Introduction

The bachelor's degree in translation and interpreting is a first-cycle programme which introduces students to other languages and cultures, opens them up to the world and deepens their knowledge of French – language A in the programme – and of two foreign languages from a dozen language combinations. At the start of year 2, students may add introductory courses in a third foreign language.

Language combinations	English	German	Arabic	Chinese	Spanish	Italian	Sign Language	Dutch	Russian	Turkish
English		x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
German	x*					x		x	x

*This programme is specifically for German-speaking students.

The faculty offers two streams for students to choose from: a traditional translation and interpreting programme or an intercultural communication programme.

• Translation and interpreting programme
  At the end of the bachelor's degree, you will have mastered the written and oral communication skills needed to render a foreign language in French, whether translating written texts or interpreting speeches (consecutive interpreting). During the programme – which is based on professional practice – you will be encouraged to reflect on the evolution of the profession with respect to new technologies, and to discover different translation tools. An exchange programme with a foreign university will also enable you to gain a better understanding of the culture of the country whose language you are studying.
   
• Intercultural communication programme
  At the end of the bachelor's degree, you will have mastered written and oral communication in the two foreign languages of your language combination, and will have developed advanced skills in French. During the programme, you will be introduced to intercultural communication from an interdisciplinary perspective. You will discover the subtleties of communication in multicultural environments.

In both programmes, an exchange with a foreign university will also enable you to gain a better understanding of the culture of the country whose language you are studying.

Your profile

• You are curious and open-minded
• You have an interest in reading and communication
• You would like to study foreign languages in order to open up to cultural diversity
• You are focused, rigorous and adaptable
• You have a good memory and a sense of precision
• You like to make use of the richness of the French language, which you have a perfect command of

Our translation and interpreting programme is for you!

 

Your future job

The translation and interpreting programme is divided into two cycles: the three-year bachelor's degree and the two-year master's degree. After completing a master's degree in translation and interpreting, there are many and varied career opportunities, both in Belgium and abroad:

• you may work as a freelance translator or for a translation agency, a company or a Belgian, European or international institution such as the UN or NATO
• you may work in a wide variety of fields: the media, the social and non-profit sector, tourism, culture and events, diplomacy, financial institutions, business, marketing, public relations, education, publishing, human resources, etc.
• you will be required to keep pace with developments in the profession linked to NICT and AI such as machine translation, post-editing, subtitling and localisation

The intercultural communication programme allows you to access other master's degrees, including multilingual communication, journalism, international relations, etc.

Your programme

The translation and interpreting programme at Saint-Louis - Bruxelles is based on three main areas: foreign languages, French and general education.

You will not just be studying the subtleties of French and the other languages you have chosen. In the translation and interpreting programme, you will also take courses in law, economics, the history of international relations, literature, French stylistics, etc. In the intercultural communication programme, you will take courses in communication science, organisational communication, intercultural relations and sociology. This solid background will enable you to better understand the world and participate actively in communication between cultures.

The Saint-Louis faculty of translation and interpreting offers you:

• a dynamic network of partners in Belgium and around the world: in year 3, you will have the opportunity to take part of your programme (25 credits) at a partner university
• a chance to study a third language: you can add a third language (15 credits) to your bachelor's programme as soon as you have obtained the 60 credits in year 1
• a specific programme for German-speaking students
• two different programmes
• support from the teaching staff
• an opportunity to work in small groups
• the possibility to receive support to help you learn about the specificities of university work: various support measures are available to help you succeed