Structure, Content & Outcomes

Structure

The qualification is composed of five units:

• Unit 01 (Level 6): Interpret consecutively and simultaneously in the public services
• Unit 02 (Level 6): Provide a sight translation into English in the public services
• Unit 03 (Level 6): Provide a sight translation from English in the public services
• Unit 04 (Level 5): Translate into English in the public services
• Unit 05 (Level 5): Translate from English in the public services

Content

• Unit 01:
  
  • The interpreting unit tests the basic linguistic and interpersonal skills needed, contextual knowledge, and the awareness of the role and responsibilities of the interpreter:
    • Consecutive interpreting from the other language into English and vice-versa.
    • Simultaneous interpreting from the other language into English.
       
• Unit 02 & Unit 03:
  
  • The sight translation units test the basic linguistic skills and contextual knowledge needed to give an oral translation at sight:
    • Producing an accurate and complete oral translation of a text from the other language into English.
    • Producing an accurate and complete oral translation of a text from English to the other language.
       

• Unit 04 & Unit 05:
  
  • The written translation units test the candidates' ability to transfer content in a comprehensible and acceptable form from one language into another, according to the particular task requested:
    • Producing an accurate and complete written translation from the other language into English.
    • Producing an accurate and complete written translation from English into the other language.

 

Outcomes

A candidate when awarded this qualification will be able to:

• Interpret the meaning expressed by users who are communicating with each other across two languages
• Interpret using modes and techniques to deliver effective communication between the language users of both languages
• Interpret using adequate language structures
• Give a sight translation of the contents of the document
• Translate at sight factual information as well as concepts and opinions
• Translate at sight using modes and techniques to deliver effective communication.
• Produce an accurate and appropriate written translation
• Produce a translation that is coherent, both in its detail and in its overall structure
• Produce an effectively written translation

 

Comparison with other CIOL qualifications

	Diploma in Public Service Interpreting (DPSI)	Diploma in Police Interpreting (DPI)	Diploma in Translation (DipTrans)	Certificate in Bilingual Skills (CBS)
Level	6	6	7	3
Language level (CEFR)	C1	C1	C2 (source language)	B2
Occupation	Interpreter	Interpreter	Translator	n/a
Designatory letters	DPSI	DPI	DipTrans	n/a
Contexts	Public Service interpreting: Law, Health, Local Government	Police interpreting	General; Technology or Business or Literature; Science or Social Science or Law	Work-related, with emphasis on public services
Equivalences	Units 01, 03 & 05 of DPSI (Law) are equivalent with units 02, 03 & 05 of the DPI	Units 03 & 05 of DPI are equivalent with units 03 & 05 of the DPSI (Law)	n/a
Mapped against National Occupational Standards	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

 

Alternatives, Progression & Support

Alternative routes to same outcome

In terms of employability and registration on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI), relevant University postgraduate programmes in interpreting may be considered. For NRPSI registration the University degree would need to meet the requirements of the National Occupational Standards for Interpreting.

 

Progression

Candidates who obtain the DPSI are entitled to apply for registration on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters subject to the current conditions. Holders of the qualification are also eligible to apply for membership of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) in accordance with the conditions of membership.  Both, CIOL membership and NRPSI registration support the overall aim of the qualification of enabling candidates to work as professional interpreters.

Organisations supporting the qualification

The DPSI qualification is supported by the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI), the independent regulator of professional interpreters specialising in the public sector. NRPSI accepts the DPSI against the qualification criterion for joining the register. 

The Chartered Institute of Linguists – to which CIOL Qualifications is an associated charity – supports the DPSI by accepting it as satisfying the qualification criterion for membership applications. It is also a qualification accepted for admission to the Association of Police and Court Interpreters (APCI).

A number of employers refer to the DPSI in requirements for interpreters, for example the Ministry of Justice, UK Visas and Immigration, Capita Translation and Interpreting, thebigword, Wales Interpretation and Translation Service (WITS), Language Line Solutions and various other interpreting agencies.