Program Overview

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Literary Translation (M.Phil.)

The M.Phil. in Literary Translation is a unique opportunity to develop a wide range of practical skills related to translation, while also building a strong understanding of the theory and history of translation thought and a keen critical eye. The programme is based in the Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation, Ireland’s foremost centre for the study and practice of literary and cultural translation.

Overview

The course’s name uses the term “literary”. However, this should not be taken to indicate only novels and poems. In fact, the course’s definition of “literature” is so broad as to include anything that involves human creativity, including video games, subtitles, speeches, comics, and songs. Translation, and especially the kind of creative translation we develop as part of the M.Phil. in Literary Translation, has been a subject of huge interest in recent years, both within academia and in industry.

Is This Course For Me?

Located in the heart of multicultural Dublin, Trinity College provides a uniquely rich environment for studying and researching translation. Trinity has fostered many literary giants over the centuries such as Nobel Prize winner, Samuel Beckett, and has one of the best records for teaching languages in the world.

Career Opportunities

Trinity students are highly valued by the translation industry. We organise workshops with our industry partners throughout the year, and offer a long list of opportunities to network and collaborate from the beginning until the end of the degree. There is a strong and growing demand for highly trained translators with the creativity and linguistic prowess to create aesthetically appealing work.

Course Structure

The programme can be accessed via three different entry routes, each of which offers its own advantages. The M.Phil. programme (90 ECTS credits) can be studied full-time over 1 year or part-time over 3 years. The Postgraduate Diploma (60 ECTS credits) can be studied full-time over 1 year or part-time over 2 years (30 ECTS per year). The Postgraduate Certificate (30 ECTS credits) is a 1 year part-time programme.

Course Content

• Certificate students take four of the core modules: Theory and History of Translation; Linguistic and Textual Analysis; Aspects of the Profession; and Interlingual Technologies.
• Diploma students add the Literary Translation Portfolio to this list.
• MPhil students also add the Research Training Seminar.
• Students choose two of the option modules from a variety of elective modules that vary year by year.

Admission Requirements

• A minimum 2.1 honours class degree from an Irish university or its international equivalent.
• A demonstrable working knowledge of two or more languages
• For candidates who are not native English speakers and have not completed a degree through the medium of English, a minimum IELTS score of at least 6.5 in each category or its equivalent is required

English Language Requirements

All applicants to Trinity are required to provide official evidence of proficiency in the English language. Applicants to this course are required to meet Band C (Standard Entry) English language requirements.

Course Fees

For a full list of postgraduate fees, please refer to the relevant section of the university's website.

Awards

• NFQ Level 9
• Number of Places: 20 Places
• Next Intake: September 2025
• Course Director: Dr. James Hadley
• Closing Date: 30th June 2025

Application and Next Steps

You may apply at any point between the applications being opened in the autumn, and the closing date being reached in the summer. However, the course is popular, and applications are handled on a first-come first-served basis. So, you are strongly advised to apply early in order to avoid disappointment. We do our best to provide applicants with an answer within 3 weeks of receiving their full applications. Partial applications that are missing any of the materials listed below cannot be considered until they are completed.

Required Materials

For this course, you will need to prepare all these materials to apply:

• a) Stage 1 Document: The Stage 1 Document includes sections on the languages you intend to work with, a personal statement, and a sample translation.
• b) Sample of academic writing: You will require a sample of around 2,500 words of your best academic writing in English.
• c) English language qualifications: Unless you have completed a degree through the medium of English or are a native speaker, you are required to prove your proficiency with the language.
• d) Degree certificate(s): You will require the certificates that prove you have completed all of the degrees you mention in your application.
• e) Degree transcripts: You will need official transcripts showing all of the components you have completed as part of your degree(s).
• f) Two reference letters: You should ask two people who are not related to you to write letters of reference, recommending you for this course and laying out why you would be a good candidate.