Break linguistic and cultural barriers
Earn the intercultural communication and translation skills that employers seek. This Master’s degree—unique in Australasia—boosts your language skills and opens doors to a career in the language services industry as a professional translator or interpreter.
Our experts in cross-cultural communication and applied linguistics help you master intercultural communication theory. They’ll also help you develop practical communication strategies and tools. You’ll then apply this expertise with a translation placement and a mentored translation project.
Whether you’re building on your undergraduate degree or need to update your professional credentials, you’ll graduate with applicable skills and a pathway to professional certification.
Discover Intercultural Communication and Applied Translation
Who can study for this qualification
The Master of Intercultural Communication and Applied Translation (MICAT) is an excellent qualification for you if you have a passion for communication and languages, and a natural curiosity for the differences between cultures, languages, and ideas.
The MICAT builds on your undergraduate degree to give you practical, applied expertise for work as a translator or interpreter. It suits you if:
- you have strong language abilities, work in an unrelated field, and want to move into a specialised, in-demand career
- you're already working as an interpreter or translator, but need a formal qualification or to update your professional credentials.
Ways to enter this degree
We have a flexible approach to enrolment in the MICAT. To enrol, you need an advanced ability in a language other than English, and either:
- a Bachelor's degree with at least a B average in a relevant subject
- professional experience that is equivalent to academic study at 300-level.
If you don’t meet these requirements, you can ask for an interview with the programme director, who will decide whether you have the background and ability to complete the course of study.
Our qualifications
We offer three Postgraduate Intercultural Communication and Applied Translation qualifications. These are staircased so that courses completed for each qualification can count towards the next step.
The Master of Intercultural Communication and Applied Translation provides the most comprehensive study as it combines coursework with a work placement and practical translation project.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Intercultural Communication and Applied Translation has in-depth study over four courses, but no work placement or translation project.
The Postgraduate Certificate in Intercultural Communication and Applied Translation is an opportunity for professional development over two courses.
What you’ll learn
The MICAT develops your bilingual or multilingual skills for professional translation and cross-cultural communication careers. It also gives you a theoretical grounding, computer-assisted translation training, and NAATI endorsement—essential for maintaining government and public sector work.
Master intercultural communication and translation theory and practice
The core courses give you an understanding of translation and intercultural communication theories and practices. In particular, you will gain:
- a theoretical and practical understanding of translation across cultures in both local and global settings, with Aotearoa New Zealand as a case study
- lessons in how culture is expressed in different linguistic and cultural contexts
- advanced understanding of cross-cultural communication processes and their effects, including within professional settings
- practical instruction in translation and interpretation by applying linguistic and translation theories to develop your practical and analytical skills
- insights into the creative production and critical evaluation of different types of translation.
In some cases, you may be able to substitute other courses from a variety of related disciplines.
Earn experience with practical activities and a translation project
You‘ll gain knowledge in the two poles of the programme: intercultural communication and applied translation. You’ll see how theories and examples are put into practice and earn skills that give you more career options.
You study includes practical workshops, where you’ll engage with theories from disciplines like:
- anthropology
- psychology
- linguistics
- literary theory
- sociology
- music.
Learn computer-assisted translation technology
The MICAT gives you experience with computer-assisted translation environments and tools, including translation memory, captioning software, and AI. You’ll explore how language professionals can add value and subtlety to these technologies.
How you’ll study
The 180-point Master of Intercultural Communication and Applied Translation is a flexible degree that you can fit around your goals and commitments. You will learn through a combination of lectures, workshops, and self-directed study.
Your courses are delivered through a series of lectures that you attend in person or online. The course materials, and many of the lectures, will be fully available online.
Your study is delivered in two parts.
Part 1: Communication theory and strategy
The first part of the MICAT comprises courses taught over Trimesters 1 and 2.
Two core courses teach you translation and intercultural communication theories and practices.
You also choose two more courses from:
- Advanced Language Directed Study
- Language Learning for Intercultural Competence in the Workplace
- other approved electives.
Part 2: Practical application of knowledge—learning activities and a translation project
The second part of the MICAT takes place in Trimester 3.
You’ll gain direct insights into the relevance and impact of intercultural communication and translation skills through a series of practical, interactive learning activities in a variety of professional contexts and practices. These include:
- workshops delivered by representatives from government and industry (translators, interpreters, intercultural communicators, and consultants, for example)
- visits to the Translation Service of the Department of Internal Affairs.
You’ll also strengthen your research and independent translation skills with an applied translation project, while working closely with an academic staff member or other qualified practitioner.
A flexible qualification
Our MICAT gives you options to suit your goals and commitments.
- You can choose when your study begins. You can start at the beginning of Trimester 1 or Trimester 2—or even at the start of Trimester 3, with the programme director’s approval.
- You can study full time or part time. If you’re studying full time, you will complete the diploma over one year (three trimesters). If you’re a domestic student, you can study part time—usually for up to three years.
International students cannot study for the MICAT part time.
Workload
The average workload for each course is about 10 to 12 hours per week, including lectures, workshops, and self-directed study.
Studying full time, you can expect a workload of 40 to 45 hours a week for much of the year.
Part-time study options
If you’re a domestic student, you can study part time—which is one course each trimester—and complete the MICAT in up to four years.
Qualification support and advice
We can help you match your interests and career goals with the right course of study.
If you’re a new student, talk to a Future Student Adviser through our enquiry form.
If you’re already studying with us, talk to Tītoko—Student Success.
For the research portion of your study, you’ll need a supervisor to help guide your research. Your programme coordinator will work with you to find the right person.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for domestic students
- Requirements for students who completed university in:
If you live in New Zealand and are a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand or Australia, you're considered a domestic student.
Some citizens of the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau may automatically hold New Zealand citizenship.
Diplomatic residents living in New Zealand are also regarded as domestic students.
To be accepted into this qualification, you need:
1. (a) Before enrolment, a candidate for the MICAT degree shall have:
(i) completed a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, with a B grade average or better; and
(ii) completed at least 40 300-level points in a language other than English, with a B grade average or better; and
(iii) been accepted by the MICAT programme director as capable of completing the proposed course of study.
(b) Requirement a(i) may be waived by the Associate Dean (Students) in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences for a candidate who has had extensive practical, professional, or scholarly experience that provides an equivalent level of preparation.
(c) Requirement a(ii) may be waived by the head of school for a candidate who has demonstrated at least the equivalent language competence.
Qualification requirements
Excerpt from the regulations for the MICAT
2. (a) Except as provided in section 5, the course of study for the MICAT degree shall consist of the following courses from the schedule to the MICAT Regulations:
Part 1: Translating in Aotearoa New Zealand: Theory and Practice (FHSS 402), Global Cultures in Context (FHSS 410), Intercultural Communication in Professional Practice (LANG 403), (Advanced Language Study for Translating and Interpreting (LANG 401) or 501)
Part 2: MICAT Project (LANG 503), (502 or 504).
(b) Part 1 should normally be completed before a candidate proceeds to Part 2.
3. A candidate for the MICAT shall normally be enrolled for at least three trimesters, and complete the degree within three years of first enrolling. The associate dean may extend the maximum period in special cases.
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Future careers
The skills you learn in your MICAT study prepare you for careers in language teaching (ESOL/TEFL), linguistics, translation, and speech pathology. They are also useful for content strategy work, technical writing, or language technology development.
MICAT graduates enter roles like:
- professional translators
- interpreters
- language teachers
- intercultural communication specialists.
NAATI certification
With your MICAT you can apply directly for NAATI certification, which is required for careers in translation.
More career information
Find out more about careers.
The government careers website, Tahatū, offers more information about jobs, salaries, and current opportunities.
Scholarships
You may be able to get a scholarship to help fund your studies.
We have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas.
We encourage you to apply—many scholarships don’t receive enough applications.
Scholarships for Humanities and Social Sciences
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This scholarship is for students undertaking or intending to undertake an Honours or Masters degree at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington in areas related to Peace Building or Peace Studies, Trust Building, Conflict Resolution, addressing Historical Injustice, Restorative Justice, Social Cohesion, Community building and promoting cross-cultural understanding, Change Making or Ethical Leadership.
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The Brian Murray Fox Scholarship in History offers an opportunity to students who are intending to undertake their second, third or Honours year of their degree at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington in the year following application.
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The Brian Murray Fox Scholarship in English Literature offers an opportunity to students who are intending to undertake their second, third or Honours year of their degree at Te Herenga Waka Victoria—University of Wellington in the year following application.
Scholarships for international students
We're currently offering a NZ$10,000 VUW Postgraduate International Scholarship to all eligible international students enrolling in a Master’s degree or Postgraduate Diploma programme.
Your scholarship will be processed automatically when your programme application is accepted, and the amount will be deducted from your tuition fees.
Other scholarships
We also have postgraduate and doctoral scholarships available, as well as specialised scholarships for different groups and subject areas.
We encourage you to apply—many scholarships don’t receive enough applications.
Scholarships for Humanities and Social Sciences
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The purpose of the award is to assist postgraduate (full-time or part-time) students in the study of a Master’s of Linguistics, Applied Linguistics or TESOL by coursework at Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington. Applicant will be assessed on the basis of academic merit. Relevant prior experience may also be taken into account.
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This scholarship was established in 1980 by the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. Sir John Marshall, GBE, CH, BA, LLM, Hon. LLD, to encourage the study of Political Science at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. The Scholarship was extended to include International Relations.
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This scholarship has been established by the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies.
Join our postgraduate community
The Postgraduate Students’ Association provides a voice for you on campus and information on studying at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
Postgraduate Students’ Association
MAI ki Pōneke
MAI ki Pōneke are part of an international network of Māori and Indigenous postgraduate students. They provide advice, support, and information to Indigenous postgraduate students of all levels, as well as those thinking about enrolling.
Why Wellington
Wellington is a ideal place to study for the MICAT. It’s cultural diversity brings access to many language communities—such as Māori, Pacific, and Asian languages—for practical experience.
It also hosts government agencies, NGOs, and international organisations that offer opportunities for networking and internships.
Because Wellington is the seat of government, you’ll have opportunities for political, diplomatic, and governmental translation work once you graduate.
Study for a PhD
If you do well in your Master’s degree and show an aptitude for advanced research, you could apply to do a PhD—the highest-level qualification we offer.
You’ll carry out original and sustained research, supervised by our world-class academics.
As a PhD candidate, you’ll also be supported by the Faculty of Graduate Research.
Academic staff research areas
Yuri Cerqueira dos Anjos
Senior Lecturer
Stephen Epstein
Head of School
Hui Luo
Arts Adviser
Sydney Shep
Associate Professor
Marco Sonzogni
Professor
David Yang
Lecturer
Get help to manage your finances
We can help you:
- budget your money
- manage your student loan or allowance
- work out your accommodation payment schedule.
If you’re facing financial difficulties, we can help you apply for the Hardship Fund.
You may be eligible for government or community support, too.
Apply for a New Zealand study visa
You’ll need to apply for a study visa if you plan to study with us as an international student.
You should apply for your visa after you’ve received your Offer of Place, and before you come to New Zealand.