Overview
The Specialist Certificate in Cultural Translation equips students with the essential skills and knowledge necessary for professional translation between Chinese and English, with a focus on culture and literature. The specialist certificate cultivates an understanding of the structural and rhetorical differences between English and Chinese languages while sharpening sensitivity to the cultural values and traditions embedded with the two languages.
Through comparative analysis of socio-cultural differences between Chinese- and English-speaking societies, students explore key issues in cross-cultural communication between East and West, including contrasting beliefs and values, concepts of identity and kinship, religious traditions, attitudes toward authority and hierarchy, and differences in communication styles (direct versus indirect, high-context versus low-context).
A core feature of the specialist certificate is the study of translation theories and strategies specific to major literary genres, namely, poetry, drama, fiction and prose. Grounded in Singapore’s unique multilingual and multicultural landscape, the specialist certificate also examines how translation shapes national identities, cultural traditions and literary expressions. By engaging with emerging literary forms, such as web novels, Insta-poetry and song lyrics, students develop critical acumen as well as creative strategies to translate works between English and Chinese with cultural sensitivity, intellectual rigour and artistic flair.
Curriculum
The specialist certificate consists of 4 courses, which can be completed within 1 year.
- CTI111 Contrastive Language Studies: English and Chinese
- CTI113 Translation and Socio-Cultural Differences
- CTI303 Chinese-English Translation of Literary works
- CTI304 English-Chinese Translation of Literary works
Eligibility
The specialist certificate is open to CET students as well as students enrolled in an undergraduate programme.
- At least 18 years of age.
- GCE A-Level with two passes (prior to 2006) or two H2 passes (from 2006), local polytechnic diploma, International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, or NUS High School diploma.
- Applicants with a ITE diploma or other diploma qualifications plus an acceptable SAT or ACT (with writing) score may be considered for admission on a case by case basis.
- If not, at least 5 GCE O-Level passes and an interview.
Fees
Please click here for the course fees. SkillsFuture Credit and other schemes may be used to offset the course fees.
The application fee is $60 (before GST) for first-time CET applications, which is non-refundable.
Completion
To attain the specialist certificate, students need to pass all the courses. Students are encouraged to complete all the courses within 3 years.
Upon meeting the requirements, CET students can apply for the certificate and go on to pursue BA Translation and Interpretation. Only courses with at least a C grade can stack towards the bachelor's degree.
Students enrolled in BA Translation and Interpretation will be automatically issued the certificate upon meeting the requirements.
Certification
Upon completing the specialist certificate, Students can take the Certification Examination for Professional Translators (CEPT). Those who pass the examination will be certified as ‘Accredited Professional Translator’.
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