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Interpreting Studies is a field which focuses on both research and practice in translating spoken language. Given that most interpreters will also be called upon to sight read or translate written materials, the translation of the written word is also an important aspect of Interpreting Studies. Interpreters work in pubic service community-based contexts, in the private sector, and across the international community. While interpreters have been an important presence in the world for millennia, the practice of interpreting only began to be studied at the institutional level with the founding of the School of Interpreters of Geneva, Switzerland in 1940.

The Interpreting Studies program at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, founded in 1980, is one of the oldest in the country. The program introduces students to the inter-related linguistic, social, cultural and ethical issues that are involved in the task of interpreting. Its aim is to enlarge students' awareness of the different dimensions of the interpreter’s task in both public service and private sector settings, mainly where interpreted communication takes place face-to-face between two or more individuals. Students who wish to enroll in the program should have advanced knowledge of at least two languages, one being English, and possess advanced or emerging knowledge of the variety of social and cultural groups associated with them.