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Translation: Translation Studies MA

London, Bloomsbury

The Translation Studies route of the MA in Translation enables you to advance your practical language, translation and technology skills while developing a comprehensive understanding of translation in social, cultural and historical contexts. The programme is taught in the Centre for Translation Studies, generating international networks and the language skills to enhance your employability in today's multicultural workplace.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2022/23)
£12,900
£6,450
Overseas tuition fees (2022/23)
£26,600
£13,300
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2022
Applications accepted
All applicants: 18 Oct 2021 – 13 May 2022

Applications closed

Notification

Application closes at 17:00 GMT.

Entry requirements

A minimum of a first or high upper second-class Bachelor's degree (average 65%) in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

English language requirements

If your education has not been conducted in the English language, you will be expected to demonstrate evidence of an adequate level of English proficiency.

The English language level for this programme is: Advanced

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. International Preparation Courses

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

In addition to a range of translation options covering theoretical and technological topics, you can focus on a specific language, gaining practical experience of translation and the critical and analytical skills required for research and employment. The final dissertation project provides an opportunity to showcase your translation interests and abilities in an extended annotated translation. 

Optional advanced translation modules are available to students in the following languages: Dutch, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Scandinavian languages, and Spanish. We offer optional modules with language-specific strands (subject to availability). Available languages are listed on the individual module pages and usually include a wide range of European languages as well as Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Russian. Please check the module pages for up-to-date information on the languages available.

Who this course is for

The programme is particularly suitable for graduates with a language and culture degree who wish to develop practical translation skills alongside an understanding of theoretical aspects of translation, for professional development or further research in this field. A sound knowledge of at least one language other than English is essential.

UPDATE: Currently we are no longer accepting applicants for translation from English to Chinese.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Located in the heart of multicultural London, UCL provides a uniquely rich environment for studying and researching translation in all its facets. Students are taught by specialist translation staff with a diverse range of research interests including literary translation and theatre translation.

The MA is truly interdisciplinary, with access to experts in an unrivalled variety of languages and disciplines from across Europe and further afield. This allows students to customise their own programmes in relation to their language competencies and other academic and professional interests.

UCL translation students are highly valued by the translation industry, with workshops and networking events organised during the year.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The programme provides graduates with a range of vocational skills that enable them to pursue successful careers in the fields of translation and interpreting. Former students have gone on to work as translators for companies such as KPMG, SDL International and Alpha CRC; some have set up their own translation business. Graduates also acquire transferable skills that lead them into successful careers in publishing, media, finance, fashion, PR and education; examples include our graduates who are now working for Newsweek, the British Library, Morgan Stanley, Sainsbury's and Deloitte.

Employability

There is an ever-growing demand for highly-trained commercial, literary and other types of translators in the private as well as in the public sector and in international organisations, in Britain and abroad. Other career paths include the media, publishing and education.
 

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical translation exercises, case studies and web-based classes, depending on the options chosen. The core modules are assessed by essays and coursework. Optional modules are assessed through unseen and written examination, coursework, translation projects and essays.

A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) is also available.

Modules

Full-time

You will undertake modules to the value of 180 credits, including two core modules and the dissertation module. Optional modules are chosen from a wide offering in consultation with the programme director, to ensure your workload is balanced between terms, and also across years if you are studying part-time.

Compulsory modules





Optional modules


















Advanced Translation into Chinese

Advanced Translation from Dutch into English

Advanced Translation

Advanced German Translation

Advanced Translation from and into Italian

Advanced Translation From and Into Portuguese

Advanced Scandinavian Translation (Scandinavian - English)

Advanced Translation from and into Spanish


Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Translation: Translation Studies. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Translation: Translation Studies.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Applying for Graduate Study at UCL

The Applying to UCL for graduate study session took place in December 2021. The session, covered by our Graduate Admissions and Student Recruitment teams, provides helpful information about the process of applying for graduate study, as well as offering an insight into what we consider to be a competitive application.

Watch on demand event

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Funding your studies

The Funding your studies session took place in December 2021. The session, covered by our Funding and Student Recruitment teams, provides information and guidance about the various scholarships and funding opportunities for graduate study at UCL.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2022/23) £12,900 £6,450
Tuition fees (2022/23) £26,600 £13,300

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

All full time students are required to pay a fee deposit of £1,000 for this programme. All part-time students are required to pay a fee deposit of £500.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/european-languages-culture/programmes-courses/postgraduate-taught/funding-scholarships-and-prizes-masters

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Translation: Translation Studies at graduate level
  • why you want to study Translation: Translation Studies at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes in any application cycle.

Got questions? Get in touch

Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry
Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry

selcs-cmii.enquiries@ucl.ac.uk

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This page was last updated 28 Sep 2021