MA in Translating and Interpreting (MATI)

This applied oriented program is suitable to both working professionals and fresh graduates with a keen interest in translation and interpreting. To apply, please click.



• Programme Code:

  72017-TI (Part-time)
  72017-TIF (Full-time)*
  *Hong Kong immigration regulations stipulate that non-local students must register as full time students.

• Mode:

  Self-financed full-time and part-time

• Duration:

  Full time: normally one year and a half, maximum 3 years
  Part time: normally two years and a half, maximum 5 years

• No. of Credits Required:

  30

• Student Intake:

  61

• Fees:

  HK$2,700 per credit*
  *CBS570 and CBS571 are charged at a higher rate of $6,750 per credit.

• About "MA in Translating and Interpreting (with a specialism in Interpreting)":

  All applicants should enroll in MATI at point of admission. Those who want to be professional interpreters and have met the prerequisites can opt for the interpreting stream and will be awarded MATI(I) upon successful completion of required courses.

• Programme Aims:

  The aims of the MATI are -
  • to promote intercultural and cross-linguistic co-operation through teamwork;
  • to develop participants’ learning and translating and interpreting skills;
  • to build upon the diverse experience that participants bring to the course and extend their awareness of translating and interpreting, and the nature of the English and Chinese languages; and
  • to assist graduates from the programme to develop their careers by providing them with professional skills marketable in both the private and the public sectors.
  The objectives of MATI are to equip participants with the following kinds of academic and personal transferable skills:
  • the ability to present complex ideas clearly and articulately;
  • the ability to work with others of different cultural and linguistic backgrounds to achieve an objective;
  • the ability to independently manage one’s time, make plans, and set priorities to achieve a complex objective over several months’ work;
  • the ability to assimilate, analyze, and evaluate complex information in the two working languages, identifying key issues and drawing well-reasoned conclusions.

• Programme Outcomes:

  The outcomes of the MATI are for the students to have the following professional skills and attributes of all-roundedness:
  • the ability to analyze, process and complete translating and interpreting tasks with a high level of professional competence;
  • the ability to undertake diverse translating or interpreting assignments with confidence and a high level of professional skill;
  • the ability to engage with current issues in translation theory, and how these relate to professional practice;
  • the ability to make use of computers in translation, and familiarity with different software packages;
  • the ability to comprehend and evaluate professional and ethical issues concerned with translating and interpreting;
  • critical awareness of the range of techniques and methodologies available in translating and interpreting; and
  • familiarity with the core concepts and the major recent developments in translation studies that will be relevant to the development of their careers.

• Etrance Requirements:

  A Bachelor’s degree in any subject or equivalent.
  
  Language requirements:
  Applicants who are not native speakers of English and who have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification are expected to satisfy the following English requirement for admission purposes:
  • A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 590 for the paper-based test; or a TOEFL score of at least 243 for the computer-based test; or a TOEFL score of at least 96 for the internet-based test; OR
  • A score of at least 7.0 on listening and reading sections with no sub-score below 6.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS); OR
  • Chinese mainland’s Test for English Major (TEM) Level 8; OR
  • Competence level in English which is equivalent to those who would satisfy any of the above requirements.

• Admission Information:

  Credit-transfer can be granted for compulsory subjects.

• Programme Officers:

  Programme Administration (MATI)
  Ms. Cherry YING （英翠如小姐）
  Tel: +852-3400-3269
  Fax: +852-2334-0185
  Email: ctcherry@inet.polyu.edu.hk
  
  Programme Leader (MATI)
  Dr. CHEUNG Kay-fan Andrew（張其帆博士）
  Tel: +852-2766-7448
  Email: ctandrew@inet.polyu.edu.hk

Curriculum:


Compulsory subjects



Subject Code	Subject Nature/Title	No of Credits
CBS561	Translation: Text and Context	3
Aims to introduce practical issues in translation, through translation of general, legal, business, scientific and technical texts, and modern tools of translation. It will look at resolving different types of equivalence problems. It will also familiarise students with different approaches to translation, practice in translation of basic texts in various registers, the use of information technology to build up personal bilingual glossaries, and the use of general and specialised dictionaries. There will be a clear progression in the order of difficulty of tasks undertaken.
CBS564	Translation: Discourse and the Translator	3
Aims to cover the following issues, from the point of view of the practising professional translator: Discourse Analysis and the practising translator; context & register vs. discourse; scientific & technical discourse; literature and creative writing. It will examine different text types & media, through the use of technical texts, financial & economic texts, and journalistic Texts. Attention will also be given to professional issues, such as translation management, documentation and record keeping. There will be a clear progression in the order of difficulty of tasks undertaken.
CBS562	Interpreting: Principles	3
Aims to produce students able to undertake simple interpreting tasks, and to assist students to be confident in their ability to interpret, confident in their ability to improvise, thorough and self-reliant in their background research skills, familiar with interpreting skills and strategies, and able to manage their time effectively and be familiar with note-taking and memory skills. There will be a clear progression in the order of difficulty of tasks undertaken.
CBS565	Interpreting: Consecutive	3
Aims to extend and develop student’s skills in the following areas: the nature of consecutive interpreting, glossary building, topical research, note-taking, the ethics of interpreting, and consecutive interpreting, where there will be an emphasis on accuracy, fluency, focus, cohesion, logic, tone, style, and register. There will be a clear progression in the order of difficulty of tasks undertaken.
CBS566	Translation Studies	3
Aims to produce students who understand the factors involved in communication across two languages; who have an awareness of the different levels of meaning in a text; who can use this awareness to evaluate both source texts and their own translations; who have an awareness of basic issues concerning translation as a profession and know something of recent information technology resources for translators. It will also assist students to examine texts and analyse the linguistic and socio-linguistic issues underlying communication across cultures.
CBS568	Advanced Translation	3
Aims to extend and develop students’ awareness of the pragmatics of professional translation, through a wide variety of text types and topics, in a variety of text media. Issues of theory will be tested against practice to assist students to develop a high level of awareness of their own skills as practitioners, and a greater confidence in their own ability to work to professional standards. Emphasis will be on the various issues related to editing and revising, such as: copy editing, content checking, consistency, stylistic editing, structural editing, procedures, parameters and degrees of revision, and techniques of self-revision.



Elective subjects



Elective subjects in translation/interpreting/language studies (English):
Subject Code	Subject Nature/Title	No of Credits
CBS516	Contrastive Analysis	3
This subject aims to provide students with an understanding of the basic principles of contrastive analysis and to familiarize them with the methods of applying these principles to a number of similarities and differences between Chinese and English. The emphasis of the subject will be on the basic grammatical properties of these two languages, drawing from current research findings in language typology. Students are expected to be able to analyze linguistic problems they may encounter in their use of language, such as language teaching and translation.
CBS517	Computer Tools for the Language Professionals	3
This subject aims to generate students who are familiar with the possibilities of Information Technology (IT) in aiding the language professional’s work. The contents include: the Chinese, English and multilingual language environments of computer systems and the WWW, language corpus systems and database systems, computer-based information retrieval, computer-assisted language translation, and computer-assisted language teaching and learning.
CBS560	Computer Assisted Translation	3
This subject aims to help students acquire fundamental knowledge and useful skills in the application of computer tools and resources for Chinese, English and multilingual translation. In addition to computer assisted human translation, students will also learn to take advantage of automatic computer translation by effective editing of source and target texts. More attention is given to advanced translation technology rather than elementary and general purpose computer skills.
CBS567	Advanced Interpreting	3
Aims to a introduce students to a more advanced level of interpreting skills, with focus on minimizing faux-sens and contre-sens, improving delivery in Cantonese, English and Putonghua; emphasis will be on aiding students to be able to perform while retaining all nuances, and on improving students’ public speaking skills in Cantonese, English and Putonghua. Attention will also be devoted to assisting students to achieve a higher level of awareness of the professional code of ethics.
CBS570	Specialised Interpreting Programme 1	3
This subject aims to provide an advanced level of training in consecutive interpreting (CI), using different kinds of speeches on a variety of topics. Practice will focus on interpreting into the two target languages: Chinese and English via practice of consecutive interpreting at full length or at various summarized lengths of the original. Attention will also be given to the compilation of glossaries of different subject matters.
CBS571	Specialised Interpreting Programme II	3
This subject aims to provide an intermediate level of training in simultaneous interpreting (SI), using different kinds of speeches on a variety of topics. Practice will focus on interpreting into the two target languages: Chinese and English via practice of simultaneous interpreting of impromptu speeches and prepared speeches (aided with text).
CBS582	Advanced Legal Translation	3
This subject aims to introduce students to the practice of legal translation. This subject establishes a theoretical framework for legal translation and offers extensive practice in translating key documents in a wide range of legal fields. The purpose of this subject is to enable students to gain insights into legal translation at postgraduate level.
CBS583	Advanced Translation for Media	3
This subject aims to introduce students to the practice of translation for the media. This subject establishes a theoretical framework for media translation and offers extensive practice in translating materials in a wide range of media. The purpose of this subject is to enable learners to gain insights into media translation at postgraduate level.
CBS584	Advanced Translation for Business and Commerce	3
This subject aims to introduce students to the practice of translation for business and commerce. This subject establishes a theoretical framework for business translation and offers extensive practice in translating materials in business and commerce. The purpose of this subject is to enable learners to gain insights into media translation at postgraduate level.
CBS579	MATI Dissertation	9
Aims to provide students with the opportunity to work closely with a supervisor on the production of an extended research-based study on a translation or interpreting related topic of the student’s own choice. This will also assist students to improve their expertise in examining texts and analyzing the academic, theoretical, linguistic and socio-cultural issues underlying communication across cultures
Other elective subjects under MA scheme:
Subject Code	Subject Nature/Title	No of Credits
CBS505	Research Methods in Language Studies	3
This subject aims to provide a systematic training on research methodology in language studies, which is indispensable for students wishing to conduct research on language related study topics at postgraduate level.
CBS512	Introduction to Chinese Language Testing	3
Principle of language measurement, Development of language tests, Assessing listening, Assessing speaking, Assessing reading, Assessing writing, Measurement scales, Language test validity, Language test reliability, Item analysis, Basic descriptive statistics, Item and test relatedness, Assessing language for specific purposes (LSP), Bilingual measure
CBS514	Introduction to Cantonese Studies	3
This subject introduces students to various linguistic properties of Cantonese in a principled manner, so as to enable them to understand the differences between Cantonese and Putonghua and to pursue comparative study between the two in the future. Topics include the classification of Chinese dialects; Cantonese sound system and romanization schemes; standard pronunciation; written forms of Cantonese; word formation; syntax and semantics of Cantonese particles; and the major syntactic differences between Cantonese and Putonghua
CBS515	Applied lexicology and lexicography	3
This subject aims to acquaint students with fundamental issues in lexicology and its application in various fields. Scope of study includes the introduction of basic notions in Chinese lexicology—the differences between Chinese characters, morphemes, words and phrases; the morphological structure of the Chinese language; relationship between lexicology and rhetorical studies; delimitation of word items and automatic Chinese text processing; construction of word list for language teaching and language testing; and compilation and retrieval of lexical items in Chinese dictionaries.
CBS518	Computer-Assisted Chinese Language Teaching	3
This subject aims to produce students armed with the fundamental knowledge and effective skills of computer-assisted language teaching and learning, especially in the application domain of Chinese teaching. Students will be confident in the use of various computer tools in language teaching and testing, and be capable of developing new tools to meet their own specific needs. In addition to local computer support, Web-assisted remote language teaching will also be introduced.
CBS519	Modern Rhetoric	3
Assuming no prior knowledge in rhetoric, this subject attempts to acquaint the students with the major content of modern rhetorical studies from both theoretical and applied perspectives. Analysis will mainly be made on modern Chinese data, but examples in English and classical Chinese will also be covered.
CBS520	Modern Chinese Characters and Information Technology	3
This subject provides students with an understanding of the interrelationship between Chinese characters and information technology (IT), so that they can make the most out of the Chinese language in the IT context and IT in the Chinese context. Equipped with the above knowledge they will be able to solve various problems encountered in IT involving Chinese characters and Chinese writing.
CBS521	Applied Chinese Language Studies	3
This subject is designed to orient students towards an intellectual outlook to mediate between the theories gained about Chinese language and the possible applications of these theories to practical situations such as language teaching and other professional disciplines in the biliterate and trilingual environment in Hong Kong. Topics such as characteristics of Hong Kong written Chinese, influence of translation on Chinese language, and standardization of Cantonese will be discussed.
CBS543	Selected Readings of the Eight Writers of Tang and Song Era	3
In classical prose writing, the Tang and Song era is considered the peak, serving as a link between the previous era and the following era. Eight writers have been acclaimed as masters of the art: Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan of the Tang Dynasty, and Ouyang Xiu, Zeng Gong, Wang Anshi, Su Xun, Su Shi, and Su Zhe of the Song Dynasty. To have a comprehensive understanding of their works, a wide range of genres from each writer are selected to be studied in three ways: the uniqueness of their writing; their styles in contrast with that in the previous era; and how these writers inherited the tradition and how they influenced the late comers.
CBS544	Poetry of the Tang and Song Era	3
This subject offers a critical study of selected works of Tang poetry and Song ci with a focus on their stylistic development and artistic achievement. The subject is divided into two parts. In the first part, poems in different periods of Tang Dynasty (early, high, middle and late) are selected for reading. The emphasis will be on the works of Li Bai, Du Fu, Gao Shi and Wang Wei. In the second part, Song ci of Liu Yong, Su Shi, Zhou Bangyan (of Northern Song), Jiang Kui and Xin Qiji (of Southern Song) will be selected for in-depth study. The course also covers works of the distinguished female ci author Li Qingzhao. Students are encouraged to get familiar with their works and style.
CBS545	Selected Readings of Vernacular Fiction	3
This subject offers a critical survey of Chinese vernacular fiction. It helps students to gain knowledge of classical, modern and contemporary Chinese vernacular fiction by providing the historical background, structure, characterization, plot and other arts of fiction. Excerpts for in-depth analysis will be selected from the following works: “Sanyan”, “Erpai”, “Shuihuzhuan”, “Xiyouji”, “Hongloumeng” “A-Q Zhengzhuan”, “Hulanhezhuan”, “Ziye”, “Biancheng”, “Niaoyu”, “Ren A ! Ren” “Furongzhen”, “Qiqie Chengqun”, and “Changhen’ge”, etc.
CBS546	Hong Kong Literature	3
This subject aims to provide students with general knowledge of Hong Kong literature with a focus on popular literature as reflected in selected poetry, prose and fiction. Students are expected to be familiar with the development of Hong Kong literature; to appreciate poetry, prose, fiction and drama in Hong Kong literature; to learn how to appreciate and analyze Hong Kong literature from different angles; to understand the relationship between Hong Kong literary works and society; and to improve their teaching ability in Chinese literature.
CBS547	Literary Discourse Analysis	3
This subject draws on recent developments and achievements in literary stylistics, cognitive pragmatics, critical discourse analysis and cognitive linguistics in attempting to provide an experimental forum in applying linguistic analytic methods to the analysis of Chinese literary texts. Analysis will be made on a wide range of texts including Pre-Qin discourse subsumed under Ming and Bian discussions, Tang poetry, Ming-Qing Novels, and Contemporary poetic works and novels.
CBS580	Applied Corpus Linguistics	3
This subject introduces the development and methods of electronic linguistic data collection, management and analysis for linguistic research and other applied purposes. The empirical side of authentic linguistic data for the teaching of Chinese is of utmost importance and future educators need to be capable of preparing their up to date teaching materials using the corpus methods. They will learn about well established corpora for the major languages of the World, problems of Chinese language corpora and will be trained to use the optimal software to efficiently use them for their own career. The initial emphasis on written Chinese will gradually shift to capturing the spoken language for teaching purposes.
CBS581	Teaching Chinese Grammar to Non-native Speakers	3
This is a practical course which builds on prior knowledge of Chinese grammar. It aims to help students to explore the ways in which knowledge about Chinese grammar can be applied in the practice of Chinese language teaching. It also helps students to understand the implications of pedagogical grammar and the ways in which it can be put to use in the classroom.
CBS592	Psycholinguistics	3
Psycholinguistics studies the psychological and neurobiological factors that allow humans to acquire, use, understand and produce language. The first part of the subject offers a systematic introduction to the key topics in psycholinguistics, examining the mental processes involved in speech perception, word recognition, language comprehension and production. The second part of the subject focuses on Chinese psycholinguistics, differences between processing Chinese and processing English, and bilingual processing in relation to translation and interpretation. The subject intends to stimulate students' interest in psycholinguistics and help them recognize how the mind and brain deal with language in general, and Chinese and English in particular, in daily life communication and in professional contexts such as language teaching, translation and interpretation.
CBS5099	Comparative Lingusitic Analysis of Japanese and Chinese	3
This subject aims to empower students in their learning of Japanese and Mandarin Chinese by helping them learn about these languages, giving them sound and solid knowledge about the fundamental function and meaning of the key linguistic systems and structures of Japanese and Mandarin Chinese. By using this functional understanding of the subject’s content as an analytical tool, students will be able to analyse texts in both languages, and based on these text analyses, they will be able to compare and contrast the two languages in terms of important and highly valued text types (genres) such as those of the media and literature. These new insights into Japanese and Mandarin Chinese based on evidence from authentic text in context will also enable students to consolidate and expand their own language capacities.




Scholarship and Financial Assistance:

Performance Scholarship shall be given to students with outstanding academic results in a given academic year at PolyU.

• Notes to Applicants 申请须知:

  Application to our postgraduate programmes could be done without any agency service. Applicants are required to apply online via the University’s website “study@polyu”: www.polyu.edu.hk/study
  Please note that all fields in the application forms should be filled. We will not consider applications that do not provide details of academic qualifications.
  申请人如欲报读本系硕士学位课程，毋须透过中介服务办理，可以直接在香港理工大学网站的「study@polyu」进行网上申请报读课程： www.polyu.edu.hk/study
  申請表上的所有項目均需填寫，學系將不會考慮沒有提供詳細學歷資料的申請表。