Will the MA Interpretation Studies qualify me as a conference interpreter?

It takes you to the level required for supervised conference interpreting and is excellent preparation for AIIC eligibility. AIIC membership requires substantial supervised conference experience after the MA; many MA Interpretation Studies graduates progress to AIIC status within a few years.

What language pairs does the MA Interpretation Studies accept?

Any pair where English is one language and the second is in serious UK or international demand — French, German, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Russian, Portuguese and others. The MA Interpretation Studies confirms working competence at language interview.

Can I take the MA Interpretation Studies online?

Partially. Core ethics and theory modules run online. Simultaneous booth work requires on-campus blocks; distance learners typically complete intensive booth weeks in London during the year and a final on-site assessment block.

Does the MA Interpretation Studies cover remote interpreting?

Yes. A dedicated module covers remote interpreting platforms (Zoom, Interprefy, MS Teams) at professional standard, including the specific cognitive and operational challenges remote work introduces compared with on-site simultaneous work.

What sort of dissertation will I write on the MA Interpretation Studies?

A 12,000-to-15,000-word piece on a topic in interpreting practice or research. Past examples include studies of remote-platform interpreting quality, ethical analyses of court-interpreter neutrality, and comparative work on UK and EU public-service interpreting provision.

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

Course Overview

The MA Interpretation Studies at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a one-year UK postgraduate degree for graduates and working interpreters seeking advanced training in consecutive and simultaneous interpreting at conference, public-service and diplomatic level. The MA is built around AIIC, CIOL and ITI standards and the working ecology of London — the European base of much international conference work.

You will work daily in our booth-equipped lab, build glossaries across substantive domains, and graduate with a 12,000-to-15,000-word dissertation on a topic in interpreting practice or research. The MA Interpretation Studies takes graduates and senior practitioners toward AIIC eligibility and senior public-service registers.

Key Features

Booth-equipped interpreting lab in central London for daily simultaneous practice.
Consecutive interpreting at conference standard — advanced note-taking, memory training, register control.
Simultaneous interpreting aligned to AIIC standards.
Public-service specialism strand — NHS, court, police, immigration tribunal.
Diplomatic and political interpreting module — protocol, formality, sensitivity.
12,000–15,000 word dissertation on a topic in interpreting practice or research.

What You Will Learn

The MA Interpretation Studies is structured around the working life of a senior professional interpreter — performance under cognitive load, ethical discipline, glossary preparation and the operational reality of conference and public-service work. You graduate ready for senior public-service register entry and for supervised conference work toward AIIC eligibility.

Advanced consecutive interpreting — long passages, note-taking system, register control.
Advanced simultaneous interpreting — booth technique, lag management, fatigue management.
Sight translation at conference standard.
Public-service interpreting at senior level — court, NHS, immigration tribunal.
Conference interpreting practice aligned to AIIC standards.
Diplomatic and political register — protocol, formality, sensitivity.
Remote and platform interpreting at professional standard.
Interpreter ethics, professional regulation and continuing professional development.

Who This MA Is For

BA Interpretation Studies graduates moving into senior professional interpreting.
Working interpreters with public-service register experience seeking conference-track training.
Bilingual and multilingual professionals from journalism, diplomacy or law moving into MA-level interpreting.
International applicants seeking a UK Master's in interpreting taught in the European base of much conference work.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the MA Interpretation Studies move into senior public-service interpreting, supervised conference interpreting work, and diplomatic-track roles. Typical post-MA destinations include:

Conference Interpreter (with continuing AIIC-track training)
Court Interpreter (HM Courts and Tribunals Service approved suppliers, senior)
Public Service Interpreter (NHS, police, immigration, senior register)
Diplomatic Interpreter (junior, continuing toward senior assignments)
Remote Conference Interpreter (international platforms)
Interpreting Trainer (institution, professional body)

The MA also serves as a launchpad for AIIC eligibility, CIOL chartered status and doctoral research in interpreting studies.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related subject, OR a 2:2 in any subject with two years of relevant professional experience.
Demonstrable working competence in at least one second language at conference-track level, confirmed at language interview.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement (max 1 page) outlining your motivation, relevant experience and intended specialism.
Two academic or professional references.
Applicants without a related undergraduate degree may be considered with significant industry experience and a written sample.

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.