Interpreters and Conference Interpreting

I have been thinking of getting trained in sim for a while, and I have been brownsing the websites of the main programs offering my languages from time to time.

A couple of days ago I heard about the Japanese program at Bath University and I had the greatest of surprises to read on their website that IELTS 7 (out of 9!) is all that is required of English Bs. Isn't that very low?
I scored 8.5 a couple of years ago, and I am still not fully confident my English is a B (mostly because I believe I don't have the breadth of vocabulary required for simultaneous interpreting when it comes to technical words. But I am working on it).

I have read Downcloak's post about A, B and C languages, which confirms my first impressions.

I was not planning to apply to this program anyway because it wouldn't allow me to work between Japanese and French, my native language. I imagine entry requirements at ESIT and ETI would be much higher...

Any thoughts?

Doesn't Bath have entrance tests? In which case this IELTS requirement may simply be an administrative prerequisite and may not reflect the level you need to pass the exams?

They do have entrance exams, indeed. But the requirements for the exams sounded very low to me.

"We welcome applicants all year round. Japanese speakers are expected to have an overall IELTS score close to 7.0; although we accept applicants for interview with IELTS scores lower than this."

That is what made me wonder what would be the average IELTS score of English Bs in other schools.

I need to add, that Bath does not really have entrance tests (such as ETI, ESIT, Westminster), and I do think that score is pretty low..............and like many other UK schools, (Salford, for example), Bath may just have a little interview, but that is pretty much it. Salford does not even interview some of their students.
Not so hard to get into the Bath program. and I would also like to add, while Bath is an excellent university, the T&I program is not heavily focussed on Conference Interpreting, but rather a mix of translating and interpreting. so you would be better off considering Westminster, or Leeds, if Interpreting (conference) is your main goal.
Trust me, I have been in touch with most schools on this forum for quite some time.
cheers!

Thanx for your reply, joanne. As I said I have never been really interrested in this program, I just wanted to have the opinion of other members about this score...