Translation Studies MA

This course is for anyone looking to begin a career as a translator or enhance their existing career in the sector. You'll join our global community of translators and develop industry-specific skills.

We also offer a distance learning programme over 18 or 30 months. Find out more about the MA Translation Studies (Distance Learning).

Course structure

The course runs over 12 months full-time. You can also study this programme on a part-time basis.

You can take a Professional Development module where you'll develop the skills you need to excel as a professional translator. We have strong links with industry and organise talks from professionals, as well as advertising mentoring and internship opportunities. You'll get to build your networks from day one. 

• The University is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits (The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers report).
• 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 with modules covering translation theory and practice.
• Access translation software, including translation memory tools, corpus and text analysis tools and post-editing tools, plus SDL Studio Freelance licences.

Flexibility and choice

This course is inclusive to different language backgrounds. We can support a range of language pairs. You can find the full list of language pairs in the application process section. We offer a ‘standard’ route and an ‘open’ route on the MA. The ‘open’ route offers you more flexibility if you want to work with a less common language pairing than the ones listed for the ‘standard’ route. Assessments on the ‘open’ route focus on your commentary and analytical skills rather than direct translation. You'll still take modules involving translation, allowing you to develop your practical skills. 

• 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 small group teaching. 
• Dissertation - you will 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 (We would like to thank Phrase for granting us free access to their platform); Wordfast (courtesy of Wordfast LLC and Yves Champollion); and the Sketch Engine corpus manager and text analysis.  

The modules listed for this programme are regularly reviewed to ensure they are up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods.

Any optional module information listed for this programme is intended to be indicative, and the availability of optional modules may vary from year to year. Where a module is no longer available, we will let you know as soon as we can and help you to make other choices.

2025/26 Session

The following must be taken:

Students must take one of the Translating for Business modules listed below:

Students must take one of the Specialised Translation modules listed below:

Students must take one of the following dissertation modules:

Students must take 2 x 20 credit optional modules. This may include two 10-credit Language for All modules.

Availability of particular modules varies from year to year and is subject to timetabling constraints.

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 typically expect you have an Honours degree level at a 2:1 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 Honours degree, you may need to provide evidence of relevant work experience.

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

• English to Mandarin but not Mandarin to English (if you'd like to translate in both directions, you can do this on our MA Translation Studies Distance Learning)

• French to English and English to French

• Italian to English and English to Italian

• Russian to English and English to Russian

• Spanish to English and English to Spanish

• Portuguese to English and English to Portuguese

• German to English and English to German

• English to Greek and Greek to English
  
  
• English to Catalan and Catalan to English

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.

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2025 entry are above.

The fees quoted are for one year only. For those studying courses that are longer than one year, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

Paying your tuition fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. You can check whether you are eligible for UK or international fees with our admissions team.

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.

Select whether you are a UK student or an international student for relevant application deadlines.

We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

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

• Which language pair(s) you expect to use for practical translation modules
• The direction in which you intend to work. For example: “English to French”, “Spanish to English”, “English to Chinese”, etc.

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.

Our bustling campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of accommodation options in the UK’s second city, exciting activities to get involved in outside your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.

Accommodation

Coming to Birmingham to study might be your first time living away from home. Our student accommodation will allow you to enjoy your independence in safe, welcoming and sociable surroundings.

Living in Birmingham

As one of the original pioneering cities, Birmingham has developed into a melting pot for shopping, food and drink, nightlife, sport, culture, and industry. It’s no wonder our students fall in love with the city.

Campus life

Our green and spacious campus is the place where our diverse community comes together to learn, relax and socialise. Like a town of its own, just minutes from the hustle and bustle of the UK’s second city.

Student support

Whoever you are and wherever you come from, we are committed to providing the best possible support to all of our students, both before you start and throughout your time on campus, so that you can get the most out of your university experience.