Preamble
It is this growing need for interpretation and translation that this programme seeks to meet.
Rationale
The changing trends in the world today that have made the world a global village have presented a challenge to the universities to train personnel to bridge the gap between cultures and languages. Any time there has been an intersection of two cultures and languages, the need for translation and interpretation arises. Any time one culture produces a written text, translators serve as the bridge that allows literate members of one culture to be exposed to the written material of the other.
The reader benefits more from skilled translations that stay true to the style and content of a text written in the source language and rendered into his own without the need to understand the source language. Because of skilled translators and their ability to bridge two languages we have access to texts like animal farm, Merchant of Venice and Julius Ceaser which have all been translated from English to Kiswahili. Other texts have been translated from Gikuyu to English. Such texts include, Murogi wa kagogo – ‘Wizard of the crow’ and Caitani mutharabaini – ‘Devil on the cross’ among others. On interpretation, there are several fora that would benefit from interpretation services. These include: courtroom exchanges, conference proceedings, public barazas, hospitals, church and other religious settings etc.
Due to frequent intersection between cultures and languages, there is need to train skilled translators and interpreters. This programme therefore trains professionals who can translate different types of scripts and provide interpretation services whenever the need arises.
Objectives
- To train skilled translators and interpreters indifferent areas of specialization
- To conduct research in different areas of translation and interpretation
Admission Requirements
- Common University regulations for admission to postgraduate diploma programmes shall apply.
- General regulations in the school of Humanities and Social Sciences shall apply.
- Applicants for the postgraduate Diploma in Translation should have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution.
- In addition, applicants whose bachelor’s degree is not in English and Linguistics should have a minimum of grade C+ in English at KCSE or equivalent.
CERTIFICATION
Students will be awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Translation and Interpretation Studies of Kenyatta University.
- Distinction - 70% to 100%
- Credit 1 - 60% to 69%
- Credit 2- 50% to 59%
- Pass - 40% to 49%
- Fail - 39% and below
DURATION AND PATTERN OF PROGRAMME
The Postgraduate Diploma in Translation will be done in 2 semesters. Students registered for the Postgraduate Diploma in Translation and Interpretation will be required to take a minimum of 13 units, which will include a research project, equivalent to three units.
During the second semester, the students will undertake practicals which will include: translation of religious texts, media translation, legal translation and translation of literary texts.
MODE OF STUDY
- Lectures and practical
- Field work
EXAMINATIONS
- The examination will be governed by Kenyatta University regulations
- Examination will be oral and written
- Coursework will constitute 40%
- The main examination will constitute 60%
COURSE TITLES AND CODES
FIRST SEMESTER
Core Units
AET 500: Introduction to Translation and Interpretation
AET 501: Introduction to Translation and Interpretation Tools
AET 502: Translation and Interpretation Theories
AET 503: Ethics of Translation and Interpretation
AET 504: Research Methods in Translation and Interpretation
AET 505: Strategies and Techniques of Translation and Interpretation
AET 506: Process and Product of Translation and Interpretation
SECOND SEMESTER
OPTION A: TRANSLATION OF RELIGIOUS TEXTS
Core Units
AET 507: Research Project
AET 508: Introductions to Translation of Religious Texts
AET 510: Practical Quran Translation
Electives
AET 511: Culture, Language and Translation
AET 512: Linguistics (Compulsory for those whose first degree is not in
Linguistics)
AET 513: Ethno linguistic Challenges in Translation
OPTION B: MEDIA TRANSLATION
Core Units
AET 507: Research Project
AET 514: Introduction to Media Translation
AET 515: Practical Media Translation and Interpretation
Electives
AET 512: Linguistics (Compulsory for those whose first degree is not in
Linguistics)
AET 516: Films Subtitling and Dubbing
AET 517: Computer Assisted Media Translation
OPTION C: LEGAL TRANSLATION
Core Units
AET 507: Research Project
AET 518: Introduction to Legal translation
AET 519: Practical Legal Translation and Interpretation
Electives
AET 512: Linguistics (Compulsory for those whose first degree is not in
Linguistics)
AET 520: Introduction to Legal Terminology Management
AET 521: Translation and Interpretation of Criminal Terminology
OPTION D: TRANSLATION OF LITERARY TEXTS
Core Units
AET 507: Research Project
AET 522: Stylistics and Literary Translation
AET 523: Translation of African Oral Literature
Electives
AET 512: Linguistics (Compulsory for those whose first degree is not in
Linguistics)
AET 524: Translation of Classical Texts
AET 525: Translation of Contemporary Literary Texts