MA Translation, Interpreting and Subtitling

Program Overview

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Our MA Translation, Interpreting and Subtitling is the first of its kind to offer written translation, oral interpreting and film and video subtitling within a single course. This complete and integrated approach to language services is demanding but it provides you with the expertise to work as a freelance or in-house translator in business, film, TV or tourism. Our course is offered with the combination of English and one of Arabic, Mandarin, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. You can be a native or near-native speaker of any of these languages, as you learn to translate to and from both languages. You work with native speakers in developing your ability to move accurately and quickly between your chosen language and English in a variety of contexts. Explore our hands-on, practical modules covering areas including:

• Principles of Translations and Interpreting
• Translation Portfolios
• Interpreting practice
• Technologies of Translation,
• Subtitling

We are 1st in UK for research impact in modern languages and linguistics (Grade Point Average, Research Excellence Framework 2021). We're also ranked 11th in the UK for Linguistics in the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2023). If you want a global outlook, are interested in human communication, and want to study for a degree with real-world practical value in a close-knit department, welcome to Essex.

Latin American Scholarship (including Caribbean)

Our £5,000 Latin American Scholarship is available for this course, if you're from Latin American or the Caribbean. MA Translation, Interpreting and Subtitiling Why we're great.

• We are one of the largest and most prestigious language and linguistics departments in the UK, ranked 1st in UK for research impact in modern languages and linguistics (Grade Point Average, Research Excellence Framework 2021).
• Work in our state-of-the-art interpreter training lab and UN-style conference interpreting booths
• Weekly multilingual interpreting conferences, field trips and workshops led by internationally renowned experts from the industry

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Our expert staff

Our lecturers are skilled interpreters and translators, experienced in training students with the necessary skills for professional practice. We maintain excellent student-staff ratios with capped language-specific seminars. Our lecturers come from around the world including France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Cuba, China, and the UK. They will share their expertise with you in the areas of professional translation.

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Specialist facilities

• Our state-of-the-art interpreting lab provides you with simultaneous interpreting booths in a professional business setting for both classwork and practice
• You also have access to LTB 6, a conference facility for up to 350 people with simultaneous interpreting booths, for interpreting live conferences and lectures
• 24-hour self-access to our translation lab dedicated to translation students
• Use specialist software such as SDL Trados Studio 2019 and MemoQ for technical translation, Televic and Brähler equipment for Interpreting and WinCaps Qu4ntum for Subtitling
• Use our professional recording studios to video record a small audience or for presentations
• Weekly multilingual interpreting conferences, field trips and workshops led by internationally renowned experts from the industry
• Our Languages for All programme offers you the opportunity to study an additional language alongside your course at no extra cost

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Your future

This course can lead to you having a career in tourism, business or in international organisations . You will gain key employability skills such as researching, writing for specific purposes, translation, interpreting and subtitling. We work with the University’s Careers Services to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities. Within our Department of Language and Linguistics, we also offer supervision for PhD and MPhil. We offer supervision in areas including language acquisition, language learning and language teaching, culture and communication, psycholinguistics, language disorders, sociolinguistics, and theoretical and descriptive linguistics. Our graduates are successful in a wide variety of career paths. They leave Essex with a unique set of skills and experience that are in demand by employers. "I loved the combination of all three practices because it provided a lot of variety and expanded my expertise in not one but several linguistic fields. I also found that it struck the perfect balance between theory and practice. My classes focused largely on collaborative learning in small groups which attributed to a dynamic, engaging and interesting learning environment." Jenny Higgs, MA Translation, Interpreting and Subtitling.

Program Outline

Course structure

Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The following modules are based on the current course structure and may change in response to new curriculum developments and innovation. We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, or in response to COVID-19, we’ll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

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Components

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose. Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

Status	What this means
Core	You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory	You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional	You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

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Modules

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits. In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available. Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code . For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

HR	100	4	FY
The department or school the module will be taught by. In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.	The module number.	The UK academic level of the module. A standard undergraduate course will comprise of level 4, 5 and 6 modules - increasing as you progress through the course. A standard postgraduate taught course will comprise of level 7 modules. A postgraduate research degree is a level 8 qualification.	The term the module will be taught in. AU : Autumn term SP : Spring term SU : Summer term FY : Full year AP : Autumn and Spring terms PS: Spring and Summer terms AS: Autumn and Summer terms

Year 1 What are your responsibilities when translating or interpreting professionally? What are the contexts in which interpreting can take place? And what tools are available to assist you when translating or interpreting? Examine the issues that face professional translators and interpreters alongside the theoretical concepts and considerations. View Principles of Translation and Interpreting on our Module Directory COMPONENT 02: OPTIOL Language option from list (15 CREDITS) COMPONENT 03: OPTIOL Language option from list (15 CREDITS) COMPONENT 04: COMPULSORY WITH OPTIONS LG624-7-SP or LA875-7-SP or LA876-7-AU (15 CREDITS) COMPONENT 05: OPTIOL Language option from list (15 CREDITS) COMPONENT 06: OPTIOL Language option from list (15 CREDITS) Want hands-on experience of the key technologies that aid translation today? Become a confident user of CAT (computer aided translation) in the translation environment. Practice and develop your translation and editing skills via our practical workshops, so that you are familiar with all stages of the translation process. View Technologies of Translation on our Module Directory Want to produce accurate and reader-friendly interlingual subtitles? How do you recognise good subtitling? What skills does it require? Develop your understanding of the subtitling process. Learn to use the spotting and word-processing functions of professional subtitling software, while building your proof reading and editing skills. View Subtitling: Principles and Practice on our Module Directory Want to consolidate your practical language skills by conducting a project investigating translation, interpreting or subtitling? Work with a supervisor to define specific research questions. Search existing studies for information about your topic. Reflect on the processes involved and learn how to write an extended report on your findings. View Dissertation on our Module Directory

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Teaching

• Teaching methods include lectures, demonstrations and learning by teaching others
• We run a weekly departmental seminar, attended by both staff and students

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Assessment

• Your eight one-term modules are assessed by coursework and you are also assessed on your dissertation

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Dissertation

• Your 16,000-word dissertation allows you to focus in-depth on your chosen topic from April onwards
• Close supervision by a member of staff within our Department