Translation Studies (by Distance Learning) (Online)MA

Study from anywhere in the world on our distance learning MA Translation Studies course. You'll learn flexibly from home around other commitments. Join our global community of translators and develop industry-specific skills.

This course is runs over 18 or 30 months part-time and is taught by distance learning. You’ll access materials online at a time that suits you

You can study over 18 or 30 months and choose from multiple entry points throughout the year.

• We’re a member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), the Association of Programmes in Translation and Interpreting Studies, UK and Ireland, and the Association of Translation Companies.
• Develop the employability skills you need for the translation industry, whether you want to take the next step in your translation career or begin a new career altogether.         
• Access translation software, including translation memory tools, corpus and text analysis tools and post-editing tools, plus SDL Studio Freelance licences.
• We're one of the top 100 Modern Languages departments in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024).

Get ready for your future

At Birmingham, we work closely with translation agencies and freelancers to make sure our syllabus prepares you for professional employment in the translator industry. You can take Professional Development and Project Management modules where you'll develop the skills you need to stand out as a translator.

We have strong links with industry and organise talks from professionals, as well as advertising mentoring and internship opportunities.

The course runs over 18 months on the accelerated route or 30 months on the standard route. Both routes are studied part time. You can only begin the accelerated route in October. You can begin the standard route in October, February or April.

Choose a postgraduate qualification that fits around your other commitments: a Postgraduate Certificate (3 modules), Postgraduate Diploma (6 modules) or the full MA (6 modules and a dissertation). 

• Taught modules - each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation. 
• Seminars – modules are mainly taught by online small group teaching. 
• Dissertation - you'll undertake a 15,000-word dissertation in an area that interests you. This can be a traditional written dissertation or an extended translation project, translating a 7,500-word text of your choice, plus a 7,500-word commentary on the text.

Facilities

You'll access a variety of tools and software used in the translation industry, such as translation memory tools, corpus and text analysis tools and post-editing tools.  There's a variety of specialist software available, such as SDL Trados; Phrase; Wordfast (courtesy of Wordfast LLC and Yves Champollion); and the Sketch Engine corpus manager and text analysis.  

The modules listed below are an indication only and may be subject to change. Occasionally, it may be necessary to make changes to modules, for example, to ensure they remain current and relevant.

As a research-intensive University, our teaching is informed by the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff. For more information on the circumstances in which the University may need to make changes to modules, please refer to the Terms and Conditions for applicants.

2025/26 Session

The following must be taken:

2026/27 Session

The following must be taken:

Students chose 2x20 credits of Level M optional modules from a list offered by the department

2027/28 Session

Choose one of the following modules:

The language you intend to translate into needs to be your mother tongue language or a language you use regularly.

If you want to translate into a language that you use regularly, but isn't your mother tongue, you may need to provide evidence of your language proficiency.

We usually expect you to be trained at degree level in the language(s) you intend to translate from. If you don't hold a degree in your ‘second’ language, you may need to provide other evidence of proficiency. This needs to be equivalent to a minimum of level C1 on the Common European Framework for Languages.

If you don't hold a languages or humanities-related degree, you may need to provide evidence of relevant work experience.

We can accommodate a range of language pairings. These are:

• Arabic to English and English to Arabic
  
  
• French to English and English to French
  
  
• German to English and English to German
  
  
• Greek to English and English to Greek
  
  
• Italian to English and English to Italian
  
  
• Mandarin to English and English to Mandarin
  
  
• Polish to English and English to Polish
  
  
• Portuguese to English and English to Portuguese
  
  
• Russian to English and English To Russian
  
  
• Spanish to English and English to Spanish

We're also able to offer a pathway through the programme for those working in other languages.

English language requirements

If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification. You'll need to have an IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.5 in any band or equivalent.

For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.5 in any band, which is equivalent to:

• TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 22 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 67 in all four skills
• Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 176 in any component
• LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 33 in each skill

English Presessional Programmes

Improve your knowledge of spoken and written English in preparation for studying at Birmingham with our pre-sessional English courses. If you have a conditional offer, you can take one of these courses as an alternative to retaking IELTS or other similar qualifications.

This programme is charged per module.

Fees for 20-credit modules for students starting from October 2024 - July 2025: £1,260 per module

Fees for 20-credit modules for students starting from October 2025 - July 2026: £1,304 per module

Students who start between October 2024 and July 2025 will continue to pay module fees at the rates shown here throughout the duration of this course. An invoice will be issued for each module, at the time that you register onto that module.

A fee is also payable for the dissertation (worth 60 credits) and this is charged at the applicable rate for the academic year in which it is submitted. As a guide, dissertation fees are £3,912 for October 2025 entry.

Paying your tuition fees

Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.

Postgraduate Masters Loan

To help with the cost of studies, this loan is available to all UK students. You can use this loan towards fees, maintenance or other costs at your own discretion. It’s available for all full-time, part-time and distance learning Masters programmes, as long as you don’t already have a Masters qualification (or equivalent).If you’re a student from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you can apply for Masters loans from your country’s government.

Scholarships

To help you afford your studies, we’ve put more than £33 million into student support and scholarships. We also offer a range of advice on searching for funding and managing your finances.

Birmingham Masters Scholarships

We want to welcome the brightest talent to our postgraduate community. That’s why our Birmingham Masters Scholarships award £3,000 to more than 300 students each year.

The University of Birmingham offers flexible routes of study for this programme:

• Accelerated Route* (programme code 011D): Complete your studies in 18 months (Complete a module every 2 months and your final project over 6 months). October start only.
• Standard Route (programme code 8914): Complete your studies in 30 months (Complete a module every 4 months and your final project over 6 months). October, February or April starts available.

*Only students following the accelerated route are eligible for Government loans

Entry point: 1 February – application deadline 1 January
Entry point: 1 April – application deadline 1 March
Entry point: 1 October – application deadline 1 September

Please clearly state in your application (at the top of your ‘Personal Statement’):

• Which language pair you will be using
• The direction in which you intend to work. For example: “English to French”, “Spanish to English”, “English to Chinese”, etc.

This information must be provided in order for us to make a decision on your application.

Our Modern Languages graduates enter many roles, including:

• Translation project manager
• Translator
• Secondary school teacher
• Copywriter

Employers our Modern Languages graduates have worked for include:

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Morningside Translations
• Secondary schools

Careers Network

Get ready for tomorrow, with advice, guidance and opportunities at every step of your studies. From developing new skills to preparing for a PhD, our Careers Network can help you gain an advantage in the job market or advance in your field.

Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one-to-one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters. We also offer subject-specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.