What second languages does BA Interpretation Studies accept?

Any language with sufficient UK and international demand. The most common pairs include English with Mandarin, Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Polish and Urdu, but BA Interpretation Studies welcomes applicants with other working pairs subject to language interview.

Can I become a conference interpreter through BA Interpretation Studies?

The degree introduces conference interpreting and gives you the foundations. Full conference-interpreter status typically requires a Master's in Conference Interpreting on top — many graduates progress to that at LSJHML or elsewhere, with AIIC registration following experience.

Can I study BA Interpretation Studies online?

Yes — partially. Core consecutive and ethics modules run online with live tutor sessions and recorded practice. Simultaneous booth work requires on-campus blocks; distance learners typically complete two intensive booth weeks per year in London.

Does BA Interpretation Studies include public-service interpreter qualifications?

It maps to the working competencies UK public-service registers require. Specific public-service interpreter qualifications (DPSI and equivalents) are awarded by separate examination bodies; many BA Interpretation Studies graduates sit them shortly after the degree.

What sort of dissertation will I write on BA Interpretation Studies?

A 10,000-to-12,000-word piece on a topic in interpreting practice. Past examples include studies of remote-platform interpreting quality, the ethics of court-interpreter neutrality, and comparative analyses of NHS interpreting service provision in London.

BA Interpretation Studies in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA Interpretation Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a three-year UK honours degree for students with a working second language who want to train as professional interpreters. You will learn consecutive interpreting, build up to simultaneous interpreting in our booth-equipped lab, study the ethical and procedural frameworks public-service and conference interpreters work under, and graduate with a portfolio of recorded performance work and a final-year dissertation.

The degree is grounded in current AIIC, CIOL and ITI standards. Interpreting in 2026 spans courtroom, NHS, conference, diplomatic and remote-platform settings — and a working interpreter needs to handle the full range with discipline and discretion.

Key Features

Booth-equipped interpreting lab in central London for simultaneous practice.
Consecutive interpreting workshops from year one — note-taking, memory training, register control.
Public-service interpreting module — NHS, courts, police, immigration tribunal.
Conference interpreting introduction — AIIC-aligned simultaneous training.
Professional ethics module — confidentiality, impartiality, role boundaries.
Final-year dissertation on a topic in interpreting practice you negotiate with your supervisor.

What You Will Learn

The BA Interpretation Studies is structured around the working life of a professional interpreter — preparation, performance, ethics, and the constant management of cognitive load. You graduate able to interpret consecutively at working speed, handle a public-service assignment with the right register, and step into a simultaneous booth as a junior conference interpreter with appropriate supervision.

Consecutive interpreting — note-taking system, memory training, register control.
Simultaneous interpreting — booth technique, lag management, register matching at speed.
Sight translation — converting written text to spoken target language without preparation.
Public-service interpreting — NHS appointments, court interpreting, police interviews, immigration tribunals.
Conference interpreting basics — AIIC-aligned introduction, preparation and glossary work.
Diplomatic and political register — protocol, formality, sensitivity.
Interpreter ethics — confidentiality, impartiality, role boundaries, conflicts of interest.
Remote and platform interpreting — Zoom, Interprefy, MS Teams.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers with at least one strong second language and the temperament for high-pressure language work.
International students seeking a UK honours degree in interpreting taught in the European base of most major institutions.
Bilingual or multilingual adults moving into professional interpreting from an unrelated career.
Heritage speakers formalising their language fluency with a professional interpreting credential.

Career Pathways

Professional interpreting is mostly a freelance career, but with structured entry routes through public-service registers, court schemes and conference-interpreting bureaux. Graduates of BA Interpretation Studies move into entry-level interpreting work and continue training towards conference-interpreting specialism. Typical first roles include:

Public Service Interpreter (NHS, court, police, immigration)
Junior Conference Interpreter (with appropriate supervision and continuing training)
Court Interpreter (HM Courts and Tribunals Service approved suppliers)
Diplomatic Interpreter (junior assignments with continuing training)
Remote Platform Interpreter (Zoom, Interprefy, MS Teams)
Liaison Interpreter (business meetings, trade missions)

The degree is the natural prerequisite for a Master's in Conference Interpreting or Public Service Interpreting, or for AIIC and CIOL professional registration pathways.

Entry Requirements

Three A-Levels at BBC or above (or international equivalent — IB 28 points, BTEC DMM, or accepted national qualification).
Demonstrable working competence in at least one second language (B2/C1 equivalent) confirmed at interview.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
A short personal statement and a language interview.
Mature applicants (21+) without standard qualifications may apply with a language interview and significant relevant experience.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.