Graduate Diploma in Translation Studies - exit only

The Graduate Diploma in Translation Studies at Western Sydney University is a one-year qualification for people who want to work as translators between English and another language. It is an exit-only award, which means you normally enter through a longer master's programme and take this diploma if you leave after the first year of study. You finish with a recognised graduate qualification rather than dropping out with nothing.

What you actually study

The coursework covers the practical core of the trade: translating written texts between English and your other language, analysing source texts, revising and editing translations, terminology and glossary work, and the technology translators use day to day, including translation memory and machine translation tools. You also look at the professional and ethical side of the job, client briefs, confidentiality, copyright, and the standards expected of practising translators in Australia. Assessment is mostly translation assignments and projects rather than exams, so you build a portfolio of work you can show an employer.

How the qualification is structured

As an Australian graduate diploma, this sits at AQF Level 8, between a bachelor degree and a master's. Study runs over one year full time, organised into semesters, and you complete a set number of units of study worth credit points. Because it is exit-only, the units are the first-year units of the master's programme. If you are already enrolled in the master's and decide not to continue to the second year, you can apply to exit with this diploma once you have met the requirements. There is no separate direct entry, so check with the university about how the exit process works before you plan around it.

Who it suits

This suits people who are fluent in English and at least one other language and want formal training in translation, but who are not in a position to commit to a full master's. That might be a working professional who needs the credential for a job, a bilingual graduate testing whether translation is the right career, or a master's student whose circumstances change. If you are an international student, you will need to meet the university's English proficiency requirement and the separate English threshold set by the Department of Home Affairs for the Student visa. While you hold a Student visa you can work up to 48 hours per fortnight during study periods, and after graduating you may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream, which lets you stay and work in Australia. Confirm all entry requirements, fees and visa conditions on the official Western Sydney University page and the CRICOS register before you apply.

• Translator in private translation agencies, government departments, community legal centres and hospitals
• In-house translator for companies trading with overseas markets
• Localisation and content specialist for software, media and e-commerce organisations
• Freelance translator building a client base in Australia and overseas
• Bilingual communications officer in multicultural services and community organisations
• Further study: graduates may use the diploma as a pathway or exit point within a master's programme in translation or interpreting