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Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

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Introduction to Postgraduate Study

Join us on 13th December for a general introduction to on-campus postgraduate study at Edinburgh.

Find out more and sign up

Research profile

Doctorate-level study is an opportunity to expand upon your interests and expertise in a community that really values research; and to make an original, positive contribution to learning in translation studies.

One of the most flexible doctoral programmes of its kind in the UK, our PhD enables you to enhance your translation practice while gaining an intellectual and philosophical perspective on the activity of translation, developing you as a self-reflective and theoretically-minded researcher or translator.

Join our community and undertake a specialised research project under the guidance of experienced and well-published supervisors - you can opt to produce an independent thesis, or an extended scholarly translation with commentary.

Research excellence

In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), our research in Translation Studies was submitted in Modern Languages and Linguistics (Panel D - Arts and Humanities; Unit of Assessment 26).

The results reaffirm Edinburgh’s position as one of the UK’s leading research universities - third in the UK.

As published in Times Higher Education's REF power ratings, this result is based on the quality and breadth of our research in the unit of assessment.

Research areas

Our expertise covers a wide range of interdisciplinary and international research areas and many languages. We encourage PhD scholars to investigate translation’s intersections with intellectual, material and political perspectives in global contexts.

We have particular strengths in:

audiovisual translation
literary translation
translation and music
translation and art / intermediality
performance and translation
translation and religion
translation and history
trauma and translation
gender and translation
translation and health
translation and the environment

Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in Translation Studies

Languages offered

Arabic
Chinese
Danish
French
German
Hindi
Japanese
Norwegian
Persian
Portuguese
Spanish
Swedish
Tamil
Turkish

We typically offer the languages above, but not necessarily on a year-on-year basis due to staff commitment and leave.

Be inspired by the range of PhD research in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

Go beyond the books

Beyond the Books is a podcast from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen.

Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research. Guests include Dr Charlotte Bosseaux (Series 2 - Episode 6) talking about her AHRC-funded research on the ethical demands of translating accounts of trauma.

Browse Beyond the Books episodes and hear our research community talk about their work

Training and support

This programme includes optional training on research skills, methods and problems.

Between the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), the Careers Service, and the Institute for Academic Development (IAD), you will find a further range of programmes and resources to help you develop your postgraduate skills.

You will also have access to the University’s fantastic libraries, collections and worldwide strategic partnerships.

Our graduates tell us that they value LLC’s friendliness, the connections they make here and the in-depth guidance they receive from our staff, who are published experts in their field.

As one of our PhD candidates, you will be part of a friendly international community which partners the International Postgraduate Conference in Translation and Interpreting (IPCITI) and has its own seminar series for postgraduate students, staff and visiting speakers, as well as hosting regular symposia and conferences such as 'Whose Voice is it Anyway?'.

Whose Voice is it Anyway?

We are an official Higher Education Language Partner of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) and a member of the RWS Campus - Trados Academic Partner Program.

We have great links with the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and with many industry and cultural partners in the city of Edinburgh.

Facilities

On campus

As a student here, you will have borrowing rights to over two million volumes in the University's Main Library, which subscribes to the 'Bibliography of Translation Studies' database.

The Library is also the home of the University's Centre for Research Collections which brings together:

more than 400,000 rare books
six kilometres of archives and manuscripts
thousands of works of art, historical musical instruments and other objects

Many of our Special Collections are digitised and available online from our excellent Resource Centre, Computing Labs, and dedicated PhD study space in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC).

Look inside the PhD study space in LLC

In the city

Our world-leading capital city is a treasure trove of cinemas, theatres, galleries, and museums, consulates and cultural institutes, and established communities of non-English speakers.

Highlights include the National Museums and Galleries of Scotland, the National Library of Scotland, the Scottish Poetry Library and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree and a masters degree with distinction (first class or excellent), or their international equivalents, in a relevant subject.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

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:

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

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).

Approved universities in 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:

English language requirements

Fees and costs

Award	Title	Duration	Study mode
PhD	Translation Studies	3 Years	Full-time	Tuition fees
PhD	Translation Studies	6 Years	Part-time	Tuition fees

Scholarships and funding

Featured funding

There are a number of scholarship schemes available to eligible candidates on this PhD programme, including awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Please be advised that many scholarships have more than one application stage, and early deadlines.