Learning outcomes

At the end of their training, students in interpreting will be experts in a wide and solid range of knowledge, know-how and skills which they can employ in all aspects of interpreting and thereby communicate all the nuances of a message, formed by an orator in a foreign language, in their mother tongue, French.

Therefore, at the end of their training, students will have:

  • developed expertise in their working languages in the practice of interpreting;
  • mastered the different interpreting techniques (consecutive and simultaneous) and become able to employ them in communicating messages in a language different to the original while respecting the orator’s intentions and register;
  • assimilated a range of thematic (disciplinary) and cultural knowledge which they are capable of employing and completing independently in order to carry out their interpreting assignments;
  • mastered all aspects of oral communication, and in particular facility, register and accuracy, to a high level of expertise;
  • become able to implement a rigorous scientific and methodological approach to an interpretation problem and thereby improve their service;
  • become capable of respectfully and constructively holding discussions and collaborating with speakers and their colleagues;
  • consolidated their technical and ethical skills and knowledge through their first professional experiences.

Additionally, students will have developed significant abilities to be adaptive and flexible, which allow them to confront various professional situations. Students will demonstrate tact and self-control at all times and will follow the profession’s ethical code. Students will integrate a continuous developmental logic which allows them to perform as professionals demonstrating high-level expertise and flexibility and develop positively within the context of their work. Additionally, students will be conscious of developing and promoting their professional reputation and launching themselves on the job market.

 

On successful completion of this programme, each student is able to :

1. Interpret a message demonstrating a high level of proficiency in both working languages.

1.1. Perfectly use their A language (native or cultural language into which students interpret): handle the language with a very high level of accuracy (C2+), in order to convey all the subtleties of meaning ;
1.2. Thorough understanding, including all nuances (level C2), of two C languages (foreign languages from which one interprets into language A) for spoken languages, or one B language (language into which one interprets from language A) for LSFB;
1.3. Mastery of specialized languages and jargon from various disciplines (law, economics, science and technology, international relations and European affairs, health, administration, education, and others) in understanding languages C (level C2) or language B (level C2) and perfect command of these languages in language A (level C2+);
1.4. Communicate the speaker's original message expressed in their C languages into their A language, in the context of both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting:
  • by demonstrating perfect mastery of the language of expression in order to convey the message with ease;
  • without betraying the original speech and its context;
  • by capturing the essence of the speech, appropriating it to convey the message in a coherent, structured, and precise manner, rendering all the nuances of meaning;
  • by reflecting the author's train of thought;
  • by adapting the presentation (form) to the target audience in accordance with the author's intentions, using the appropriate register of communication;
  • and in accordance with the communication conventions specific to the context;
1.5. Continuously update your language skills and keep up to date with developments in each of your working languages.

2. Demonstrate a thorough mastery of the theoretical knowledge and specific skills required of a professional interpreter in the contexts in which they are called upon to work, and an ability to apply this knowledge and these skills in a relevant and critical manner in those same contexts.

2.1. Master and apply analytical methods and comprehension tools, and demonstrate an ability to synthesize information in order to distinguish between essential and incidental information in discourse, while ensuring that nuances are respected.
2.2. Maintain a distance which allows the speech to be analysed in-depth;
2.3. Assimilate theory-based transposition techniques and employ them in practice until they become automatic;
2.4. Independently assimilate new knowledge and know-how and employ them rigorously and effectively in their professional practice;
2.5. Identify and cast a critical eye over new theories in the field (which are the products of research) which are likely to shed light upon and develop their professional practice;
2.6. Effectively use tools and techniques for documentary and terminological research;
2.7. Adapt to technological developments, including artificial intelligence, and integrate them into your practice.

3. Demonstrate they have appropriated the intercultural knowledge necessary for the comprehension, analysis and contextualisation of speeches being interpreted and integrate that knowledge in practice to successfully render a faithful interpretation of all aspects of the source speech.

3.1. Demonstrate a solid general knowledge and maintain a spirit of curiosity in order to constantly expand it;
3.2. Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the culture(s) specific to each of the working languages in their various dimensions (historical, political, economic, linguistic, legal, social, artistic, and others);
3.3. Identify the socio-cultural aspects underlying a discussion and transpose them in the most appropriate way during the interpreting process;
3.4. Analyse the assumptions, implicit meanings, allusions, stereotypes and intertextuality in a discussion in order to render a faithful interpretation of all aspects of the discussion in the source language.

4. Identify the thematic (disciplinary) knowledge necessary, complement it independently as necessary, and employ it in a relevant manner in order to ensure that an interpreting assignment is of high quality.

4.1. Master basic knowledge in various fields of discipline, sociolects and terminologies in both their A, B and C languages;
4.2. Identify their information and documentation needs on the basis the interpreting assignment to be carried out;
4.3. Develop documentary and terminology research strategies by effectively selecting and using the relevant tools and search engines;
4.4. Demonstrate a critical and rigorous mind-set in the evaluation of sources;
4.5. Acquire the new knowledge necessary and employ it in order to carry out the interpreting assignment;
4.6. Create a network of expert informants and consult them as appropriate;
4.7. Create an effective archive for their own documents and thereby formulate an easily-usable database.

5. Design and carry out applied research using a rigorous scientific and methodological approach in the field of interpreting, interpretology, or terminology.

5.1. Identify and define the thesis topic in the field of interpreting, interpreting studies, or terminology, ensuring that the context is specified and the applied research question(s) it raises are clearly stated.
5.2. Produce a review of scientific literature relating to the problem by critically questioning the validity and relevance of the available sources and knowledge;
5.3. Make critical choices of concepts, models and tools which are theoretically and empirically validated and relevant to the problem;
5.4. Employ the identified concepts, models and tools and adapt them as appropriate, or by creating new ones, in order to successfully reflect upon the specific problem;
5.5. Challenge the theoretical concepts and models employed when they are implemented in interpreting practice and thereby cast a critical eye over the interpreting choices;
5.6. Demonstrate an ability to summarize and formulate scientific conclusions;
5.7. Demonstrate diligence and construct theories, tools and/or action plans useful in professional practice as a interpreter;
5.8. Integrate cultural and intercultural aspects connected to the problem being studied throughout the reflection process;
5.9. Demonstrate the specific rigour and quality required in interpreting both in terms of the composition and the presentation;
5.10. Critically identify the challenges linked to recent developments in research which touch upon the different fields of interpreting.

6. Professionally communicate, by employing their expert language skills and adapting to the context and target audience, including in the case of a new and previously unseen communication situation; respectfully and constructively interact and collaborate with the different actors involved in a given situation by employing verbal and nonverbal skills.

6.1. Communicate in languages A and B or C in a correct, structured, neutral, and reasoned manner, in accordance with the communication conventions specific to the context, adapting communication (content and form) to the target audience and intended purpose.
6.2. Communicate in a manner that builds trust with clients and auditors by adopting the appropriate tone and attitude;
6.3. Adapt to the “consumers’” needs, by developing a sense of empathy;
6.4. Demonstrate the flexibility and enthusiasm to adapt to new and immediate communication situations;
6.5. Converse and interact in a respectful and constructive manner with different parties (both from a cultural point of view, as well as from the point of view of their role, the fields in which they practice and the domains where they possess disciplinary expertise):
  • by employing verbal and nonverbal communication;
  • by demonstrating an ability to listen, open-mindedness, empathy and assertiveness;
6.6. Effectively integrate into and collaborate within a team (in different, multicultural learning and professional situations);
6.7. Interact and collaborate constructively and harmoniously with colleagues to ensure high-quality service delivery.

7. Act as an academic and critical and responsible actor with a plan for continuing development.

7.1. Engage in professional practice in accordance with an academic approach which is scientifically founded (from a theoretical and methodological point of view) and characterised by a critical distance;
7.2. Engage in, make decisions and act in the context of work and with third parties in an independent and responsible manner;
7.3. Cast a critical eye over their knowledge, skills (linguistic and otherwise) and practice;
7.4. Independently put in place methods and opportunities to improve their skills as part of a system of continuing development which is indispensable in order to progress in a positive way in their social and professional environment.

8. Act as an interpreter demonstrating professionalism in respect of the ethical principles and quality standards of their profession, develop their professional image and position themselves on the job market.

8.1. Professionally manage the different stages from the request for an interpretation assignment to the provision of the interpretation service and only accept contracts students is able to honour;
8.2. Be aware of, comply with and apply the legal frameworks and ethical principles governing the interpreting profession (in particular discretion, confidentiality and professional secrecy;
8.3. Be aware of and apply, when providing their services, the profession’s recognised quality standards and not accept an interpreting assignment if there is a risk it will take place in substantive conditions which do not allow for the provision of a quality service;
8.4. Keep themselves informed of developments in the profession and the quality standards;
8.5. Create a position for themselves with reference to their profession and expertise in interpreting, defining the scope of their services and specialisms, developing and promoting their professional image and placing themselves on the job market;
8.6. Demonstrate focus, perseverance, tact and self-control, particularly in stressful situations.

9. If he/she has followed the specialized track in Conference Interpreting, develop and acquire additional linguistic and interpreting knowledge and skills in line with his/her career plans.

9.1. FS-IC-1. Develop specialized skills specific to consecutive, simultaneous, and simultaneous with text interpretation in two languages C.
9.2. And, depending on their choice of course:
FS-IC-2A. Develop skills that enable them to carry out an interpreting assignment
back into one of their two C languages (English or Dutch) Or
FS-IC-2B. Acquire linguistic knowledge (level C1) with a view to extending their language combination
to a third C language.

10. If he/she has followed the specialized course in two-way LSFB-French interpreting, develop and acquire additional knowledge and skills specific to two-way LSFB-French interpreting.

10.1. FS-ILS-1. Identify the underlying sociocultural components (including power relations, cultural differences between the hearing interlocutor and the deaf interlocutor, etc.) of a discourse and transpose them in the most appropriate way through the interpretation process;
10.2. FS-ILS-2. Demonstrate mastery of interference management, intervention management, reception and use of prompting, transitioning, and relaying in two-way interpretation.