Graduate School of Interpretation & Translation

Introduction

Jeju National University (JNU) established the Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation (GTI) in order to train professional interpreters and translators for the Jeju Free International City, which was launched in April 2000. Founded in March 2000, GTI was the first such graduate school to be established by a national university in Korea. It offers MA degrees in Korean-English, Korean-German, Korean-Chinese and Korean-Japanese interpretation and translation.
In January 2005, Jeju Island was designated by the central government as the Island of World Peace, in July 2006 Jeju became the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province (JSGP), and in June 2007, Jeju was registered as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. Jeju is fast-becoming a hub of Northeast Asia and the number of international exchanges continues to grow year-by-year. As a result, Jeju has become a favorite venue for international conferences in a wide variety of fields such as environment, tourism, economics, politics, athletics, IT, and natural sciences. Additionally, a number of joint projects with foreign investors are underway in Jeju.
Jeju National University's Graduate School of Translation and Interpretation develops and provides foreign language specialists crucial to Jeju's international aspirations. The GTI is equipped with the latest facilities, including simultaneous interpreting booths that meet international standards and a variety of IT facilities which are used to train students in foreign language interpretation and translation. Students receive a rounded education and training which provides them with an international perspective. Our graduates are recognized for their achievements as professional interpreters and translators, or work in academia, industry, government institutions, and a variety of fields. In addition, GTI graduates are involved directly and indirectly in the foreign language education of Jeju citizens, thereby helping Jeju in its drive toward globalization.
Department of Korean-English
With the rising status of the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province in Northeast Asia, the tourism and international convention industry have seen an increase in the number of international conferences and projects. The Department of Korean-English teaches students about American/British society and culture while at the same time giving students knowledge of Jeju's geography, environment, culture, and other fields necessary for successful Korean-English interpretation and translation. Graduates have gone on to work as professional interpreters and translators, or work in academia, government agencies, private corporations, international exchange, and the field of English education.
Department of Korean-German
After the unification of East and West Germany, Germany's economic and diplomatic influence in the EU and the international community has increased. Students in the Department of Korean-German Interpretation and Translation learn about German culture, politics, economy, technology and the diverse aspects of Germany in their training to become professional interpreters and translators.
Department of Korean-Chinese
The department of Korean-Chinese trains specialists in Chinese interpretation and translation who can play an important role in international exchange as well as provide consulting services in the field of international communications. Graduates have gone on to work in government institutions, the field of education, and also play important roles in exchanges with China in the political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, agricultural, and sports fields as well as in other areas. In Jeju's drive to become a hub of Northeast Asia, exchange with China has grown along with China's increased stature in international society. In the future there will be even more opportunities for Chinese language specialists to use their skills.
Department of Korean-Japanese
In the new era of Northeast Asia, ties with Japan have expanded considerably and there is great social interest in Japan. Jeju is geographically close to Japan and has had close relations with its neighbor since ancient times. Since the launch of the Jeju Special Self-governing Province in 2006, the number of international conferences and regional exchanges has increased, necessitating the need for reliable interpretation and translation specialists. The Department of Korean-Japanese selects a small number of highly-qualified applicants to its program and trains them in the social, cultural, and situation-specific aspects of Korea and Japan to promote a foundation of cultural understanding with a focus on realistic training. Our graduates have gone on to become interpreters/translators and work for a variety of institutions. The GTI Department of Korean-Japanese will play an important role in the future by training specialists in Japanese who can strengthen Korean-Japanese relations.