Program Director and Advisor
Interested students are encouraged to consult with Dr. David B. Sawyer, Director, Graduate Studies in Interpreting and Translation, e-mail: dbsawyer@umd.edu.
