Educational offer / First level postgraduate's courses / Simultaneous and Consecutive Conference Interpreting Techniques

Simultaneous and Consecutive Conference Interpreting Techniques

Duration: 1 years

Credits: 60

The Master’s in Conference Interpreting at CIELS is a professional postgraduate programme designed for students and professionals who want to develop advanced skills in simultaneous and consecutive interpreting.

Over one year, the programme combines language training, practical interpreting exercises and professional preparation, helping students develop the skills needed to work in national and international communication settings.

The programme is designed both for those who want to enter the interpreting profession and for professionals who wish to strengthen and update their existing interpreting skills.

Why choose the CIELS Master’s in Conference Interpreting

Conference interpreting requires much more than advanced language skills. Interpreters must understand a message quickly, process complex information and accurately reproduce its meaning in another language.

The CIELS Master’s programme focuses on the main interpreting techniques through a strongly practice-oriented approach.

Students develop skills in both simultaneous and consecutive interpreting, working from Italian into a foreign language and from a foreign language into Italian.

Professional interpreting training

The programme introduces students to the professional role of the conference interpreter through activities focused on information processing, discourse analysis, memory and effective delivery.

Particular attention is also given to professional ethics and the interpreting market, helping students understand the professional context in which interpreters work.

Simultaneous interpreting: listening, processing and delivery

Simultaneous interpreting requires rapid information processing, active listening and a high level of linguistic control.

The Master’s programme includes practical exercises in active and passive simultaneous interpreting, progressively increasing the complexity of the texts and speeches used during training.

Activities include booth interpreting, sight translation, active listening, text analysis and shadowing.

Practical interpreting booth training

Working in an interpreting booth allows students to develop the technical skills required for simultaneous interpreting in a controlled and progressively more complex environment.

The objective is to combine linguistic accuracy, interpreting technique and the ability to manage professional communication situations effectively.

Consecutive interpreting: listening, memory and note-taking

Consecutive interpreting requires strong listening, comprehension and memory skills.

The programme develops note-taking techniques, discourse analysis and the ability to reproduce the content of a speech accurately from the source language into the target language.

Students also work with authentic materials covering topics such as politics, current affairs, the environment and economics, together with terminology research and glossary building.

Active and passive consecutive interpreting

The programme covers both interpreting into the foreign language and interpreting into Italian.

Students develop strategies for preserving the semantic and pragmatic meaning of the original speech while adapting the message appropriately to the target language and communication context.

Artificial intelligence and technology for interpreting

Technology is increasingly shaping the professional landscape of language services.

The CIELS programme includes Artificial Intelligence and Technological Systems Applied to Remote Interpreting, introducing students to technological tools and new professional contexts in interpreting.

The programme therefore combines traditional interpreting skills with an awareness of the technological developments affecting the profession.

Study two foreign languages

The programme develops interpreting skills in two foreign languages, with activities in both directions between Italian and the foreign languages.

English is the first language. The second foreign language can be selected from French, Russian, Spanish, German and Chinese.

This multilingual approach supports the development of professional interpreting skills for international communication contexts.

Master’s programme structure

The CIELS Master’s in Conference Interpreting lasts one year and awards 60 ECTS credits.

Professional ethics –> Ethics, quality standards, professional practice and the interpreting market
Consecutive interpreting –> Active and passive interpreting techniques in English and the second foreign language
Simultaneous interpreting –> Active and passive simultaneous interpreting in English and the second foreign language
Technology –> AI and technological systems for remote interpreting
Internship –> Professional training experience
Final assessment –> Final evaluation of the programme

The programme also includes activities focused on professional preparation, terminology research, authentic materials, glossaries and digital resources.

60 ECTS in one year

The 60 ECTS credits are distributed across specialist modules, practical activities, the internship and the final assessment.

The study plan and practical activities may be updated from year to year in accordance with CIELS academic autonomy and applicable regulations.

Programme location and study format

The Master’s programme is held at the CIELS Campus in Padua, Italy, at Via Sebastiano Venier 200.

Teaching is delivered in a dual format, combining on-campus classes with activities delivered via Zoom.

Attendance is compulsory for 75% of the programme.

Classes are scheduled from Monday to Friday, between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. Teaching activities include classes, practical exercises and the final assessment.

Key programme information

Location: Padua, Italy
Duration: 1 year
Credits: 60 ECTS
Format: Dual, on campus and online via Zoom
Required attendance: 75%
Maximum number of students: 50
Programme activation: minimum of 10 enrolled students

Internship and professional experience

The internship is an important part of the programme, allowing students to apply the interpreting skills developed during their academic training.

According to the CIELS programme information, the internship can also be replaced by a project work or a certified professional activity.

This practical component helps connect academic preparation with the professional environment of conference interpreting.

Career opportunities for conference interpreters

The Master’s programme is designed to prepare professionals for interpreting assignments in a variety of communication contexts.

Graduates may work in settings such as:

  • conferences;
  • congresses;
  • meetings;
  • national and international institutional events;
  • professional and international communication contexts requiring multilingual mediation.

 

Who is the Master’s programme for?

The programme is designed for two main profiles.

Future interpreters: students and graduates who want to develop the theoretical and practical foundations needed to approach the interpreting profession.

Interpreting professionals: professionals already working in interpreting who want to strengthen, update or expand their technical and professional skills.

Professional ethics and the interpreting market

Professional interpreting requires not only technical and linguistic competence but also an understanding of professional standards.

The Master’s programme includes dedicated training in ethics and professional deontology, covering quality standards, professional practice, working conditions, contracts and strategies for developing a professional career.

This preparation helps students approach the interpreting market with greater awareness of its professional requirements.

Admission to the Master’s programme

Admission may include a motivational interview and qualification assessment.

Candidates should refer to the current CIELS admission information for the latest requirements, selection procedures, dates and programme details.

PRIMO ANNO
INSEGNAMENTO SSD CREDITI
Insegnamento a scelta tra: 6
Etica, deontologia professionale dei mercati del lavoro nazionali e internazionali
  • Il corso offre una panoramica dei principali aspetti di etica e deontologia del mercato del lavoro, con riferimento alle principali associazioni di categoria degli interpreti a livello nazionale e internazionale.
    Il principale obiettivo è preparare gli studenti ad orientarsi nel mondo del lavoro che li aspetta, per potersi offrire come professionisti qualificati e corretti sia nei confronti dei clienti sia nei confronti dei colleghi e degli attori con cui verranno in contatto. Vengono affrontati temi quali le norme di qualità del settore per agenzie, associazioni e professionisti, le buone prassi, le condizioni di incarico, i contratti tipo, e gli strumenti e strategie per costruirsi la carriera ideale.
 GPSP-08/A
Intelligenza artificiale e sistemi tecnologici applicati all’interpretazione da remoto
  • Dettagli
 INF-05/A
Tecniche di interpretazione consecutiva Inglese 1

Consecutiva Attiva 1
  • Il corso mira a formare interpreti professionisti, partendo dall’apprendimento delle basi dell’interpretazione e focalizzandosi sulla tecnica della presa di note, sull’analisi del discorso e sulla riproduzione coerente di testi e discorsi dall’italiano verso la lingua di arrivo. Il programma include esercizi di fonetica, traduzioni a vista, memorizzazione e creazione di glossari, con l’uso di risorse digitali e materiali autentici su vari argomenti, come politica, attualità, ambiente ed economia.
Consecutiva Passiva 1
  • Il corso introduce alle tecniche di interpretazione, con focus sulla consecutiva. Gli studenti apprendono ad ascoltare, comprendere e memorizzare testi in lingua su vari temi politici, economici e di attualità, utilizzando la tecnica della presa di appunti per riprodurli in italiano, mantenendo il contenuto semantico e pragmatico dell’originale. Il corso esplora le tecniche principali, gli aspetti teorici, le strategie di coping e le competenze richieste per l’interpretazione, includendo anche la compilazione di glossari e ricerche terminologiche.
 ANGL-01/C 15
Tecniche di interpretazione consecutiva Seconda Lingua 1

Consecutiva Attiva 1
  • Il corso mira a formare interpreti professionisti, partendo dall’apprendimento delle basi dell’interpretazione e focalizzandosi sulla tecnica della presa di note, sull’analisi del discorso e sulla riproduzione coerente di testi e discorsi dall’italiano verso la lingua di arrivo. Il programma include esercizi di fonetica, traduzioni a vista, memorizzazione e creazione di glossari, con l’uso di risorse digitali e materiali autentici su vari argomenti, come politica, attualità, ambiente ed economia.
Consecutiva Passiva 1
  • Il corso introduce alle tecniche di interpretazione, con focus sulla consecutiva. Gli studenti apprendono ad ascoltare, comprendere e memorizzare testi in lingua su vari temi politici, economici e di attualità, utilizzando la tecnica della presa di appunti per riprodurli in italiano, mantenendo il contenuto semantico e pragmatico dell’originale. Il corso esplora le tecniche principali, gli aspetti teorici, le strategie di coping e le competenze richieste per l’interpretazione, includendo anche la compilazione di glossari e ricerche terminologiche.
 FRAN-01/B
SPAN-01/C
GERM-01/C
SLAV-01/A
ASIA-01/F		 15
Interpretariato di conferenza in simultanea Inglese 1

Simultanea Attiva 1
  • Il corso si concentra sull’insegnamento delle tecniche e delle strategie per interpretare testi di diversa natura, con una progressiva complessità e lunghezza nel corso dell’anno. Le lezioni includono esercitazioni pratiche in cabina, permettendo agli studenti di affinare sia le competenze tecniche che la qualità della lingua, con l’obiettivo di fornire le basi necessarie per interpretare in simultanea con successo, sviluppando capacità linguistiche e professionali.
Simultanea Passiva 1
  • Il corso prepara gli studenti a diventare interpreti di conferenza, sviluppando capacità fondamentali per l’interpretazione simultanea verso l’italiano. L’obiettivo principale è fornire le basi delle tecniche di interpretazione, con un approccio pratico che inizia con la traduzione a vista, l’ascolto attivo, l’analisi del testo e lo shadowing. Il corso include esercitazioni pratiche in cabina e discussioni sulla prassi dell’interpretazione, nonché sugli aspetti deontologici e pratici della professione.
 ANGL-01/C 15
Interpretariato di conferenza in simultanea Seconda Lingua 1

Simultanea Attiva 1
  • Il corso si concentra sull’insegnamento delle tecniche e delle strategie per interpretare testi di diversa natura, con una progressiva complessità e lunghezza nel corso dell’anno. Le lezioni includono esercitazioni pratiche in cabina, permettendo agli studenti di affinare sia le competenze tecniche che la qualità della lingua, con l’obiettivo di fornire le basi necessarie per interpretare in simultanea con successo, sviluppando capacità linguistiche e professionali.
Simultanea Passiva 1
  • Il corso prepara gli studenti a diventare interpreti di conferenza, sviluppando capacità fondamentali per l’interpretazione simultanea verso l’italiano. L’obiettivo principale è fornire le basi delle tecniche di interpretazione, con un approccio pratico che inizia con la traduzione a vista, l’ascolto attivo, l’analisi del testo e lo shadowing. Il corso include esercitazioni pratiche in cabina e discussioni sulla prassi dell’interpretazione, nonché sugli aspetti deontologici e pratici della professione.
 ANGL-01/C 6
Tirocinio Formativo – 6
Prova Finale – 6
TOTALE CREDITI 60

Goals

The goals of the First-level Postgraduate's Course SIMOULTANEOUS AND CONSECUTIVE CONFERENCE INTERPRETING TECHNIQUES are

– to introduce the student to the profession of interpreter by developing preparatory skills related to the memorization and systematization of information;
– to provide theoretical and practical knowledge of the most important and current interpretation techniques (simultaneous in a booth/on a telematic platform, consecutive);
– to reinforce and develop the student’s linguistic knowledge in two foreign languages, through the practice of interpreting from Italian to a foreign language and from a foreign language to Italian;
– to illustrate the framework for the exercise of the profession of interpreter, from the point of view of ethics, formal and administrative obligations.

Profile and professional opportunities

Details

The Master is aimed at both professionals who already work in the field of interpreting and those who wish to undertake the profession of interpreter.
In particular, the graduate will be able to operate in diversified communicative situations such as congresses, conferences, meetings and summits of national and international institutions and events of various kinds in which it is necessary to make use of an interlinguistic communication professional.

Details

Info & Helpful links

Admission for Postgraduate degrees and Higher education
Fees and contributions – Higher education
Scholarships and financial aid
One-to-one interview