Certificate in Liaison Interpreting

As part of the government's Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF) to help upskill workers in roles critical to the economy, this programme has no fees*. Click here for a list of the programmes that are covered by this scheme.

Want a career as an interpreter? If you're fluent in more than one language, and/or already working or volunteering as an interpreter and want a formal qualification, this programme is for you. The Certificate in Liaison Interpreting is an intensive four-month programme that provides you with professional skills in interpretation (the task of converting spoken statements from one language to another, and from one culture to another). With this Certificate, community and government agencies can be assured that you have the skills to work effectively and professionally as a liaison interpreter in a range of community settings.

Highlights

• Emphasis on practical experience: practice what you've learnt in our well-equipped language and computer labs, and during group exercises with your fellow students.
• Access to the latest resources to support your learning.
• Friendly and highly skilled lecturers.
• Guest speakers who will inform you about the different situations where liaison interpreters are needed, such as in legal and medical contexts.
• This is a full-time course with an extensive online component. Classes are held two evenings per week (Tuesday and Thursday, 6pm-9pm) and on Saturday mornings (9am-12pm).

Please note: There is an extra exam fee of $200 for the final oral assessment which can be added to your Student Loan as part of 'course-related costs'. This fee is to cover the cost of hiring a professional bilingual assessor for the final 50% assessment.

International students who graduate will NOT be eligible for a post-study work visa upon completion of this programme.

Academic requirements

For this programme, you will need the following:

• A total of 60 credits at NCEA Level 2 in four different subjects including a minimum of 8 credits in English (4 in reading, 4 in writing)
• Be at least 18 years old by the time the programme begins
• A minimum of 4 years secondary education
• Provide evidence of proficiency in a language other than English by providing at least one of the following:
  • Completed high school in a language other than English;
  • Have a degree with a major in a language other than English;
  • Provide evidence of oral and written proficiency in a language other than English in the form of two reference letters from your community or someone of standing from an educational institution who speaks the same language.

If you don't meet the academic criteria above, we have a range of Bridging Education programmes which will help you prepare for further academic study.

English requirements

If English is not your first language you will also need one or more of the following:

• Have achieved NCEA Level 3 and New Zealand University entrance
• Be able to provide evidence you satisfy our criteria for existing English proficiency
• Have achieved at least one English proficiency outcome in the last two years

If you don't meet the English criteria above, we have a range of English Language programmes available, depending on your current level of ability.

If you don't meet these requirements, you may still apply under special or discretionary entrance.