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Translation: Translation Studies MA

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.

Covid-19 programme updates

Due to COVID-19, there may have been updates to this programme for the 2020 academic year. Where there has been an update, these are indicated with a red alert and a link which will provide further information.

Key information

Programme starts

September 2020

Modes and duration

Full time: 1 year
Part time: 2 years

Application dates

All applicants
Open: 1 November 2019
Close: 11 August 2020
Notification
Due to the large number of applications received, this programme is no longer accepting applications for 2020/21 entry. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Applications for 2021/22 entry will open later in the year.

Tuition fees (2020/21)

UK/EU:
£11,170 (FT)
£5,660 (PT)
Overseas:
£23,340 (FT)
£11,830 (PT)


Note on fees: The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website.

Fee deposit: 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.

Optional qualifications: This degree is also available as a PG Diploma with fees set accordingly.
Location: London, Bloomsbury

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. The following language directions/pairs are normally offered (subject to availability). English-Chinese English-Dutch, Dutch-English English-French, French-English English-German, German-English English-Italian, Italian-English English-Spanish, Spanish-English English-Portuguese, Portuguese-English Scandinavian languages (Danish, Norwegian, Swedish)-English Russian-English Hebrew-English

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

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

International students

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.

Select your country:

About this degree

In addition to a range of translation options covering theoretical and technological topics, you can focus on a specific language and choose to study interdisciplinary modules, 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. 

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.

The Translation Studies pathway has two core modules (30 credits), optional modules (90 credits) and a research dissertation (60 credits).

A Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) is also available.

Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a MA in Translation: Translation Studies. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Translation: Translation Studies.

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.

Compulsory modules

  • Language and Translation
  • Translation Theory

Part-time students take both core modules and 30-60 credits of optional modules in year one.

Optional modules

Language modules and language-specific translation modules are available in a limited number of combinations and directions only (see website or contact admissions tutor for details). Those wishing to take these modules should have studied the foreign language at undergraduate degree level or be able to demonstrate an equivalent level of proficiency. 

Students select optional modules

  • Translation Technologies 1
  • Translation Technologies 2
  • Language modules including Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Scandinavian languages, Spanish (up to 30 credits)
  • Translation in History
  • The Historical and Social Context of Interpreting
  • The Interaction and Language Management of Interpreting
  • Translating Literary Culture
  • Translation and Technology MSc modules (up to 30 credits)
  • CMII modules (up to 30 credits)

The Centre for Multidisciplinary & Intercultural Inquiry (CMII) offers modules in African and European area studies, comparative literature, European thought and culture, film studies, gender & sexuality studies and health humanities. Optional modules are subject to availability and language prerequisites where applicable.

Covid-19 module updates
Due to COVID-19, there may be updates to the modules for your chosen programme of study this year. Some modules may not be available or may need to be moved to a later term or year of study. These updates are relevant for 2020-21 academic year only.  The full list of modules will be available in the module catalogue from late August.  From the first week of September, you will be invited to complete module selection from Portico, our student record system. There may need to be additional updates or changes to modules during the academic year to allow for new guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England. Your department shall keep you updated of these changes as they become available.

Dissertation/report

All students complete a 12,000-word dissertation consisting either of an annotated translation or a critical discussion of theoretical, practical or historical aspects of translation.

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.

Covid-19 contact hours on campus
In Term One, while campus will be open, all the learning activity for the core content of your modules will take place online – including lectures, tutorials, seminars and assessments. By “core content” we mean everything you need to learn to complete the module successfully. In addition to these online contact hours, we will be offering some face-to-face educational activities for students on campus, and we will provide alternative online activities for those students unable to join us on campus. These activities, which will include contact with academic staff, will be relevant to your programme of study may include seminars, academic and employability skills workshops, small-group or individual tutorials, lab and practice-based teaching. UK Government safety guidelines will limit the amount of ‘in person’ activity we can offer and while it will vary from programme to programme, is likely to be no more than 1-2 hours per week. This will vary across departments, particularly if your programme includes laboratory/practical/studio/workshop sessions. You will be updated with more specific details as they are available and your timetable will indicate which sessions will be on campus and which will be available online.
Covid-19 assessment updates
There may be changes to the format of assessments for modules in this programme due to COVID-19. These will be summarised for each module on the module catalogue from 17 August 2020.   If any changes to assessments need to be made during the academic year due to updates in government guidance, these will be communicated to you as soon as possible from your department.    
Communicating further Covid-19 mitigation plans
We are continuing to follow UK Government guidance, as well as the expertise of our researchers, including specialists in health, education, human behaviour and infection prevention, to make sure UCL is as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. If it becomes necessary to make further changes to your programme as a result of new guidance/regulations, UCL and your department will communicate these as soon as this becomes clear. We will keep you up-to-date with our plans throughout term one, so you have the information you need to be able to take decisions that are right for your circumstances. Please ensure that you keep in touch with your department by regularly checking your UCL emails, Moodle courses, the Coronavirus FAQs for Students page and any UCL online groups or social media you follow.

Additional costs

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

Accessibility

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

Funding

For details of scholarships available to MA students in SELCS, please refer to the MA Scholarships webpage.

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

Careers

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.

Employability

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.

Why study this degree at UCL?

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.

Department: Centre for Multidisciplinary & Intercultural Inquiry

What our students and staff say

Staff view

"There is no better place than UCL for Translation Studies. I studied here myself as a postgraduate and am delighted now to be part of a team that I found so inspiring as a student. For someone like me who teaches and researches across languages and disciplines, the resources available are unparalleled. The role of the translator in bringing dramatic works onto the stage is the focus of my research. My aim is to forge connections between theatre professionals and language specialists, investigating the different contexts and mechanisms of translating theatre for performance in a new language, and opening up the process for both practitioners and theatregoers.To that end, I have recently co-edited a volume, Adapting Translation for the Stage, which includes contributions from an international range of theatre practitioners and academics. My new book, The Translator on Stage, explores the translation processes of eight plays on the London stage from commission to reception."

Dr Geraldine Brodie

Translation: Translation and Culture MA, Translation: Research MA, Translation: Translation and Culture MA
UCL Centre for Multi-disciplinary & Intercultural Inquiry

Application and next steps

Applications

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 £80 for online applications and £105 for paper applications. Further information can be found at: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.

Who can apply?

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.

Application deadlines

All applicants
11 August 2020

For more information see our Applications page.

Apply now

What are we looking for?

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.

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.

Page last modified on 13 August 2020