Where will it take me

The Master of Translation and Interpreting readies you for work in multilingual settings such as:

• Translation and interpreting
• International relations
• Multi-national firms
• Commercial and industrial organisations
• Public services.

Our past translation graduates have gone on to work as translators and interpreters, language/translation tutors and lecturers, journalists, project managers, business analysts, marketing officers and public servants.

Meet graduate Chloe Chen

What attracted me most to studying translation at the University of Melbourne is the endorsement from the National Authority for Accreditation for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). I was also attracted to the practical internship as a core component of the program, which is essential for translators. I learned not just from study, but also from a real work environment to better prepare myself for my career.

The program has equipped me not only with professional skills in translation and interpreting but also diversified skill sets covering media maintenance, administrative support, client relations and project management that helped me create competitive advantage and broaden my career path.

Since graduating from my masters, I have been working as an all-round project management assistant at Cosmetic Laboratories in Melbourne, which focuses on the Australian-made clean cosmetics. I draft, prepare, translate and certify internal / external / legal / business documents in both English and Chinese, and provide translation and interpreting services between Chinese (Mandarin) and English for CEO, COO, senior managers and customers. It gives me huge sense of achievement that I play an important role as a communicator and coordinator between the company and the clients.

Chloe Chen now works in the translation field for a cosmetics company in Melbourne. Image supplied.

Meet graduate Peter Chen

English as a language has always been my passion. I was first motivated by a conference interpreter: the way she did her job fascinated me and drove me to learn more about interpreting (and translation) as a profession.

I really feel like I’ve achieved the goal of overcoming the language barrier when I connect people together. For translation and interpretation, the ultimate goal is to facilitate communications. A good conversation requires not only clear logic and appropriate tone, but active listening and the right questions.

The program has equipped me not only with professional skills in translation and interpreting but also diversified skill sets covering media maintenance, administrative support, client relations and project management that helped me create competitive advantage and broaden my career path.

I developed a new way of understanding the process of translation/interpreting through both studying and working. It’s way more complicated than just converting one language to another. Most of the time, it’s connected to cultural-level interchange, and the fact that our multifaceted role is unpredictable amazes me when I’m practising.

Read more about Peter's story here.