Master of Interpreting
Promote a global community.
Promote a global community.
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Make critical contributions to crosslinguistic and cross-cultural communication in today’s globalised world.
The UNSW Master of Interpreting is a 1.7 year full-time postgraduate degree that gives you practical experience in professional settings, alongside skills and theoretical foundations based on current research. Learn from leading interpreting and linguistics practitioners and researchers to prepare a successful career and open up opportunities in a variety of industries, both in Australia and overseas. This degree prepares you for National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) certification.
This degree builds dynamic skills in communicating the spoken word. If you're more interested in communicating the written word, please see the UNSW Master of Translation.
Career skills
Build desirable career skills in critical analysis, project management, teamwork, independent research and preparation.
Specialist topics
Build legal, medical, welfare, business, community and conference interpreting knowledge.
Language variety
You can combine English with Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Cantonese), French, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Portuguese, Serbian or Spanish (subject to student demand).
Links with industry
UNSW is an affiliate of AUSIT, the national professional association for interpreters and translators. Work Integrated Opportunities may also be offered within or outside of the university by different organisations. These opportunities allow you to participate in real-world interpreting work or observe experienced interpreters working in various professional settings.
Applicants must hold a bachelor degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average of 65% and an advanced level of bilingual proficiency
Relevant disciplines include: Interpreting and Translation, Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Media, Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Business, Economics, Commerce, Law, Linguistics, Languages and Cognitive Science.
Applicants with a degree in a discipline not listed here but who wish to make a case for its academic relevance to these programs should enquire at studyarts@unsw.edu.au.
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
Applicants must hold a bachelor degree (or equivalent qualification) in a relevant discipline with a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW credit average of 65%^ and an advanced level of bilingual proficiency.
^Students from a non-211 university in China are now required to have a record of academic achievement equivalent to a UNSW distinction average (75%).
Relevant disciplines include: Interpreting and Translation, Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Media, Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising, Marketing, Business, Economics, Commerce, Law, Linguistics, Languages and Cognitive Science.
Applicants with a degree in a discipline not listed here but who wish to make a case for its academic relevance may apply and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College’s Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
The Master of Interpreting can be completed in 1.7 years full-time. It consist of 12 courses (72 Units of Credit) that includes 3 core courses, 4 advanced courses and 5 elective courses
You can also study an optional, additional course that has no credit value but develops your academic writing skills for humanities subjects.
This degree builds dynamic skills in communicating the spoken word. If you are more interested in communicating the written word, please see the UNSW Master of Translation.
Each university year at UNSW has three terms and an optional summer study period.
Some courses need to be studied in your first and second year, so you’re prepared for courses that can only be studied in later years. You can study full-time or part-time. Depending on how you plan your study load, you can fit two or three courses into a term and one course in a summer term.
Below is an example of what you could study in a standard full-time study plan.
First year
Second year
A skilled professional interpreter understands the nuanced meaning of language, which includes culture and context, to accurately convey the intended spoken message.
Graduates of UNSW Master of Interpreting possess the skills required for global careers in government and in the private sector including law, health, education, tourism, business, media, science and technology, and international relations.
National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters, The program is endorsed by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) and also prepares students to sit the certification exams administered by NAATI for qualification as a Certified Provisional Interpreter, Certified Interpreter, and Certified Translator. With certain coursework, our program will also prepare students to sit specialist certification exams for Certified Advanced Translator, Certified Specialist Interpreter (Health), Certified Specialist Interpreter (Legal) and Certified Conference Interpreter.
Applications must be submitted through our Apply Online portal. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term. Some high-demand programs and Faculties with limited places may have an earlier application deadline or commencement date. Find out more.
For most international students, applications are submitted via our Apply Online service. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term.
Some high-demand programs with limited places, may have an earlier application deadline or may have an earlier commencement date. For more information visit our international applicant information page.
$4,560*
$7,100*
All places within this degree are Commonwealth supported. This means that if you receive an offer from UNSW Sydney as a domestic student, you will have a substantial proportion of your fees subsidised by the Australian government. Start your application today with our guide on how to apply.
Full Fees are the cost of the degree for students who do not receive a CSP place.
*Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually, with the new fees effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only other fees and charges are not included. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year to enrol, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (8 courses per year). Indicative fees are a guide for comparison only based on current conditions and available data. You should not rely on indicative fees. More information on fees can be found at the UNSW fees website
Indicative fees to complete the program have been calculated based on a percentage increase for every year of the program. Fee increases are assessed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed below.
*Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually, with the new fees effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only other fees and charges are not included. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year to enrol, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (8 courses per year).
Indicative fees are a guide for comparison only based on current conditions and available data. You should not rely on indicative fees. More information on fees can be found at the UNSW fees website.
Indicative fees to complete the program have been calculated based on a percentage increase for every year of the program. Fee increases are assessed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed here.
Indicative fees to complete the program include tuition plus an estimate of study-related costs of approximately $1,000 per year. To find out more about other costs, visit UNSW International.
At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes and awards can support your journey.
QS World University Rankings, 2020.
AFR Top 100 Future leaders Award.
#1 Australian uni attended by start-up founders.