Translation (MA)

Course content

The MA Translation Studies equips you with critical insights and practical skills to navigate the evolving language services landscape successfully and understand how this is branching out into fields beyond a simple conception of linguistic transfer. It allows you to gain invaluable experience within a variety of specialisms, making the most of your multilingual, multicultural and multimodal expertise in a global world. Alongside the development of these key skills, our MA emphasizes our unique human ability not only to cross linguistic and cultural boundaries, but also to respond creatively and responsibly to the social and ethical issues arising from an increasingly globalized and technological world.

You can design your own academic path, choosing from an unparalleled range of optional modules in such areas as literary translation, audiovisual translation and subtitling. Technology is woven into the modules through the use and evaluation of generative AI; a dedicated module allows you to learn to work with the Computer-Assisted Translation and Translation Memory tools most used in the Language Services Industry today. If you are intrigued by the pervasiveness of translation in society, you can opt for modules which look at how various cultural artefacts (films, music, street art and installations) are underpinned by creative acts of translation.

The MA programme offers unique opportunities for field trips, internships and work placements. It also benefits from professional networking through partnerships with leading translation and interpreting bodies. Together, these experiences help you to develop the skills and insight needed to succeed in the evolving global language services sector.

The modules offered by the MA programme are assigned 'credits'. Students on the MA Translation Studies take a selection of modules amounting to 180 credits in total. This includes three compulsory core modules (120 credits) and a choice of optional modules (60 credits).

The modules below provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.

Modules Please note that the module information displayed here is from a previous year and is subject to change. 120 credits of compulsory modules, 60 credits of optional modules Compulsory modules Code Module Credits SMLM145 Translation Dissertation 60 SMLM150 Translation Theory 30 SMLM151 The Practice of Translation 30 Optional modules a - You have the option to study a 15 credit module, SMLM154 - Translation Work Placement/Project, to provide the experience of learning about translation as a profession through work and gain hands-on knowledge of the field of translation and the language services industry by means of a work placement of project. You could find work placements as an in-house translator, project manager, translation checker, among others; or may also choose to be engaged in translation projects for the local, regional, or global language services field. Students take full responsibility for finding and organising their work placement or project (either in the UK or abroad), with preparation, support and approval provided by the University. Code Module Credits MA Translation Studies option modules 2025-6 [See note a above] SMLM152 Specialist Translation 1 15 SMLM153 The Translation Profession 15 SMLM154 Translation Work Placement / Project 15 SMLM155 Translation as Multimedia and Audiovisual Practice 15 SMLM156 Translation as Literary and Creative Practice 15 SMLM158 Translation as Cultural and Intermedia Practice 15