An Overview of the Master’s in Translation (and Interpreting) at Westminster University (Part One)

Deep EndNikki kindly invited Claire Harmer, Katharine Mears, Felicity Pearce, Paula Pitkethly and Sandra Young to write a guest blog post on our experiences at Westminster University. Since we studied there in 2010-2011, in this post we have tried to indicate any major changes that have taken place on the course, but if you would like further information about the current programmes on offer, please visit the Westminster University website or contact Alexa Alfer, the university’s Translation Studies Programme Director (A.Alfer01@westminster.ac.uk).

Each of us have taken a specific aspect of the course to expand on, hoping to give anyone thinking about taking the plunge into the world of translation and interpreting an insight into the programme and the lecturers, to see if Westminster offers the right course for them.

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Help! Everyone’s at a conference except me (or how to still get a dose of CPD)

Don’t fret. While it might feel like that sometimes judging by your social media feeds, it’s far from the truth. And however tempting it might be to jet off to enjoy quality time with your colleagues, perhaps you could spend the considerable sum involved in attending a conference more wisely. Not only are there plenty of things you can be getting on with to ensure you get your dose of CPD (continuing professional development), they will probably also be better for you in the long-term and look far more impressive on your CV.

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Wicked METM14 Gathering

El Escorial2This post has been brewing for a while as it’s been four weeks since I flew back from Madrid after attending the METM14 conference organised by the association of Mediterranean Editors and Translators. Most of my busyness has revolved around work, routine family life and still trying to get the house we moved into at the end of July sorted in time for Christmas. But towards the end of October and beginning of November I was actually socially busy for a change.

First came a few days in a cottage in Kent to attend a 50th birthday party. Held in a house perched on top of a hill overlooking the Channel with the twinkling lights of France in the distance, we were kept warm outside by a couple of bonfires, dazzled by a firework display that could rival many a public one, and entertained by fire-eaters and magicians before sitting down to a wonderful chef-prepared meal served to us as if we were in a restaurant. The evening was then rounded off by a highly amusing and polished drag cabaret act.

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