Giulia Crotti
"I chose to study interpreting at Surrey because besides its international reputation, the course has close links with the main professional bodies and organisations in the field."
Course
Interpreting MAEntry year
2018"I have always been passionate about foreign languages and English in particular, which has been my favourite subject since middle school.
I chose to study interpreting at Surrey because besides its international reputation, the course has close links with the main professional bodies and organisations in the field. This includes the National Register of Public Service Interpreters and Chartered Institute of Linguists, which could be great starting points for the development of my professional career.
I am passionate about interpreting as it is a highly challenging activity – it is as cognitively demanding as it is rewarding. It is also a multidisciplinary subject, combining many different topics, from neuroscience to linguistics. This allows students to explore the subject from a variety of perspectives and be creative in the way we think about interpreting, and often results in very interesting discussions. I enjoy the interplay between theory and practice. I like the fact that we can deepen our understanding of the issues at play in interpreting through the study of literature but at the same time get hands-on experience and practise various interpreting modes in class.
Staff are very helpful and always go the extra mile to make new students comfortable in the University environment. Whether you find it hard to navigate the online learning platform or are struggling with course-related matters, you can rest assured that someone is there to help you. The facilities are excellent – on my course I benefit from subtitling software, interpreting booths and classrooms fitted with a video conferencing system.
I really enjoy life on campus and how involved students are in all University matters. It makes me feel like we are part of a community. This sense of belonging and community is something you would not easily feel in a city-based university.
"I am now certainly more independent, confident and open to change."
My experience at Surrey has positively impacted my life in many ways: I am now certainly more independent, confident and open to change.
In my opinion, leaving your home country to go and study abroad on your own is already an achievement. I am proud of having done so despite the challenges I have encountered and grateful I was given this opportunity.
After completing my course at Surrey, I plan to move to London and look for job opportunities there. I want to establish myself as a freelancer someday, but I would like to gain some valuable experience in the field first.
The University of Surrey gives students such a wide variety of opportunities that range from volunteering and sports societies to career fairs and seminars. It would be a shame not to take them, so my advice to new students is to keep an eye out for such opportunities and, whenever possible, to get involved."
Discover more about our postgraduate courses in languages, communication, translation and interpreting, including our MA Interpreting.
