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Full time & Part time September MA 1 year full-time; 2 years part-time
Communication & Media Studies (7) Languages, Literature & Culture (21) Linguistics & Classics (23)

About the course

Develop your career as a professional translator through our flexible and industry ready MA in Translation Studies. Join our global community of translators to discover the art of translation at one of the world’s top 150 Modern Languages departments.

The global Language Services industry is growing at an impressive rate; two of the top five providers, SDL and RWS, are based in the United Kingdom, and there are many large- and medium-sized providers headquartered in the US, Europe and Asia. Wherever you are based, there is no better time to enter the industry and our innovative MA is ideal for those looking to embark on, or develop, careers as professional translators.

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Entry Requirements

The language into which you intend to translate should be the language in which you have mother tongue competence, or alternatively your language of habitual use. In the latter case, you may be asked to provide evidence of proficiency.

It will normally be necessary to have training to degree level in the language(s) from which you intend to translate. If you do not hold a degree in your ‘second’ language, you may be asked to provide other evidence of proficiency.

See the programme website for full details and available language pairings.


 Course Content

Visit institution website

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Where will I study?

Where is University of Birmingham

Student Profile

Hannah Hutchinson

What has been the highlight of your course?

“The highlight of my course has been getting to know the other students and being a part of such a multicultural environment. This year we had students from all over the world (France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, China, Saudi Arabia and more) meaning our lectures and seminars were melting pots of opinions, approaches and ideas. Moreover, for us as language students, this was ideal as you could almost guarantee you could find a native speaker to practice with and pick their brains over translation challenges.”

What have you learnt from your programme?

“I have learnt so much! Not only have useful theoretical modules been covered which will help me look for resources and justify my decisions to future clients, but there was also a strong focus on practical skills including different specialisms, translation software, termbase construction and more. As well as the course, career talks from relevant industry professionals and ITI West Midlands meet-ups mean I feel far more prepared to enter the translation industry and have a deeper appreciation for the job and its challenges.”

What is life like as a student at the University of Birmingham?

“Life as a UoB student is never boring; there’s so much to do! You can get involved with your department through career talks, open day volunteering or socials, you can pick up part-time or volunteering jobs across campus and, more importantly, join loads of incredible societies at the Guild of Students. Aside from my course, I was also involved in performances with Gilbert & Sullivan Society, tried out dancing for the first time with the Ballroom and Latin Dance Society, and volunteered as a Rainbow leader and connected with other Guiding/Scouting leaders through Birmingham University Scouts and Guides society. There is something for everyone – you only need to look!”

Scholarships

The College of Arts and Law is pleased to offer a number of Home fees-only scholarships for candidates wishing to study full- and part-time masters-level courses from September 2024.

Applications are welcome from UK, EU and Overseas students wishing to study any discipline within the College's five schools:

English, Drama, American and Creative Studies
History and Cultures
Languages, Cultures, Art History and Music
Law
Philosophy, Theology and Religion

Value of Scholarship(s)

Tuition fees at Home rates for full-time applicants

Eligibility

These awards are open to UK, EU and Overseas students, studying full-time or part-time campus-based masters-level programmes in the College of Arts and Law.

They are available to students who commence their study at the start of the 2024 academic year. These awards are not available to current Masters students.

International students are eligible to apply, and will receive a reduction in tuition fees equivalent to the Home rate if successful.

Applications for funding can only be considered alongside an application to study.

Application Procedure

In order to apply, you must have completed an application to study. You will then need to complete our online funding application form. Your application must also be supported by two references.

For detailed advice and to complete the online funding application and funding reference forms, please visit our College of Arts and Law scholarships how to apply page.

By applying, you will be automatically considered for relevant College of Arts and Law scholarships. Only complete applications submitted before the deadline will be considered.


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