ASTI University of Buea Division I, II ASTI de Buea

6 years ago

ASTI University of Buea Division I, II ASTI de Buea

Presentation

The Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters (ASTI University of Buea Division I & II) went into operation in 1985. ASTI Buea remained the sole establishment of the University Centre until 1993 when by decree N° 92/074 of 13 April 1992 it was transformed into a full fledged University. kamerpower.com

From its inception, the school has remained the lone government Institution in Cameroon of national and international standards that trains professional translators and interpreters for the public and private sectors. Since its inception ASTI University of Buea has admitted and trained professional translators and interpreters at the levels of Masters and Postgraduate diploma respectively.

ASTI University of Buea Division I, II ASTI de Buea

ASTI University of Buea Programmes

Over the years, ASTI University of Buea’s training programmes in translation and interpretation mainly centred around three basic language combinations: English-French, French-English, and French-English-Spanish. With the help of newly-recruited experts, the School has now embarked on a further diversification of the language combination, including the introduction, of Arabic, German and African languages from 2007/2008, and of Chinese from 2009/2010. Other very important languages like Portuguese, Swahili, Japanese are also being considered for introduction as soon as requisite human resources and infrastructure become available.

Training is strictly professional. Focus is on actual translation and interpretation practice throughout the learning process. Trainees are given the opportunity, through industrial placement or internship, to experience real-life activity in well-established professional in-house (in both public and private sectors) or freelance translation and interpretation services in Cameroon or abroad, under the supervision of recognised professional translators and interpreters. In this regard, ASTI University of Buea has established partnership with most government ministries and institutions in Cameroon, including the Presidency of the Republic, the National Assembly and the Prime Minister’s Office, as well as with some international organisations and private translation firms within the country and abroad.

Training programmes include degree courses and short courses, namely:

Arrangements are under way for the imminent start of a Bachelor of Arts and a PhD in Translation and Intercultural Studies in the near future.

Master of Arts in Translation

DURATION OF STUDIES: 2 YEARS

OBJECTIVES OF DEGREE PROGRAMME

Train professional translators for national, public and private sectors and for the international market;
Promote research in translation studies.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Journalism and Communication, Diplomacy, Teaching, Public Relations and Advertising, Self-employment and Consultancy services.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
At least a bachelor’s degree in any field and success in the competitive entrance examination. In any case, candidates should qualify in one of the language combinations offered by the School.

METHODS OF TEACHING AND EVALUATION
Teaching shall be through lectures, tutorials and practical translation sessions. Evaluation shall be through continuous assessment, end-of-semester examinations and end-of-course thesis.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS ASTI University of Buea:

128 credits for bilinguals and 144 for trilinguals (for course work) and successful public defence of the end-of-course thesis.

NOTE:

For the first year: Students with a two-language combination carry: 34 credits for the first semester while those with a three-language combination carry 40 credits.
In the second semester, students with a two-language combination carry 30 credits while those with a three-language combination carry 36 credits. ASTI University of Buea.

For the second year: Students with a two-language combination carry 28 credits in the first semester while those with a three-language combination carry 30 credits.
In the second semester, students with a two-language combination carry 36 credits while those with a three-language combination carry 38 credits.

Electives: Students with a two-language combination take one elective each semester while those with a three-language combination do not take any electives.

Practicum: Internship in the professional milieu during the holidays
The total number of credits earned at the end of two years is 128 credits for bilinguals and 144 credits for trilinguals.

Master of Arts in Interpretation

DURATION OF STUDIES: 2 YEARS

OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE PROGRAMME

The MA in Interpretation is a two-year course which aims to achieve the following objectives:

Train professional interpreters for national, public and private sectors and for the international market;
Promote research in interpreting studies.

Students shall attend all their courses on a regular basis. Candidates will be expected to write a dissertation in any area or aspect of interpreting.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Graduates of this programme shall be professional interpreters likely to work for the public and private sectors, national and international market, in diplomacy and international relations. Self-employment and consultancy services are also considered. Conference organisation.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Candidates for the M.A. in Interpretation shall be admitted through a competitive entrance examination. They must be holders of a bachelor’s degree in any field. ASTI University of Buea.

METHODS OF TEACHING AND EVALUATION

Tuition comprises course work and the presentation of a dissertation. Teaching shall be through lectures, tutorials and practicals. Evaluation shall be through continuous assessment, end-of-semester examinations and the dissertation. Throughout the course, students shall be called up to present research papers in some of the core courses.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS ASTI University of Buea

In order to qualify for the award of the Master of Arts in Interpretation, candidates must have earned a minimum of 120 credits, including course work and dissertation. The candidate must complete the course in a minimum of two (02) years and a maximum of four (04).

PhD in Translation and Intercultural Studies

DURATION OF STUDIES: 3 YEARS

OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE PROGRAMME

The PhD in Translation and Intercultural Studies is a three- to five-year course which aims to achieve the following objectives:

Enhance research on translation and interpretation, and intercultural studies with particular focus on evidence from local settings;
Stimulate greater interest in translation and interpretation teaching and pedagogy;
Enhance expertise and decision-making in matters of multilingualism, multi-culturalism and interculturality.

All students shall attend the same core courses. However, depending on their background, each student will have the opportunity to choose a specialist option either in translation, interpreting, terminology and lexicography, translation and interpretation from/into African languages. Candidates will be expected to write a thesis in any of these areas or in the area of intercultural studies.
The degree will, consequently, bear the student’s specialist option in addition to the main title of the course programme.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

It is anticipated that graduates of the programme should be able to lead research projects in translation, interpreting, bilingual terminology and lexicography, or intercultural studies in Cameroon, Africa and other parts of the world. It is also thought that, in the medium and long terms, graduates of the programme will contribute significantly to the improvement of the staff situation in the training of translators, interpreters and terminologists.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Candidates for the Ph.D. in Translation and Intercultural Studies must be holders of a bachelor’s degree with at least a second class upper grade point average, as well as a master’s degree in translation, interpreting, bilingual terminology or intercultural studies. In addition, candidates should submit an original research project in a relevant area. Working experience will be an added advantage.

METHODS OF TEACHING AND EVALUATION

Tuition comprises course work and the presentation of a dissertation. Teaching shall be through lectures and seminars. Evaluation shall be through continuous assessment, end-of-semester examinations, comprehensive examination and dissertation. Throughout, each student will be specifically expected to present research papers in each of the core courses as well as in their specialist options.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS ASTI University of Buea

In order to qualify for the award of the Ph.D. in Translation and Intercultural Studies, candidates must have earned a minimum of 180 credits, including 60 in course work and 120 in the thesis. The candidate must complete the course in a minimum of three (03) years and a maximum of five (05).

Short Courses and Certificate Programmes

ASTI special programmes include short courses and workshops in such targeted areas as computer-assisted translation, terminology management, specialised translation, etc. One of such special courses isthat which was organised some years ago for a 15-person group of Francophones and Anglophones selected by the UN Economic Commission for Africa. ASTI welcomes any request for such group training. Other special courses include the Arabic Programme which has been running every year since 2001.

Professional Bachelor of Arts in Translation and Intercultural Studies

DURATION OF STUDIES: 4 YEARS

OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE PROGRAMME

The Professional B.A. in Translation and Intercultural Studies is an interdisciplinary professional programme which aims to achieve the following objectives:

to introduce students to the major professional, practical and theoretical issues in the field of Intercultural Studies in general as well as Translation or Interpretation in particular;
to prepare students for eventual specialisation in translation, interpretation, and translation-related areas as well as in a variety of professionally-oriented disciplines which require a mastery of issues and stakes in interculturality; intercultural situations with relevant training and increased awareness of the key issues relating to multiculturalism and to apply an understanding of these issues to practical situations or international contexts; ASTI University of Buea.
to provide the job market with qualified mid-level professionals in the areas of translation and interpretation.

All students are trained in a three-language combination package. The third language is offered ab-initio, i.e. no initial knowledge of the language is required before training. However, the course will be open to candidates with training in a third language as well. In this case, a placement test will be carried out to orientate them to the appropriate level of Study Skills in L3.

Besides, students will be offered the unique opportunity to choose one among a series of major professionally-oriented electives which will be pursued to pre-specialisation level throughout the course. Candidates are advised to contact the School for the languages, the professional electives and areas of specialisation currently offered.Trainees are also given the opportunity to carry out an in-situ Practicum, whereby they display their ability to solve concrete problems in intercultural communication, translation, interpretation and terminology.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Depending on the options chosen by the trainees, possible career prospects include working as junior staff (notably as junior rather than senior translators) in such areas as community translation and interpreting, including translating from/into African languages, sign language translation and interpreting, film translation, including dubbing and subtitling, translating and interpreting for the courts, etc..

Graduates will also be in a position to further specialise in such areas as SL/FL teaching, specialised translation/interpretation, international relations, conflict resolution, corporate communication and public relations, mass-media, journalism, tourism within any multicultural setting, especially in regional and international organisations.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Candidates for the Professional B.A. in Translation and Intercultural Studies must be holders of the GCE A.L. or the Baccalauréat with sound mastery of English and French. They must also choose a third language of their preference among those offered by the School (currentlty including Arabic, German, and Spanish). Selection shall be done through an examination of the candidates’ application files and credentials, as well as a test of the candidate’s knowledge of languages A and B.

METHODS OF TEACHING AND EVALUATION

Teaching shall be by lectures, tutorials, practicals and internship placement. Courses shall be examined through continuous assessment, including class and take-home assignments, and end-of-semester examinations. In order to specialise in either Translation or Interpretation (year four), the student must have achieved acceptable performance in the corresponding subjects (Translation/Interpretation) in year 3 and the 2nd semester examination.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for the award of the Professional B.A. in Translation and Intercultural Studies, the candidate must:

Have earned a minimum of 240 credits of requisite compulsory and elective courses;
Complete the course in a minimum of 8 semesters or a maximum of 14 semesters;
Satisfy any other requirements of undergraduate studies prescribed by Senate.

Distance Learning ASTI University of Buea

ASTI’s training programmes in translation and interpretation currently centre around three basic language combinations: English-French, French-English, and French-English-Spanish. However, with the help of recently-recruited experts, there is the possibility to introduce German and Arabic in the short or medium term. Other very important languages like Japanese and Chinese are also being considered for introduction as soon as requisite human resources and infrastructure become available.

In this regard, ASTI has established partnership with most government ministries and institutions in Cameroon, including the Presidency of the Republic, the National Assembly and the Prime Minister’s Office, as well as with some international organisations and private translation firms within the country and abroad.

Training programmes include degree courses and special courses. Two degree programmes are currently offered:

Master of Arts in Translation, ASTI University of Buea
Master of Arts in Interpretation.

Application files shall comprise the following documents:

a handwritten application bearing a CFAF 1000 (one thousand francs) iseal stamp. clearly showing the chosen centre and the candidate‘s working languages.
a certified true copy of the candidate’s birth certificate issued not more that 6 months ago;
a certificate of non-conviction issued not more than 3 months ago;
four (4) recent passport-size photographs (4cm x 4cm):
a certilied true copy of the bachelor’s degree or its recognized equivalent;
transcripts of the bachelor‘s degree courses:
an attestation of presentation of the original of the said diploma;
a receipt of CFAF 20,000 (twenty thousand francs) for the examinaton, payable to the Advanced School of ‘Translators and Interpreters (ASTI University of Buea, in the following account: BICEC Buea, Account No: 98394442001-57
a written authorization from the Public Service to sit for the examination for candidates who are civil servants;
where applicable, an authorization from the candidate’s employer;
a large self-addressed envelope bearing a CFAF 250 (two hundred and fifty francs) postage stamp;
Complete application files must be received at the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters ( ASTI University of Buea Entrance 2016 ), University of Buea. P.O. Box 63, Buea or at the Ministry of Higher Education (Room 917), Yaounde. Late or incomplete application files shall be automatically rejected.

Article 5:

The competitive entrance examinatin shall comprise the following papers:

Paper 1

Translation from language B into language A: Time allowed: 2hrs; Coef. 4.

Paper 2

Translation from language A into language B: Time allowed: 2hrs; Coef. 2.

Paper 3

Use of language (A and B); Time allowed: 3hrs; Coef. 2

Paper 4

Only for candidates who have chosen a third language: Translation from Language C into Language A; Time allowed: 2hrs; Coef. 2

Article 6:

Candidates shall be assessed according to the following:

The candidate’s performance in the competitive examination shall account for 80% of the final mark;
The candidate‘s previous academic record shall represent 20% of the final mark.

Article 7:

Candidates are requested to report to the examination hall at least one hour before the beginning of the examination. A valid national identity card or passport will be required for admission into the examination hall.