Program Overview

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 100 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.

Our programme is designed cover the list of competences required by professional translators published in 2017 by the European Master’s in Translation network. We work closely with translation agencies, freelancers and other stakeholders to ensure that our syllabus prepares you for professional employment in the growing translator industry.

Translation practice is at the heart of the programme, and you will undertake extensive practical and specialised translation in your chosen language pair(s). We also offer training in state-of-the-art translation technology and the opportunity to study another foreign language at beginners, intermediate or advanced level. The MA also provides excellent preparation for further study at PhD level.

Employability

Graduates of the MA in Translation Studies go on to a variety of interesting careers, from working as translators and project managers for major language service providers, to running their own translation companies, or staying on in Birmingham to do doctoral research. Over the past three years, 95% of Translation Studies graduates were in work and/or further study six months after graduation (DLHE 2014-2017).

The programme will enable you to develop a wide range of skills and attributes which will be vital in your future career. In particular, it will give you the ability to:

• Analyse and translate samples of English and other languages, using appropriate methods
• Retrieve information, terminology and specialised-knowledge from a range of sources, and use them in their translation practice
• Communicate effectively in written academic English and use appropriate IT skills, including a range of computer-aided translation tools
• Interact effectively in a group
• Plan work effectively, with appropriate time-management skills
• Carry out research in a selected area, both individually and in terms, and report that research appropriately.