Our Program | Conference Interpreting | Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS)

The Graduate Program in Conference Interpreting program seeks to prepare a new generation of skilled and knowledgeable professionals for a rewarding career in this dynamic, fast-paced field.

The Master of Conference Interpreting at Glendon is a graduate program that uses blended learning to prepare students to join a new generation of professionals. In this two-year intensive program, students learn how to listen to speeches, presentations, debates and other forms of spoken discourse in one language and relay them to an audience in another.

Learn About the MCI

The Master of Conference Interpreting (MCI) degree is a two-year program, lasting a total of six academic terms. Program candidates must pass an entrance examination, at which point they will enter Year One. Upon successful completion of the first three terms of Year One, students have the option of exiting the program and receiving the Graduate Diploma in General Interpreting. Those who elect to stay in the program must pass a transition examination leading to Year Two. After the successful completion of another three terms—and of the end-of-degree exit examination—students will earn the Master of Conference Interpreting degree.

In both years, you will have the opportunity to learn your trade in real-life environments. In Year 1, you will take part in our Virtual Healthcare Interpreting Practicum. In Year 2, you'll complete a minimum of 10 days of work on the Glendon campus. You'll also have the opportunity to go on a study visit to some of the world's most renowned international organizations.

Meet your instructors

MCI instructor Andy Gillies is one of the interpreting world's most sought-after trainers, and he is the author of several books on interpreter training. In this video, hear what he has to say about being part of a team of teachers and students at Glendon.

Andy is typical of our conference interpreting instructors. They are all working interpreters who are either active members of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC) or who are accredited by the leading institutional employers. Your instructors in court and health-care interpreting will have either achieved certification in their field, or — in some cases — helped create it. All of our trainers have extensive teaching experience.

For you, what this means is that you will learn from talented pedagogues who all have up-to-date knowledge of a variety of professional markets.

To meet our entire team of instructors, visit the Our Instructors page.

A meaningful career in an exciting field

Imagine being rushed into a hospital’s emergency ward where no one understands what you’re saying because they don’t speak your language. Imagine feeling frustrated by the unfamiliar words printed on the label of your prescription medication. Healthcare interpreters create clarity between patients and healthcare providers by bridging the language gap and accurately communicating critical, life-saving information. They provide an invaluable community service while enjoying a meaningful and rewarding career.

Want to be a healthcare interpreter? The Master of Conference Interpreting program can help.

The Master of Conference Interpreting degree is a two-year program consisting of six academic terms. Year One covers interpreting in three settings: healthcare, courts and conferences. After completing the first year, you have the option of exiting the program with a Graduate Diploma in General Interpreting (GDCI), a credential that will help you prepare for important accreditation tests, including those administered by the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters and the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters. These qualifications will enable you to start a career as a healthcare interpreter.

After earning the GDCI and working in healthcare, graduates who want to expand their career opportunities can return to Glendon for Year Two of the interpreting program, which focuses on conference interpreting and earns successful graduates a Master of Conference Interpreting degree.

Take the first step towards a fulfilling career

Consider submitting an application to the program, or e-mail us for more information.

Did you know?

Most interpreters are self-employed freelancers who enjoy the flexibility of setting their own hours and working frequently from home.

A demanding job, where lives and liberties hang in the balance

What if you were at the scene of the crime and saw everything unfold? But the guilty party was likely to walk free, because you couldn’t make yourself understood in the courtroom. Don’t worry, they’ve called in a court interpreter, a language professional whose job it is to make sure that everything that is said in the case is understood by all parties.

Fast-paced work that will make you a life-long learner
You’re a diplomat negotiating a ceasefire in an international conflict. Human lives hang in the balance. But as the party on the other side of the table begins to speak, you don’t understand a word they are saying! What do you do? You keep calm, because you know that professional conference interpreters are on the job.

Conference interpreters build bridges across languages and cultures. They have privileged access to the corridors of power, and they are witnesses to history in the making. They work behind the scenes, helping economic, social and political realities to unfold.

Sound like the job for you? The Master of Conference Interpreting can teach you what you need to know.

At Glendon, we train tomorrow’s conference interpreters. We use technology to reach out to the best students and teachers around the world. Our students learn to work in both conventional, face-to-face environments, and in cyberspace, using the latest online platforms to interpret at a distance.

We will prepare you for a globalized world. One where quality in multilingual communication is, more than ever, a necessity. The United Nations, the European Union and all the main international organizations require highly qualified professionals to bring immediate understanding amongst the leaders of the world. So do the big corporations, social movements and NGOs whose activities reach beyond borders and languages.

Our teachers are all minted professionals and experienced trainers, working currently for international organizations and in the private market. They are accredited with the UN, the EU, the Government of Canada, or other important institutions. Our graduates work as staff or free-lance professionals both in Canada and in other countries, such as France, China, Brazil, and Nicaragua.

Take the first step towards a fulfilling career

Consider submitting an application to the program, or e-mail us for more information.

Did you know?

You can learn more about Conference Interpreting, by visiting the website of AIIC, the International Association of Conference Interpreters.

Why should you choose the MCI?

Leaders in Technology

• Our first-year students have been learning entirely online since 2012.
• Starting in September, our second-year students will learn in a ground-breaking hybrid format.
• We train you to use a number of Remote Simultaneous Interpreting (RSI) platforms.
• We show you how to leverage online connections and communities to get your interpreting career started.
• You’ll join a cadre of graduates who are thought leaders in technology and future trends.

Multiple Markets

• After the first year, you will be ready to interpret in the legal and healthcare fields.
• After the second year, you will be ready to interpret in the conference field.
• You will learn about the realities of being both a staff interpreter and a freelance professional.
• You will be trained by instructors who work in different countries and for different governmental and international organizations.
• Your instructors and classmates will become important nodes in your professional network.

Customized Attention

• You will be a part of a tight-knit learning community.
• Your class sizes will be small, and you will receive constant, structured feedback from instructors and peers.
• Your instructors will design lessons with your needs in mind.
• You will learn about the opportunities that are specific to your working languages.
• In some cases, we may be able to tailor training to specialized language combinations.
• You will get individualized advice and guidance to help you embark upon your career path.

Language Combinations

Students must speak English as an A or a B language, and they must have at least one of the MCI’s other languages in their combination: Arabic, French, Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian. On occasion, we have also been able to accommodate students with German and Turkish. Most students in the program have an AB combination. Others have an ABC or ACC combination.

Two Years, Two Credentials

Year One is taught entirely online and devotes equal time to health care, legal and conference interpreting. After you’ve successfully completed these courses, you are eligible to apply for the Graduate Diploma in General Interpreting (GDGI).

If you choose to continue to continue one in the program, you’ll need to pass the Transition Exam. In Year Two, you will focus exclusively on conference interpreting. Once you finish your coursework and the Exit Exam, you will earn the Master of Conference Interpreting (MCI).

Career Pathways

Both credentials will provide you with hands-on training for a highly evolving job market. The GDGI will have you ready to work in courtrooms, lawyers’ offices, administrative tribunals, hospitals, healthcare clinics, and more. In so doing, you’ll be helping to safeguard people’s liberties, and perhaps their very lives.

The MCI can take you from the corridors of power in Ottawa to important world cities beyond Canada’s borders. You’ll find lucrative options to start your own business and to use technology to reach around the globe. You’ll have a front-row seat to witness history in the making.

Learn More

The Graduate Program in Conference Interpreting (MCI) at York is an exciting environment to pursue innovative, socially engaging, career-ready education. Contact our Graduate Program Assistant to learn more.

How to Apply