Legal Translation аnd Interpreting

Profession

The program graduates hold the degree of  Master of Arts in Linguistics with specialization in Legal Translation and Interpreting (further -MALTI). The mentioned specialization meets the demands of the international job market. Currently there is an increasing need  for professionals who can provide  quality translation and interpreting in administrative and legal areas among representatives of different countries, cultures, and speakers of different languages. Productive interaction with  multilingual parties to meet their societal and corporate needs,  in line with requirements of judicial and law enforcement agencies, other structures in the system of state power and governance is one of top priorities regarding fundamental human rights.  The above mentioned activities require specific interdicsiplinary knowledge and skills. The role of legal translator and interpreter can hardly be underestimated in this context. 

Educational Process

The MALTI program is taught in English. The possible working languages pairs include English/Russian/French/ Spanish/ German. Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean can be offered upon students' choice. These languages are taught by native speakers. Students  gain  knowledge of  language theory and learn specifics of language use in institutional settings, develop translation and interpreting skills  in legal and administrative fields, learn nuances of cross-cultural communication ethics and behavior models in  societal domains under study,  get familiar with computer-assisted tools for legal translation and interpreting (TRADOS, TM, etc.), practice simultaneouse interpreting in the booth.  The learning process  rests on the translation industry standards vision  as that of  customer-tailored  quality service provision in line with the professional Code of Conduct. The training materials ground on real  cases of legal translation practice and incorporate administrative and legal documents that are in operation within the respective institutional settings. Key courses on legal  language and translation issues have been designed in cooperation with potential employers, including Interior Ministry, legal departments of corporate entities, etc. The teachers engaged in training  combine tenure  in the Academia and   work experience in the Industry,  hold PhD degrees and act as practicing translators and interpreters within international and domestic settings (Council of Europe, Russia's Interior Ministry, etc.). 

Practice

The MALTI program  students have  the opportunity to select traineeship programs and summer schools in Austria, Belgium, China, France,  Spain, South Korea, the UK. The relevant programs help students to improve foreign language skills,  engage learners in activities related to cross cultural language mediation in institutional settings. Graduate students can do final internship programs  on translation and interpreting at Moscow-based government and corporate institutions.

Career

Graduates of the program have multidisciplinary competences to manage language, law and governance issues within multilingual administrative and legal divisions of government, public and commercial institutions,  law firms and international companies. Currently, internationally acknowledged employers of the program graduates include Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, Bionorica pharmaceuticals, Russian Railways, etc.