Faculty of Asian Studies, Australian National University

The program focuses on a select group of students with strong language skills, who desire an in-depth knowledge of the language and culture of the focus country.

The Bachelor of Translation (Asian Region) degree offers a pathway to professional translation and / or interpreter training. It is not a professional qualification in this area but provides a strong basis for progression to a professional qualification.

The program is designed to nurture linguistic and cultural sensitivity to an Asian country in order that effective communication may be assured. To achieve this, the degree structure provides for intensive training in an Asian language (including a compulsory component, the Year-in-Asia / Arab World) and targeted training in the language and culture of that country, through study of selected courses from predominantly existing offerings in the Faculty of Asian Studies and the Faculty of Arts.

Degree Outline

Normal completion time for the degree is four years, including one year in Asia or the Arab world. The structure features an extended major in an Asian language or, an Asian language major and a further sequence of Asian language. Core courses in translation and cross-cultural communication are designed to achieve the disciplinary foundation of the program. Objectives

For those who desire it, this program provides either, an in-depth knowledge of the language and culture of the focus country, or it initiates a pathway to a qualification in this demanding professional area, by:

1. providing a core of non-language material designed to nurture linguistic and cultural sensitivity to an Asian country in focus;

2. providing core material in translation and cross-cultural communication,

3. providing the opportunity for intense and in-depth language training and study, including a significant in-country tertiary experience, necessary to achieve advanced language proficiency;

4. providing a sound academic basis at undergraduate level for progression to graduate and research degree studies in this disciplinary area.

Degree Requirements

The Bachelor of Translation (Asian Region) requires completion of 192 units including:

1. Core component: six courses (36 units) from coursework offerings in the Faculty of Asian Studies and the Faculty of Arts, selected from the following indicative list:

ASIA1025 Individual & Society in Asia A

ASIA1030 Individual & Society in Asia B

ASIA1001/2001 Language in Asia

ASIA1004/2002 Comparisons from Asian Literature

ASIA2003 Chinese Fictions

ASIA2034 Modern Chinese Fictions

ASIA2264 How to Live in the Real World

ASIA3008 Orientalism and the Study of Asia

ASIA3201 Clio in Asia: A European Muse Meets Her Sisters

ASIA3210 Readings in Modern Chinese History

LANG1021/2021 Cross-Cultural Communication - compulsory

LANG 3001/3002 Translation Across Languages - compulsory

2. Asian language component: comprising fourteen language courses (84 units), including an eight course Asian language major from the Faculty of Asian Studies, and EITHER, further courses from the selected Asian language major, OR, an Asian language sequence comprising six elective Asian language courses;

3. Elective component: comprising four courses unprescribed;

4. Year-in-Asia / Arab World: comprising the equivalent of eight courses (48 units) of approved study at a university or equivalent tertiary institution in Asia or the Arab World.

• You are encouraged to seek specific guidance, by appointment, with the Sub-Dean of the Faculty. Please contact the Faculty Secretary Support Officer Frank.Filardo@anu.edu.au to arrange an appointment.

Degree with Honours

Students wishing to progress to an Honours program (eg the Bachelor of Asian Studies (Hons)) will gain admission against existing selection criteria.

Honours in Asian Studies pages provide comprehensive information about the Honours Program at the Faculty.

Careers

This new specialist course will provide an intensive grounding in one or two Asian languages.

While this degree does not give a professional translation qualification, it provides an excellent goudning towards obtaining accreditation as a translator/interpreter. Further information about this profession may be obtained from the website of the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interperters (NAARI) at www.naati.com.au.

This degree also provides students with a pathway to prestigious postgraduate studies in some of the University’s eleite programs, for example: specialist fields such as East Asian studies, Soueast and South Asian studies, Linguistics and Applied Linguistics or Applied Japanese Linguistics, Politics and International Relations, Strategic and Defence studies, and the programs in the University’s new College of Diplomace.

Major Corporations and arms of government including the Department of Defence, the Attorney-General’s Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have looked to ANUgraduates for expertise on the Asian region for many years. Graduates have also gained appointments in government and non-government agencies of Australia, New Zealand, USA, PNG, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, China, Japan, Laos and some Pacific countries.

This degree will equip graduates to undertake leading edge work in these areas as well as in the business sector. Australia’s major trading relationship is with the Asian region.

You might also be interested to read a message from the Dean of the Faculty of Asian Studies in which he explains why Asian Studies is important, why study Asian Studies at ANU, and what are Asian Studies graduates' career prospects.

For a look at some Faculty of Asian Studies graduate stories go to Graduate Highlights.

For more information on careers see the ANU Careers Centre website.

Typical course pattern

A typical full-time course pattern for the Bachelor of Translation (Asian Region) would be as follows: UNIQ397525c418359197-zebra_table_complex-00000001-QINU