MA Translation
University of Surrey
Key Information
Campus location
Guildford, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 - 2 Year
Pace
Full time, Part time
Tuition fees
GBP 20,000 / per year *
Application deadline
01 Jul 2024
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
* for overseas students| for full-time UK students: £10,400| part-time UK students: £5,200; overseas students: £10,000
Introduction
Why Choose This Course
Originally launched in 1986, our Translation MA is one of the longest-running in the world. Incorporating more than 30 years of experience in translator education, we attract students from all over the world.
Our teaching combines professional translation experience with expertise in the discipline of Translation Studies. We are guided by an ambitious research program, which focuses on the responsible integration of tried-and-tested translation practices with fast-evolving technology.
The program is designed to meet the needs of the market, enabling you to develop a professional CV as you study.
What You Will Study
The course has a strong practical component that includes translation practice in the following languages paired with English: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Greek, Italian, Korean, Polish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish. Other languages are available upon request, subject to a minimum number of students.
You will develop professional translation skills under the coordinated guidance of professional translators and experienced academics. You will simulate real-life translation scenarios and cover a variety of specialisms, as you develop a solid grounding in the linguistic, quality, social, ethical, and technological dimensions of the profession. You’ll confront a wide range of translation challenges, use cutting-edge software (for example, computer-assisted translation, machine translation, and corpora), and gain a critical understanding of how technologies impact the profession.
Optional modules focusing on the creative, business, technological, and research dimensions of translation enable you to customize your learning, according to your strengths, personal tastes, and career ambitions.
You will gain experience in language services provision through work placements and/or other tasks and collaborations.
To conclude your MA, you can choose between a topic-based dissertation, an extended translation and analytical commentary, or a work placement plus a critical report.
During your studies, you will have an opportunity to demonstrate academic and professional excellence by winning prizes. These include the following:
- RWS Campus Top Student Award (two Trados licenses)
- Project management training (one free-of-charge place in the Pro PM Training and Certification Program)
- Professional Engagement Portfolio Prize
- Best Performance in Translation Prize.
Professional Development
Our course is designed to help you develop the linguistic, translation, technological, business, interpersonal, and soft skills needed for a successful career in the language services industry.
Surrey’s expertise and the training it provides in translation technologies means our graduates are well prepared for the increasing demand for computer-assisted translation, post-editing, remote collaborative assignments, and new, emerging modes of language services provision.
You will practice translation in your working language combination(s) in small groups under the guidance of professional translators, who simulate authentic translation scenarios and cover a variety of specialisms.
Surrey’s Centre for Translation Studies also hosts regular seminars to provide you with further insights about the profession.
You will receive guidance on the development of a professional engagement portfolio to help you build a professional CV as you study. This involves documenting work placements and other collaborations with language services providers, and extra-curricular activities, such as joining a professional body, attending professional development workshops and webinars, and participating in projects with the local community. For example, our students have previously worked with the University International Office, Watts Gallery, and Guildford Walking Tours.
Admissions
Curriculum
Modules
Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Please note that modules may be subject to teaching availability, student demand, and/or class size caps.
The University operates a credit framework for all taught programs based on a 15-credit tariff. Modules can be either 15, 30, 45, 75, or 120 credits, and additionally for some masters dissertations, 90 credits.
The structure of our programs follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each program. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes:
- Translation MA
Year 1
Full-time
- Academic Research Methods
- Introduction to Computational Thinking For Translators
- Principles And Challenges of Translation And Interpreting
- Professional Translation Practice I
- Translation as Human-Computer Interaction
- Writing and Rewriting for Translators
- Audiovisual Translation
- Business And Management in Translation
- Professional Translation Practice II
- Smart Technologies For Translation
- Translation For Interpreting Studies Dissertation
Part-time
- Academic Research Methods
- Introduction to Computational Thinking For Translators
- Principles And Challenges Thinking For Translators
- Professional Translation Practice I
- Writing And Rewriting For Translators
- Audiovisual Translation
- Business And Management in Translation
- Professional Translation Practice II
- Smart Technologies for translation
- Translation for the Creative Industries
Year 2
Part-time
- Academic Research Methods
- Introduction to Computational Thinking For Translators
- Translation As Human-Computer Interaction
- Writing And Rewriting For Translators
- Audiovisual Translation
- Business And Management in Translation
- Smart Technologies For Translation
- Translation For The Creative Industries
- Translation And Interpreting Studies Dissertation
Timetable
Course timetables are normally available one month before the start of the semester.
Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week (Monday – Friday). Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities. The part-time timetable is based on the full-time one, so classes will run on any teaching day.
Translation Studies seminars take place on Wednesday afternoons – attendance is optional but strongly encouraged.
Please note that our practice-based classes are normally provided by professional interpreters and we may sometimes have to reschedule classes to accommodate professional commitments.
Career Opportunities
We offer career information, advice, and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University. Our graduates have lifetime access to Surrey Pathfinder, our online portal for appointment and event bookings, jobs, placements, and interactive development tools.
There is a growing demand for novel modes of translation and multilingual language services that our MA Translation students are trained for.
The course’s work placement option enables you to gain professional experience and nurture a close relationship with a prospective employer, as you work towards your dissertation. We are regularly contacted by stakeholders from the language services industry wishing to recruit Surrey students and recent graduates.
Job opportunities include:
- Working as in-house and freelance translators
- Multilingual content writers
- Language-services managers
- Localisation specialists
- Terminology specialists
- Transcreation specialists
- Language and translation tutors.
Recent Surrey graduates have pursued careers at international organizations, government bodies, and the private sector, as well as developing successful freelance ventures. A few of our MA students carry on studying for a PhD to develop language and translation research and embrace an academic career.
To further help our students with work opportunities in the language services industry, we host an annual careers fair where local and international companies with an active interest in Surrey graduates meet our students in an informal, friendly atmosphere.
Program Tuition Fee
English Language Requirements
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