Languages offered
- French, German, Italian, Russian or Spanish
Qualifications and durations
- Full-time MA 1 year (includes 3 months to submit dissertation)
This programme is designed to prepare linguists for careers in several areas of specialised language work in which there is a rapidly growing demand for highly trained speakers of English, both in the UK and abroad.
These include translation, editing and revision, précis writing, public service interpreting and proofreading. The programme also covers real-world skills such as translation management and setting up in business as a translator.
Placements are normally organised during the year with the language services of international organisations, government departments or translation companies.
Visit the website http://www.bath.ac.uk/study/pg/programmes/ma-in-tran-and-prof-lang-skil/
- Team of highly experienced professional staff
- State of the art digital interpreting suites provide excellent teaching and practice space.
- Small class sizes provide high levels of student and teacher contact.
- Work placements in translating are often an option during the programme and provide invaluable practical experience.
- Motivated and multi-national student cohort offers a diverse and stimulating learning environment.
- Students are exposed to realistic training from experienced translation and interpreting trainers which prepares them for work after graduation.
- The University and city of Bath offer ample exposure for non-native students to the English language and culture of the UK.
Semester 1
- Editing and revision (core unit)
- Professional translation (core unit)
- Proofreading (optional unit)
- Translation management (optional unit)
- Public speaking (optional unit)
Semester 2
- Editing and revision (core unit)
- Professional translation (core unit)
- Précis writing for UN (optional unit)
- Enterprise skills (optional unit)
- Using technology in the T&I Industry (optional unit)
- Public service interpreting (optional unit)
- 15,000 word thesis: annotated translation or a project type
If you are interested in taking the German-only or Italian-only pathway, you will not be able to take the Precis writing for the UN unit (as German and Italian are not UN languages), therefore you will have to take all the other units listed below. If you have any queries about this then you can contact us (http://www.bath.ac.uk/polis/about/contact-us/).
Through our extensive network of contacts, we try to organise placements for all students with the language services of international organisations, government departments or translation companies.
They provide an invaluable insight into the work of professional linguists and are valued highly by employers. They are not however compulsory and are not always guaranteed.
Our students have previously undertaken placements in:
- United Nations
- Institutions of the European Union
- Council of Europe
Our programmes are modular, consisting of self-contained units, taught and assessed on a semester basis. As you progress through each semester and successfully pass the examinations, you will receive credit for the units, thus providing you with a clear indication of your academic progress.
Teaching takes the form of lectures, classes and seminars. Lectures are quite formal, whereas classes and seminars involve interaction between the lecturer and a small number of students for study skills and discussion.
We also use the software MemoQ for the delivery of the unit, Using Technology in the Translation & Interpreting Industry; this is one of the leading tools in the industry.
We have a worldwide reputation for training professional translators and conference interpreters. This programme draws on that expertise and extends into new and specialised areas of language work where there is a great demand for highly trained linguists with English as their first or ‘A’ language.
This programme has been established following feedback from a wide range of employers, including the Association of Translation Companies, the European Commission, the European Central Bank and numerous UN agencies.
Organisations are keen to recruit the linguists we produce.
The Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies (PoLIS) (http://www.bath.ac.uk/polis/) is one of the largest departments in the University.
Many staff are leading scholars in their field and are involved in a wide range of research activities, including collaborative projects at both national and international levels.
International and industrial links:
- Our department has links with 22 Erasmus partner institutions, as well as universities in Russia and Mexico.
- Research students regularly engage in fieldwork abroad, especially in the countries of the European Union, but also in Russia, Latin America and the United States.
- Students on the Euromasters programme study at two or three different sites in either Europe or the USA.
- In the case of the MA Interpreting & Translating and the MA Translation & Professional Language Skills, a number of work placements in Western Europe are made available to students in the language services of international organisations, government departments and commercial enterprises.
Experts from our department are publishing regularly in the most highly ranked international journals.
Our academic expertise and research activities are organised into three broad Research Clusters:
- Conflict, Security & International Order
- Governance, Citizenship & Policy
- Memory, History & Identity
International collaboration:
Many staff are internationally leading scholars in their field. We are involved in a wide range of research activities, including collaborative projects at both national and international levels.
Projects are funded by a variety of bodies such as:
- Economics & Social Research Council (ESRC)
- European Commission Framework Programme
- Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
Stimulating cutting edge research:
Our diversity and the disciplinary mix of political science, political theory, policy analysis, social anthropology, political sociology and others make for a very stimulating environment for students to develop their own research projects.
The integration of our research community is further enhanced through the International Relations & European Politics (IREP) postgraduate group.
Find out how to apply here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/hss/graduate-school/taught-programmes/how-to-apply/
Equip yourself to work as a proficient Chinese-English translator and business interpreter on this master's course.
Our MA Translation with Business Interpreting (Chinese) is a highly competitive, sought-after master's, ideal for those with an interest and aptitude for translation or business interpreting.
You may be working already as a translator and interpreter in mainland China, Taiwan, the UK or elsewhere, or looking to establish yourself with the specialist skills needed to excel in this profession.
The focus of the course is on written translation from English to Chinese and Chinese to English, as well as business interpreting between English and Chinese. In particular, you'll develop translation and interpreting skills suited to working in business and tailored to market needs in mainland China, Taiwan, the UK and other regions.
The course is highly practical so you'll have plenty of opportunities to hone and develop your skills. You will:
The teaching at Bath is highly regarded internationally. You will be taught exclusively by experienced tutors who have worked as professional translators and/or interpreters; many have interpreted for heads of state and government ministers and work for global organisations such as the EU and UN. As such, they can share a wealth of experience with you and provide useful connections to help with potential job opportunities and internships.
We also regularly arrange visits from representatives of the language services of international organisations, government departments and commercial enterprises, to give you insights into their working practices.
Studying on this course will give you the in-depth training needed to work as a Chinese-English translator and interpreter in a variety of contexts, with a strong focus on translation and interpreting for business.
You may go on to work as a freelance translator and interpreter and potentially set up your own translation and interpreting business. You could also work as an in-house interpreter or translator, teach at a university or take your skills into other fields.
We also have an extremely active alumni network and tight-knit community that shares career advice. This enables us to help with short-term interpreting and translation opportunities supported by recent graduates.
This course lasts 1 year. Occasionally we make changes to our programmes in response to, for example, feedback from students, developments in research and the field of studies, and the requirements of accrediting bodies. You will be advised of any significant changes to the advertised programme, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions.
These compulsory units are currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new units.
You may be able to go on a placement in Semester 2. Several of our students have completed three-week to two-month-long translation internships at the UN in London, New York and Geneva. Placements are not guaranteed.
The MA Creative Writing is an intensive course which treats your ambition as a writer seriously. Our students come from a range of backgrounds including the arts, teaching, law, journalism, history and writing. The course is for anyone with an interest in or ambition towards writing.
Some of our most successful students include best-selling author of A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, Marina Lewycka, T.S. Eliot short-listed poet Frances Leviston and Radio 4 and BBC TV script writer Sharon Oakes.
Our internationally-acclaimed team of published writers teach in all areas of contemporary literary practice. They include
The E.A Markham Award
The E.A Markham Award means that one student each year will study the course for free. The award covers the full-time study fees and is awarded solely on merit and potential. It is offered in memory of Professor E.A Markham, a respected tutor here who worked to shape the development of this course.
Download the E.A Markham award guidance for more information.
Short course – single modules
If you are not able to commit to the whole course, you can apply to take a single module. Choose a genre from the optional modules listed in the course content and apply as normal. Your portfolio needs to include examples of writing in your chosen genre. The credit you gain for completing one module will count towards the full MA should you choose to pursue this at a later date.
Publications and prizes
The Ictus Prize in Poetry is awarded to the best poetry collection – this consists of a small pamphlet publication. Every year, we publish Matter, a stylish anthology, edited and designed by students, and sold and promoted in bookshops. If you would like to receive a sample copy of this, email the course leader [email protected]
Core modules
Assessment
Submission of written work to specified word lengths with accompanying critical commentaries.
By enhancing your skills in writing, literary revision and reflection, you are preparing for a number of roles where knowledge of writing and the processes of writing are important such as
Translation ability can take you anywhere in the world working in top level areas of government and business or within consultancies able to offer translation across all communications channels. This Master's degree will give you the academic ability and knowledge to analyse what you need for each specific job you do and be able to really build your experience and further your knowledge in this specialist area.
If you want to go into consultancy or professional translation on behalf of wide ranging sectors, Translations Studies enables you to specialist and advance your skills with a professional environment. Languages you can study include Arabic, French, German, Irish, Mandarin, Spanish and Welsh with other languages which may be available on demand. You can specialise in more than one language at Aberdeen which makes it a very attractive centre to study. You get a range of courses to really test you out and ensure you know the various techniques involved in translation at speed for example, narrative, arguments, texts and different applications. You can apply your skills within business, law, medicine in particular to ensure you have a range of applications and solid rigour to your skills. There are a number of optional courses which enable you to specialise even more into areas such as translation technologies which may allow you to get involved in software design for example or apps. You can also study, liaison interpreting, inter-cultural skills and professional skills looking at proof reading, editing and reviewing.
Translation Studies allows you to put your skills to good use in a range of exciting international and national careers with advanced level linguistics and communications skills as a translator.
Semester 1
Introduction
Compulsory
Semester 2
Semester 3
Find out about fees
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/funding/
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
This course combines relevant theory with practice and, by equipping you with appropriate knowledge and skills, enhances your employment prospects in the publishing and related media industries.
The MA in Publishing Media at Oxford Brookes is respected throughout the world. It gives you a broad understanding of the key issues facing the publishing industry in the 21st century, and provides scope to develop specialist skills required for your career development. It also enables in-depth exploration of specialist areas through independent study and a dissertation or a major project.
This is one of a number of courses run by the Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies which enjoy a high international standing in the publishing world. We have close links with publishing companies in Oxford, London and the south-east of the UK, and our staff have extensive experience in national and international publishing roles.
Our industry-led Publishing Media MA provides you with the skills, knowledge and networks to kickstart your career in publishing, or to improve your current position.
To find out more visit Oxford International Centre for Publishing Studies.
As a student studying with us, you will engage in a range of teaching and learning experiences. Some of the key teaching methods we use are:
Assignments in all modules are designed to assess your knowledge and skills developed during the period of study. It is nearly all coursework with a few class tests. These are designed to closely align with industry practice so that through the programme you gain in confidence in your ability to complete live publishing projects. After successfully completing the programme you are ready to enter the publishing industry as an effective employee.
Assessment is primarily by coursework. A limited number of class tests assess your skills in applying marketing terms and in proofreading.
Our programmes in Publishing provide you with the skills, knowledge and equally important access to networks that kickstart your career in publishing, or improve your current position.
Graduates who have completed publishing courses at Oxford Brookes have been exceptionally successful in obtaining employment soon after graduation and have a strong record of career progression because our courses enjoy a high international standing. Our flexible work experience opportunities with local, regional, national and international publishing enterprises provide you with the essential up-to-date practical knowledge that will enhance your employment prospects on completing the programme. In addition our teaching staff have extensive experience in national and international publishing roles and a broad range of contacts that are at your disposal for your individual interests in this diverse industry.
You apply for this course through http://www.brookes.ac.uk" target="_blank">UCAS Postgraduate.
Through UCAS Postgraduate, you should use the UKPASS portal to make your application, which will then be forwarded directly to our Admissions Office. You should send supporting documentation to us directly using the email addresses on the UKPASS application form.
You do not need to wait for your references before you apply and while we do not have a deadline for applications and continue to accept students through the summer, the earlier you apply, the earlier we can respond.
We usually offer an interview to applicants which can be in person if you live near Oxford. Alternatively, we can telephone you or offer a Skype interview.
Successful applicants who have accepted their place are then invited to join a Facebook group so that they can get to know each other before joining us in September.
