Module MELA43415: TRANSLATION WORK PLACEMENT

Department: Modern Languages and Cultures

MELA43415: TRANSLATION WORK PLACEMENT

Prerequisites

• Successful cimpletion of Research Skills for Translation Studies (MELA43415 )

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To provide the opportunity for students to take control of their own learning experience in a professional environment.
• To provide the opportunity to plan and experience a bespoke programme of study which will meet specified objectives agreed with the module coordinator (e.g. to work as part of a professional team; to engage with practical issues of administration and business planning; to work as a support to an experienced team of translators; to shadow a translator).
• To provide the opportunity of learning through a work placement, either in the UK or abroad, in agreement with the University regulations, acquiring skills from practitioners in a professional environment.

Content

• The students taking this module will have agreed and signed an agreement for a work placement with a provider by the last week of Epiphany Term. The student can take up a work placement among existing agreements between Durham University and employers, or a placement found by the student.
• Students who agree their own work placements outside those provided will have to formulate clear learning outcomes they expect to attain from the experience and agree with the module coordinator the details of their work experience, prior to starting the work placements.
• The introductory classes will set out feasible goals and targets and agree deadlines for submission of the summatively-assessed assignment described below.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will acquire an understanding of the business processes in translation.
• Students will develop an essential understanding of current practices in translation project management.
• Students will acquire knowledge of:
• legal aspects connected with running a business;
• administrative duties within a translation service provider;
• key business procedures (invoicing, purchasing, payments, etc).

• Students will acquire a capacity:
• to work under time constraints;
• to communicate effectively when working in a team;
• to work towards respecting a deadline;
• to set up personal development plan to reflect on personal performance;
• to set a task that can be completed;
• to report in a professional style in writing;
• to assess critically the learning progress in the experience;
• to use of CAT tools or translation technologies in a professional setting;
• to revise and use MT translation in a business.

• the development of organisational and time management skills;
• the use of IT resources and facilities;
• the ability to work in a team;
• the ability to evaluate personal achievements in relation to self-imposed targets;
• the ability to produce clearly structured and professionally presented written work.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The module consists of a minimum of 140 working hours of work placement (4 weeks full-time or 8 weeks part-time).
• Students will attend two two-hour seminars during the first two weeks of the Easter term: one on business practice, including specific issues of liability, insurance and business ethics; another on CV and interview skills.
• A two-hour report workshop on (i) project management and (ii) completing the summative assessment for the module will take place in the middle of the Easter term.
• Students will also have up to one hour of individual consultation time with the placement supervisor or module coordinator.
• The module will be assessed by means of a final reflective report (3,000 words) produced at (or towards) the end of the placement.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Seminars at the beginning, tutorial during the Work Placement and a closing seminars support the student learning prior to submission of the summative piece.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University