Introduction to professional interpreting (5cr)

Course unit code: TU02

General information

Credits: 5 cr

Objective

Students will be able to:
• identify different types of customer groups who use interpreting services and describe the diversity of these groups
• identify and define the customer-oriented work approach and interpreters’ tasks in different types of assignments
• demonstrate knowledge of the code of professional conduct for interpreters and examine choices made by interpreters from an ethical and decision-making perspective
• reflect on their personal values and attitudes
• identify the factors of occupational wellbeing and maintain their own occupational wellbeing
• explain the importance of preparation in professional interpreting
• give and receive constructive feedback.

Content

The weighting of contents varies slightly depending on the choice of Profile 1 or Profile 2. The course introduces students to the job description of community interpreters. Students develop reflection and decision-making skills and learn the basic principles of giving and receiving feedback. Students explore who and what is an interpreter. During the course, students are introduced to the following topics from the point of view of interpreting: hearing and functional hearing, vision and functional vision. Upon completion of the course, students will have developed an understanding of hard-of-hearing and deafened people, people with hearing and vision impairments and cochlear implant users as interpreting customers.

With regard to sign language interpreters, students examine the journey of interpreters towards the sign language community (interpreters’ roles and tasks, cultural collisions). By the end of the course, students will have developed an understanding of deaf people as interpreting customers. With regard to interpreters with speech impairment, students will have developed an understanding of people with speech impairments as a customer group of interpreting services.