Translation Studies MSc
Awards: MSc
Study modes: Full-time, Part-time
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Translation Studies
Offering students the opportunity to focus on two languages, in addition to English, the University of Edinburgh is the ideal place to study translation.
Our one-year, full-time taught Masters programme will enhance your practical skills in, and theoretical understanding of, translation as an activity. It can also be completed part-time over two years.
How you will learn
The programme combines:
- core courses
- optional courses
- research training
- practical translation
- a dissertation
It is taught through a combination of:
- seminars
- tutorials
- student-led presentations
- written exercises
What you will gain
Across all our activities, we encourage critical thinking on language use and translation and an understanding of the factors which impact on the discipline. We will introduce you to major concepts in translation theory and show you how to apply them in translation practice.
This will help you sharpen important professional skills, such as:
- undertaking research
- thinking analytically
- writing commentaries and essays to deadline
- using a range of resources and presentation techniques
- understanding texts in different genres and how to translate them
The programme will also broaden your understanding of issues relating to translation, such as gender, power relations, and religion.
Languages
We offer a wide variety of languages, from Arabic to Norwegian, with the opportunity to focus on two of them, in addition to English.
You can browse the full range of languages offered, and find out about language pairs, on our website:
Community
An official member of the SDL University Partner Program, our MSc draws on the expertise of research-active teaching staff from across the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, as well as experts in Translation Studies and visiting speakers.
You will be part of an international community of students and a friendly, close-knit department with an excellent PhD programme, its own seminar series, and good links with the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), and with many industry and cultural partners in the city of Edinburgh.
The University of Edinburgh library holds some two million borrowable volumes and subscribes to the 'Bibliography of Translation Studies'.
Over the duration of the programme, you will take:
- two core courses
- two practical translation courses
- two optional courses
You will choose these from a wide range of subjects. Each course is worth 20 credits.
Core courses
The core courses are:
- Translation Studies 1, which introduces some of the major concepts in translation theory and focuses on their application to translation practice
- Research in Translation Studies, which will provide you with research skills specific to the discipline of translation studies and prepare you for your dissertation
The practical translation courses consist of tutor-led class time and workshops with Translation Studies staff per course, as well as an independent, peer-assessed study component. You will be supervised in practical translation exercises and assessed on a portfolio of translations.
Dissertation
The final element of the programme is your dissertation, a piece of independent research - 15,000 words (worth 60 credits) - written with the advice and support of a designated supervisor.
Find out more about compulsory and optional courses
We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | Translation Studies | 1 Year | Full-time | Programme structure 2023/24 |
MSc | Translation Studies | 2 Years | Part-time | Programme structure 2023/24 |
Upon successful completion of this programme you will:
- develop critical thinking on language use and translation
- understand the key concepts of the academic discipline of translation studies
- learn to implement the diverse approaches to translation prevalent within translation studies in the form of various translation strategies
- broaden and deepen understanding of a variety of issues in relation to translation, such as gender, power relations, and religion
- acquire important transferable skills
Our programme is designed to enhance your industry skills in translation, with practical exercises throughout the year, and a strong emphasis on communication and working to deadline.
We have excellent links with the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and are an official member of the SDL University Partner Program, providing students with the necessary knowledge, expertise and resources to help prepare for a career in the translation industry.
Completing our MSc will also help you develop and refine your research skills, and theoretical understanding of translation, in ways that will prepare you for further postgraduate study, should you wish to continue your career in an academic environment.
Many of our graduates have gone on to work as freelance and in-house translators, as well as project managers and language teachers. Others work within international companies, and some have continued into doctoral studies.
These entry requirements are for the 2023/24 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2024/25 academic year will be published on 2 October 2023.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant discipline, plus a research interest or professional experience in translation or another relevant field.
Applicants must have native speaker competence in any languages that they apply to work with other than English.
Please consult the offered language pairings available on the programme website:
Students from China
This degree is Band C.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
MSc | Translation Studies | 1 Year | Full-time | Tuition fees |
MSc | Translation Studies | 2 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
Featured funding
If you have been domiciled in Scotland for a minimum of four years, and you wish to specialise in French or Spanish on this programme, you may be eligible for a Muriel Smith Scholarship. The award covers tuition fees for a maximum of one year at the Home/EU rate.
*(Revised 9 March 2023 to add in featured funding information.)
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.
The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:
- your programme
- the duration of your studies
- your tuition fee status
Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- For all admissions enquiries
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office
- School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- 50 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LH
- Programme: Translation Studies
- School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
MSc Translation Studies - 1 Year (Full-time)
MSc Translation Studies - 2 Years (Part-time)
Programme start date | Application deadline |
---|---|
11 September 2023 | 30 June 2023 |
Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.
Deadlines for applicants applying to study in 2023/24:
Round | Application deadline | Places awarded by |
---|---|---|
1 | 08 November 2022 | 15 December 2022 |
2 | 13 January 2023 | 16 March 2023 |
3 | 08 March 2023 | 27 April 2023 |
4 | 22 May 2023 | 25 July 2023 |
5 | 30 June 2023 | 10 August 2023 |
You must submit one reference with your application.
If you have practical experience in translation, you should provide one academic reference and one professional reference.
The personal statement in the online application process helps us decide whether you are right for the MSc programme you have selected but. Just as importantly, it helps us decide whether the MSc programme is right for you.
To help us with this, please ensure that you download and complete the Personal Statement Pro Forma, which should then be uploaded to your application as an additional supporting document.
You should indicate the languages you wish to take - a maximum of two - and contact us to check their availability. You will always translate into and out of English. Our programme website details all the languages we currently offer.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- For all admissions enquiries
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office
- School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- 50 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LH
- Programme: Translation Studies
- School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences