Prospective Students | CITS Academic Program | SIIT | SIIT Screening Test
Who can take CITS courses?
If you are seeking a degree, you must be a University of Hawaii student. To register with University of Hawaii at Manoa, click here. If you are simply seeking to improve your interpreting/translating (T&I) skills, you do not need to be a student within the UH system. Anyone can take our courses through the Outreach College.What are the focus languages?
Many of our courses are 'generic,' meaning English is used to teach the concepts, principles, and skills of Translation & Interpretation (T&I). However, high-level T&I courses focus primarily on East-Asian Languages, specifically, Chinese-English, Japanese-English, and Korean-English. Training in other languages can be provided if we receive enough requests for that language.What certificates do CITS offer?
CITS issues certificates in simultaneous and consecutive (conference) interpreting to those who pass the certification exams. Certification exams are also offered in translation when needed. Exams are offered normally once a year.What degrees do CITS offer?
Students can obtain a Bachelor's degree in Translation & Interpretation Studies within the Interdisciplinary Studies department of the University of Hawaii. For more information, please go to the Interdisciplinary Studies homepage.How about financial aid?
The University of Hawaii at Manoa offers financial aid to those students who qualify. Non-UH students may be able to receive funds through other means. The summer course (SIIT) is a non-credit program, and therefore, may have certain restrictions. For non-credit funding assistance information, click here. Should you desire more information on credit-course funding assistance, please contact the Financial Aid Services at the University of Hawaii by clicking here.How about housing?
Campus housing is possible, but reservations for these accommodations must be made in advance and directly with the University of Hawaii Student Housing Services. Click here for more details. Summer housing is rather unique, and information regarding summer housing can be found here. The UH website also lists off-campus housing. You may also find housing on other websites, such as craigslist.How about visa(s) and I20(s)?
For regular UH students, all visa requirements are handled by International Student Services. For visa information on our summer classes (SIIT), click here.What are CITS courses?
The CITS courses offered are skills based courses that focus on the development and increased understanding of ethical issues, note-taking skills, sight-translation, consecutive translation, simultaneous translation and various other specialized techniques. CITS academic programs include regular fall/spring semester courses and a summer intensive course (SIIT).What are the fall/spring courses?
Fall and spring courses are offered yearly. These courses are NOT language specific courses and are taught in English. The focus deals more with the issues of ethics, research methodology, note-taking skills, sight translation, simultaneous/consecutive interpreting skills, billing, and how to conduct yourself in a professional manner. Additionally, since the fall/spring courses are NOT language specific courses, there is no certificate offered. However, if you are interested in a certificate, you must register for the SIIT which is held roughly from July 6 - August 15. For more information on SIIT, click here.Who can participate in fall/spring courses?
People of all backgrounds: students seeking a bachelor degree, people interested in interpreting as a full-time career, those interested in training, those interested in part-time work are all encouraged to enroll in the courses.What is SIIT?
Summer Intensive Interpreter Training is offered to anyone interested in the field of interpreting. The intensive nature of the course dramatically improve students' interpreting skills, as well as their language skills in both languages, in a short 6 weeks. Upon completion of the program, students will be granted a "Certificate of Completion," as well as the option to take the certificate examination. For more details, click here.Who can participate in SIIT?
Anyone who is interested in improving their interpreting skills! You do not need to be a university student, or even live in the States. For more details, click here.Does CITS offer distance learning or online courses?
Although CITS courses utilize online technology, CITS does not offer any distance learning courses or online courses. Students must attend classes. It is mandatory that all students enrolled in the SIIT Course physically attend the class. For more information on SIIT, click here.What is SIIT?
SIIT is a rare opportunity for you to be trained in simultaneous and consecutive interpreting in Mandarin/English, Japanese/English, and Korean/English! The University of Hawaii's Center for Interpretation and Translation Studies (CITS) presents a 6-week intensive interpreter training program for speakers of Mandarin/Japanese/Korean and English. Next course is scheduled for Summer 2007.Are there any requirements to register?
Each applicants must pass a screening test before they can register for SIIT. There are no other requirements. However, we do recommend that you prepare well for the screening exam by staying current, in both languages, on issues of: economics, world health, politics, international affairs and so forth. We recommend that you read newspaper articles in both your native and source languages to increase exposure to such vocabulary.Is TOFEL required?
Applicants are not required to submit a TOEFL score or any other language proficiency examination score to CITS for screening or enrollment into the SIIT Course. However, CITS will hold a screening test for each applicants.How much is the SIIT tuition?
The tuition for SIIT 2005 was 1,400 dollars plus 100 dollars lab fee. It is considerably cheaper than most other interpreting program with the same quality.What certificates do I receive from SIIT?
Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a "Certificate of Completion." This is a document that states that you have gone through the necessary training of the SIIT. This does not mean that you are qualified to interpret in a professional setting. Rather, it means that you have undergone the necessary training in areas of sight-translation, simultaneous interpretation, consecutive interpreting, note-taking skills, and ethics.Who is the authority of the certification exam? When is the exam? And how much will it cost?
The University of Hawaii and ultimately the State of Hawaii, since University of Hawaii is a state accredited university, is the primary authority for the exam. The exam is taken immediately following successful completion of the SIIT. However, it is not mandatory for all students to take the exam. There are four exams you can choose from and the cost will not change regardless of the number of exams you choose to take. Last year, the cost of the exam was $50. Here are the choices (1) Chinese/Japanese/Korean to English (Simultaneous), (2) Chinese/Japanese/Korean to English (Consecutive), (3) English to Chinese/Japanese/Korean (Simultaneous), and (4) English to Chinese/Japanese/Korean (Simultaneous) (Consecutive).I don't see my language, Can SIIT offer a certain language?
CITS specialize primarily in East-Asian languages, namely Chinese, Japanese, and English. However, if there are enough requests and applicants for a particular language for SIIT, CITS may set up a SIIT course for that language.I would like to take SIIT in two Asian languages at the same time, can I?
Although part of SIIT is language independent, students break into different language groups for interpreting practicing. You can only take SIIT in one language at a time. However, you can take the certification examination in multiple languages.Does SIIT offer credit hours?
SIIT is not based on a 'credit hour' system and therefore registration for the course neither requires that you attain any number of prerequisite credits nor does it provide any basis of attained credits. The SIIT Course is non-credit based.What kind of visa(s)/I20(s) are necessary to take SIIT?
The only visa needed for the SIIT summer class is a visitor visa. To receive a visitor visa, you will need a letter of acceptance from CITS, showing that classes meet less than 18 hours per week. You will receive this upon successful completion of your screening exam. For more information on necessary visa(s) or I-20(s) you may contact the International Student Services by clicking here.What is the purpose of the screening test?
A screening test helps us to determine whether the applicant has the proficiency in both languages to take SIIT. As SIIT is an intensive course, students must have certain level of mastery of the languages.What is on the screening exam? Will there be a kanji portion, a reading comprehension portion, a listening comprehension portion?
There is really no breakdown on the exam. The exam is designed in such a way that it tests your language ability in both your first and second language through reading of various source articles and the rendition of those articles into your second language via sight translation.How do I prepare for the screening test?
There is no single way you can prepare yourself for the exam. However, we do recommend strongly that you keep current in both languages (perhaps Japanese and English in your specific case) in areas of world economics, health, politics, international issues, and the so forth. It is vital that you familiarize yourself with the types of terminology in both your native and second language as much as possible in preparation for the exam.When does the screening test begin?
Screening test will begin roughly in February, even though the next SIIT course itseelf starts in July. Please be sure to contact us during that time to schedule your appointment with the corresponding professor (Chinese, Japanese, Korean).How is the screening test held?
You will be given one sheet document on a topic of any given title (politics, world economics, health, global issues, terrorism are some examples of possible topics for the exam) and will be asked to provide a sight translation of the document with no preparation or use of dictionaries and/or other resources. The test takes roughly 20 minutes. The screening test is entirely oral.How do I take the screening test when I'm not in Hawaii?
Screening tests can also be done through telephone calls/computer chat programs and fax/emails. At the time of the appointment, the screening test will be faxed or emailed to you. You will not be allowed any grace period to look over the exam. Once we send the screening test, we expect your call (either telephone or computer chat program) to follow immediately.How do I schedule a screening test?
Screening tests can commerce as early as January or February 2007. Since we are dealing with a number of time zones in coordinating these screening tests, it is necessary that you communicate with us your availability, so that we may schedule in your test with the appropriate professor. Most students interested in enrolling in the SIIT opt to take their tests roughly in March or April for purposes of language strengthening.When will I know the result of the screening test?
In most circumstances, the professor will immediately inform you whether you have successfully passed the screening test. However, there are a few cases in which the instructor will abstain from an immediate answer in order to discuss further your language capabilities or qualifications with other SIIT faculty members. Individuals who undergo such a process are usually notified via e-mail within the following week.Do I compete with other applicants, or will I be accepted by my own ability?
Successful enrollment into the SIIT is solely determined by personal ability. Students will not compete with one another for enrollment selection or appropriate class qualification. However, each language (Chinese-English, Japanese-English, Korean-English) facilitates 10 available slots for maximum enrollment. Consequently, the sooner scheduling for the screening test is taken, the sooner any given student may formally register for SIIT.