The medium of instruction for formal classroom teaching at HKBU is English, except for those courses that are granted exemption.
Government Funded
September 2021
HK$42,100 (local); HK$140,000 (non-local) (Subject to the University's annual review)
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Programme Description
The Faculty of Arts uses a hybrid admissions model. Students may apply for admission to the Broad-based Programme or to a specific Major Programme. The aim of the Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Translation Programme is to “educate bilingual and bicultural communicators for professional translation and language careers”. Teachers of the Department of Translation, Interpreting and Intercultural Studies share with students their expertise in academic research, their experience of frontline fieldwork in interlingual and intercultural communication, and their pedagogic vision. Students are thus prepared to meet the cultural, socio-political and economic needs of the local community, as well as those of a rapidly developing China.
The Programme provides a strong mix of both academic intellectual training and professionally-oriented practice. It offers a range of specialist options such as Translation Technology, Localisation, Spanish-Chinese Translation, Literary Translation, Media Translation, Legal Translation, Scientific-Technological Translation, and different forms of Interpreting. In their final year, all students undertake a one-year Honours Project. This involves an extended translation of 10,000 words, plus critical commentary, or alternatively a research project of similar length. The Programme also incorporates a one-semester project-based internship – see further below.
Scholarships
Apart from a wide range of scholarships/awards open to all students in the University on the basis of academic merit and other criteria set by the donors, four are awarded exclusively to students in the Translation Programme:
Double Major
Students may choose to take a Double Major Programme in Translation and English which provides training in both fields. The Double Major is offered in conjunction with the Department of English Language and Literature.
Unique Features
From its inception in 1990, the HKBU Bachelor of Arts in Translation programme distinguished itself from other university translation programmes by incorporating an internship (known as Placement) component in its curriculum. It is undertaken as a 3-credit 'course' during one semester, on an hourly or project-based arrangement that allows students to complete the Placement alongside other, regular courses during the semester. The Department has a longstanding and extensive network of employer contacts from the translation and interpreting industries, so is ideally placed to help students find the option that works best for them.
Student Learning Experiences
In addition to the internship mentioned above, students also have the possibility to go on exchange for a semester. The University has a wide range of possible exchange partner institutions to choose from.
Career Opportunities
With a translation degree in hand, students are well-equipped for a whole variety of jobs. In addition to translation and interpreting of all kinds, the Department's students have gone into a range of professions that demand advanced proficiency in bilingual communication and expert intercultural competence. They have found jobs as court interpreters, government translators, PR managers and news reporters. Others have gone into fields such as arts management, magazine journalism, bilingual editing, foreign diplomacy and marketing.
We adopt a holistic approach in selecting applicants on individual merits. Applicants are required to meet the University entrance requirements, English Language requirements and Programme entrance requirements (if any).
General Certificate of Education (GCE), International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma & SAT
GCE: Grade E or above in three AL/ IAL subjects; or Grade E or above in two AL/ IAL subjects plus two Advanced Supplementary Level (ASL) subjects (Not including Chinese and English Language subjects. The same subject cannot be counted at both the AL and ASL.)
IB: IB Diploma. Applicants should request the IB organisation to send their scores to the University via internet (HKBU institution code: 000247).
SAT: Minimum score of 1,190 (out of 1,600) in new SAT or 1,650 (out of 2,400) in old SAT (minimum score of 550 in each of Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing), and a sub-score on essay writing of no less than 8. Applicants should request the College Board to send scores to the University (HKBU institution code: 7904).
Other Overseas Qualifications by Region
Applicants who apply for admission on the basis of overseas qualifications should refer to particular region for details. Given the diversity of education systems around the world, the acceptable overseas qualifications listed may not cover every region.
The University normally expects applicants to have obtained 12-year pre-university years of schooling. School-leaving qualifications that are acceptable for admission to universities in other places may not necessarily be acceptable or sufficient for admission to the University.
English Language Requirements
The following public examination results are recognised as meeting the English Language requirements stipulated by the University:
Proficiency Tests | Minimum Requirements |
TOEFL | Internet-based test (iBT) - Score: 79; or Paper-delivered test - a sum score of 60 (TOEFL MyBestTM Score is not accepted.) |
IELTS Academic | Overall Band: 6.0 |
SAT | Minimum score of 550 in both Critical Reading and Writing with a sub-score of 8 or above in Essay in old SAT; or Minimum score of 590 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing in new SAT |
ACT | Minimum score of 23 in both ACT English and Reading |
AP | Score 4 or above in AP English Language and Composition/ AP English Literature and Composition |
GCE O-Level/ GCSE English/ English Language/ English Literature | Grade C/ Grade 4 |
IGCSE First Language English | Grade C/ Grade 4 |
IGCSE English as a Second Language | Grade B/ Grade 5 |
GCE AS or A-Level English | Grade E |
HKDSE English Language | Level 3 |
HKALE Use of English | Grade E |
IB | Grade 4 in: IB English A (Higher or Standard Level); or IB English B (Higher Level); or IB English Literature and Performance (Standard Level) OR Grade 5 in: IB English B (Standard Level) |
Cambridge English C1 Advanced/ C2 Proficiency | Grade C |
Others | Other English language qualifications deemed acceptable by the University |
For students who intended to take Translation, they are expected to have a Chinese language qualification as deemed acceptable by the University.
For applicants holding international qualifications, they may fulfill the Chinese Language requirement with the following Chinese qualifications:
Proficiency Tests | Minimum Requirements |
GCE A/ AS Level Chinese | Grade E |
GCSE/ IGCSE/ GCE O-Level Chinese/ Chinese Language | Grade C/ Grade 4 |
HKDSE Applied Learning Chinese | Attained |
Others | Other Chinese language qualifications deemed acceptable by the University |