Curriculum

 

 

The MA Program in Conference Interpreting offered by Boğaziçi University is a 90 ECTS non-thesis degree program lasting three semesters, offered by the Department of Translation and Interpreting Studies within the Institute of Graduate Studies in Social Sciences. The program is a European Union Center of Excellence and a member of the European Masters in Conference Interpreting (EMCI) consortium (https://www.emcinterpreting.org), which recognizes excellence in conference interpreter training. Boğaziçi University is also a member of the EMCI’s Quality Assurance Committee.

The program aims to recruit university graduates who hold a degree in a wide range of subjects, including translation and interpreting, law, business administration, international relations, economics, medicine and engineering As in all courses at Boğaziçi University, the language of instruction for the program will be English. As well as Turkish and English, students need to be competent in French, German, Italian or Spanish. Language combinations offered at each intake will be announced prior to the call for applications and may be expanded in the coming years.

The MA in Conference Interpreting has two major interrelated aims. The first is to provide the students with the skills they need to work as conference interpreters in view of the growing need for multilingual conference interpreters in Turkey. Considering Turkey’s diverse international relations, the need for multilingual interpreters with Turkish as their mother tongue will continue to increase. In order to fulfill their roles as experts in interlingual and intercultural communication in diverse and specialized settings, conference interpreters require a number of linguistic and extralinguistic skills. Accordingly, one of the aims of this program is to train competent multilingual conference interpreters with a profound understanding of the European Union and other international organizations.

Remedial (obligatory for all students - credits not counted as part of MA programme)
Credit ECTS
INT 301 Introduction to Consecutive Interpreting
Introduction to consecutive interpreting. Theoretical approaches. Expansion of speech based on notes. Training in comprehension, note-taking and memory skills in both English and Turkish. Specialized vocabulary in various fields through the study of authentic conference texts. Laboratory.
 3 3 5 5
INT 318 Introduction to Simultaneous Interpreting
Theoretical and practical introduction to the basic processes and strategies of simultaneous interpreting through recordings of authentic conference material. A brief history of the profession. Simulated interpreting in translation booths. Laboratory.
 3 3 5 5
INT 320 Community Interpreting
Training in the skills of interpreting (English-Turkish, Turkish-English) for the social services and in legal, medical and educational settings. Familiarization with the diverse demands of community interpreting. Laboratory.
 3 3 5 5
INT 417 Consecutive Interpreting
A continuation of INT 301 with emphasis on improving note-taking for students who specialize in conference interpreting. Introduction of subject matter at a more challenging level. Laboratory.
 3 3 5 5
TR 403 Political Discourse of International Organizations
Analytical survey of the political discourse emerging from the role and impact of international organizations (e.g. United Nations, European Union, Council of Europe), to facilitate students' performance in translation and conference interpreting. Discussions on the main issues of international politics and Turkish foreign policy.
3 3 5 5
15
15
25
25
First Semester
Credit ECTS
INT 501 Simultaneous Interpreting B<>A
Development of the fundamental processes and strategies of simultaneous interpreting. Practice of simultaneous interpreting from and into the students' two active languages (A and B languages). Simulations of conference situations with special emphasis on the various problems and challenges posed by real-life interpreting practice. Discussion on the dialectical relationship between the socio-cultural context, the interpreter and the interpreting performance.
 4 4 8 8
INT 503 Simultaneous Interpreting C>A
Development of the fundamental processes and strategies of simultaneous interpreting. Practice of simultaneous interpreting from the students' C language into the A language. Simulations of conference situations with special emphasis on the various problems and challenges posed by real-life interpreting practice. Discussion on the dialectical relationship between the socio-cultural context, the interpreter and the interpreting performance.
 3 3 6 6
INT 505 Simultaneous Interpreting in Conference Situations
Acquisition of professional skills required in actual conference situations. Attendance at conferences on a diversity of topics and interpreting exercises. Analysis and criticism of interpreting performance in actual conference situations.
 4 4 8 8
INT 508 Interpreting Theory
Introduction to interpreting research and theory. Study of existing literature. Discussion on the cognitive, psycholinguistic, neurological and sociological paradigms in analysing and understanding the process and product of interpreting. Developing self-reflexivity in interpreters on their interpreting performance.
 3 3 7 7
INT 509 Consecutive Interpreting B<>A
Training in consecutive interpretation. Summarization, comprehension, note-taking and memory skills from and into the students' active languages (A and B languages). Specialized vocabulary in various fields through the study of authentic conference texts.
 4 4 8 8
INT 511 Consecutive Interpreting C>A
INT 511 Consecutive Interpreting C>A (2+0+2) 3 ECTS 6 (Ardıl Çeviri C>A) Training in consecutive interpretation. Summarization, comprehension, note-taking and memory skills from the students' C language into the A language. Specialized vocabulary in various fields through the study of authentic conference texts.
 3 3 6 6
21
21
43
43
Second Semester
Credit ECTS
INT 502 Advanced Simultaneous Interpreting B<>A
Advanced practice of simultaneous interpreting from and into the students' active languages (A and B languages). Simulations of conference situations with invited guest speakers, focusing on the various problems and challenges posed by real-life interpreting practice. Integration of on-sight interpreting skills to actual performance (simultaneous with text). Discussion on the dialectical relationship between the socio-cultural context, the interpreter and the interpreting performance.
 4 4 8 8
INT 504 Advanced Simultaneous Interpreting C>A
Advanced practice of simultaneous interpreting from the students' C language to the A language. Simulations of conference situations with invited guest speakers, focusing on the various problems and challenges posed by real-life interpreting practice. Integration of on-sight interpreting skills to actual performance (simultaneous with text). Discussion on the dialectical relationship between the socio-cultural context, the interpreter and the interpreting performance.
 3 3 6 6
INT 506 Adv. Simultaneous Interpreting in Conference Situations
Development of professional skills in actual conference situations. Attendance at specialized conferences and seminars on a range of topics. Analysis of actual interpreting performance in conferences.
 4 4 8 8
INT 510 Advanced Consecutive Interpreting B<>A
Advanced practice of consecutive interpreting between the students' active languages (A and B languages). Further training in content analysis and expansion of longer chunks of structured speech based on notes.
 4 4 8 8
INT 512 Advanced Consecutive Interpreting C>A
Advanced practice of consecutive interpreting from the students' C language into the A language. Further training in content analysis and expansion of longer chunks of structured speech based on notes.
 3 3 6 6
INT 514 Advanced Interpreting Skills
Development and assessment of advanced skills in consecutive and simultaneous interpreting in all language directions (B<>A, C>A) in simulated settings reflecting high-level conference situations at international institutions.
 0 0 5 5
18
18
41
41
Third Semester
Credit ECTS
INT 517 Research Project in Interpreting
Development of an advanced-level research project on a subject related to interpreting.
0 0 6 6
6
6
ECTS ECTS 2
39
39
90
90
 
All courses and course definitions of the MA Program in Conference Interpreting may be seen in the university's graduate catalogue, which contains the most recent information about new courses or changes in course titles, definitions or credits as accepted by the university senate.