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SML8029 - Translation and Interpreting Studies

  • Offered for Year: 2026/27
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Ya-Yun Chen
  • Owning School: School of Modern Languages
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 20.0 
ECTS Credits: 10.0

Aims

For students to:

  • understand the main factors involved in communication across two languages
  • gain a broad knowledge of the key theoretical issues and principles involved in translation andinterpreting
  • use this knowledge to reflect critically on their practical translation and/or interpreting experience
  • learn key academic-writing and reading skills for UK postgraduate education

Outline Of Syllabus

  • Equivalence, translating/interpreting factors & distances
  • Translation/interpreting and semantic meaning
  • Translation/interpreting and pragmatic meaning
  • Translation/interpreting and discourse
  • Skopos, function and norms
  • Translating/interpreting processes & strategies
  • Culture, domestication, foreignisation
  • Loyalty and creativity
  • Gender and translation
  • Quality and the translation/interpreting professional
  • Key concepts and tools in postgraduate academic reading and writing

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities Module talk 1 1:30 1:30 Present-in-Person
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities Workshops 3 1 3 Present-in-Person
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities Lecture 11 1 11 Present-in-Person
Structured Guided Learning Academic skills activities 1 00:30 00:30 Non-Synchronous Online: Library skills
Guided Independent Study Assessment preparation
and completion		 1 50 50 N/A
Guided Independent Study Independent study 1 123:30 123:30 N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities Workshops 5 1:30 7:30 Present-in Person
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities Lecture 2 1:30 3 Present-in-Person
Total 200:00  
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

A module talk introduces students to the module and explains learning/teaching methods. The combination of lectures and workshops enables students to get a combination of lecturer input, mini practical tasks and discussion, thus building up their knowledge and reflective practice skills. Workshops also give input in academic reading and writing, answer students' queries about assignments, and develop a wide range of key skills. Library skills work develops study skills and introduces referencing-management tools; here, non-synchronous online work enables students to prepare effectively for the live follow-up.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Essay 1 1 M 30 1,000-1,200 words
Essay 2 1 A 70 1,800-2,000 words
Formative Assessment
Description Semester When Set Comment
Oral Presentation 1 1 M N/A
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assignments test the students’ knowledge of relevant theory and their application to real-life translation or interpreting cases, thus enabling a reflective integration of knowledge and skill. This reflective integration is practised via formative oral presentations on which students receive peer and lecturer feedback.

Timetable