Division III
OUR DEGREE PROGRAMS
Professional B.A. in Translation and Intercultural Studies
- DEGREE OFFERED: PROFESSIONAL B.A. IN TRANSLATION AND INTERCULTURAL STUDIES
- SPECIALTY: TRANSLATION, INTERPRETATION AND INTERCULTURAL STUDIES
- DURATION OF STUDIES: 4 YEARS
- HEAD OF DIVISION: Dr. TANYITIKU ENAKA AGBOR BAYEE
OBJECTIVES OF THE DEGREE PROGRAM
The professional B.A. in Translation and Intercultural Studies is an interdisciplinary professional programme which aims to achieve the following objectives:
- To introduce students to the major professional, practical, and theoretical issues in the field of Intercultural Studies in general as well as Translation or Interpretation in particular;
- To prepare students for eventual specialization in translation, interpretation, and translation-related areas as well as in a variety of professionally-oriented disciplines which require a mastery of issues and stakes in interculturality; intercultural situations with relevant training and increased awareness of the key issues relating to multiculturalism and to apply an understanding of these issues to practical situations or international contexts;
- To provide the job market with qualified mid-level professionals in the areas of translation and interpretation.
All students are trained in a three-language combination package. The third language is offered ab-initio, i.e. no initial knowledge is required of the language before training. However, the course will be open to candidates with training in a third language as well. In this case, a placement test will be carried out to orientate them to the appropriate level of Study Skills in L3. Besides, students will be offered the unique opportunity to choose one among a series of major professionally-oriented electives which will be pursued to specialization level throughout the course. Candidates are advised to contact the School to know the professional electives and areas of specialization currently offered. Trainees are also given the opportunity to carry out an in-situ Practicum, whereby they display their ability to solve concrete problems in intercultural communication, translation, interpretation and terminology.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Candidates for the professional B.A. in Translation and Intercultural Studies must be holders of the GCE Advanced Level Certificate or the Baccalauréat with a sound mastery of English and French. They must also choose a third language of their preference among those offered by the school. Selection shall be done through the examination of the candidate’s application files and credentials by the University of Buea Admission Board.
TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT METHODS
Teaching shall be by lectures, tutorials, practicals, and internship placement. Courses shall be examined through continuous assessment, including class and take-home assignments, and end-of-semester examinations. In order to specialize in either Translation or Interpretation (year four), the student must have achieved acceptable performance in the corresponding subjects (Translation/Interpretation) in year 3 and the 2nd semester examinations.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for the award of the Professional B.A. in Translation and Intercultural Studies, the candidate must:
- Have earned a minimum of 240 credits of requisite compulsory and elective courses;
- Complete the course in a minimum of 8 semesters or a maximum of 14 semesters;
- Satisfy any other requirements of undergraduate studies prescribed by Senate.
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Depending on the option chosen by the trainees, possible career prospects include working as a junior staff (notably as junior rather than senior translators) in such areas as community translation and interpreting, including translating from/into African languages, sign language translation and interpreting, film translation, including dubbing and subtitling, translating and interpreting for the courts, etc..
Graduates will also be in a position to further specialize in such areas as SL/FL teaching, specialized translation/interpretation, international relations, conflict resolution, corporate communication and public relations, mass media, journalism, tourism within any multicultural setting, especially in regional and international organisations.
OTHER COURSES
Short Courses, Refresher Courses and Bilingualism
(A) Certificate in Translation
- LEVEL OF STUDIES: POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
- SPECIALITY: TRANSLATION
- QUALIFICATION OFFERED: CERTIFICATE IN TRANSLATION
- DURATION OF STUDIES: SIX TO NINE MONTHS
OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE PROGRAM
The Certificate in Translation aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Provide professional refresher courses to suitable candidates with appropriate experience in translation practice;
- Provide professional training to bachelor’s degree holders with evidence of full-time employment as translators;
- Provide complimentary training in translation to professional interpreters over a relatively short period of time.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The course shall be open to holders of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in any academic discipline. In addition, they should fit into one of the language combinations offered by the school. Besides, they should have at least a university level mastery of reading and writing in their working languages. A mastery of word processing technology (including keyboarding, electronic file management, use of basic file formats such as Word, Excel, and Powerpoint), image processing as well as Internet and email would be an added advantage.
Selection shall be done through an examination of the candidate’s application files and credentials, as well as a face-to-face interview.
TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT METHODS
Teaching shall be by lectures, tutorials, practicals, and internship placement. Courses shall be examined through continuous assessment, including class and take-home assignments, and end-of-semester examinations. Tuition shall be in the face-to-face mode and a minimum of 90% effective class attendance shall be required for a student to be allowed to sit the end-of-semester examination. However, a repeating student, specifically one who owes less than four (04) in order to qualify for graduation, may be allowed to choose distance mode or sandwich for an additional fee.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
To qualify for the award of the Certificate in Translation, the candidate must
- Have earned 60 credits for bilinguals and 72 credits for trilinguals;
- Completed the course in a minimum of 6 months or a maximum of 9 months.
- Satisfy any other requirements of certificate studies prescribed by the Senate.
All components of the Certificate Program can be offered at once over a relatively short period. However, specific components may be offered separately over periods not exceeding two weeks. In this case, a testimonial shall be issued upon successful completion of the component.
SKILL TO BE ACQUIRED
Generic
- General translation
- Specialised translation
- Terminology research and management
- Reading and Writing strategies and techniques
- Editing, proofreading and revising
- Translation technology
- Translational entrepreneurship and ethics
Specific
- Audiovisual translation
- Translation from/into African Languages
- Literary translation
- Basic interpretation strategies and techniques
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Graduates will also be in a position to work as senior staff or freelance translators, copy-editors, proofreaders, audio-transcriptors, language service providers; they may also serve as translation, localisation, and terminology consultants, as well as language teachers. And depending on their elective courses, other possible career prospects include working in such areas as community translation, including translating from/into African languages, audio-visual translation, including dubbing and subtitling, literary translation, terminology management, etc.
(B) Certificate in Conference Interpretation
- LEVEL OF STUDIES: POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
- SPECIALITY: CONFERENCE INTERPRETATION
- QUALIFICATION OFFERED: CERTIFICATE IN CONFERENCE INTERPRETATION
- DURATION OF STUDIES: TWO SEMESTERS (6 TO 9 MONTHS)
OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE PROGRAM
The certificate in Conference Interpretation aims to achieve the following objectives:
- Provide professional refresher courses to suitable candidates with appropriate experience in interpretation practice;
- Provide professional training to bachelor’s degree holders with evidence of full-time employment as staff interpreters;
- Provide professional training in interpretation to professional translators over a relatively short period of time.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The course shall be open to holders of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in any academic discipline. In addition, they should fit into one of the language combinations offered by the school. Besides, they should have at least a university level mastery of reading and writing in their working languages. A mastery of word processing technology (including keyboarding, electronic file management, use of basic file formats such as Word, Excel, and Powerpoint), image processing as well as Internet and email would be an added advantage.
Selection shall be done through an examination of the candidate’s application files and credentials, as well as a face-to-face interview.
TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT METHODS
Teaching shall be by lectures, tutorials, practicals, and internship placement. Courses shall be examined through continuous assessment, including class and take-home assignments, and end-of-semester examinations. Tuition shall be in the face-to-face mode and a minimum of 90% effective class attendance shall be required for a student to be allowed to sit the end-of-semester examination. However, a repeating student, specifically one who owes less than four (04) in order to qualify for graduation, may be allowed to choose distance mode or sandwich for an additional fee.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
In order to qualify for the award of the Certificate in Conference Interpretation, candidates must have earned a minimum of 68 credits, including course work and Practicum. The candidate must complete the course in a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 9 months.
All components of the Certificate program can be offered at once over relatively short periods. However, specific components may be offered separately over periods not exceeding two weeks. In this case, a testimonial shall be issued upon successful completion of the component.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Graduates of this program shall be professional interpreters likely to work for the public and private sectors, national and international market, in diplomacy and international relations. Self-employment and consultancy services are also considered.
