Translation Studies

Course Outline
The MA in Translation Studies provides expert training in the knowledge and skills required to become a professional translator and mediate effectively between languages and cultures.

Our programme is part of the European Masters in Translation (EMT) Network established by the Directorate-General for Translation (DGT) at the European Commission. This is a quality label awarded to higher education programmes that meet agreed professional standards and market demands, which ensures that students are equipped with both transferrable and specialist skills to enable and enhance communication in multiple contexts.

Drawing on wide-ranging expertise in the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures (SLLC), in collaboration with the Department of Modern Irish, the course allows you to focus on translation between English and one or more of the following languages:

Language Options
Chinese
French
German
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Spanish

The core component of the course offers an introduction to contemporary translation theory and practice, with seminars and hands-on workshops focused on developing general and language-specific translation and intercultural communication skills. Working individually and in groups, and supported by expert tutors, students will receive training in the key methods, strategies, processes, and tools involved in the provision of professional language services. Through a broad range of elective modules, students have the opportunity to gain specialist knowledge in diverse areas of practice and research, which they can further develop through a dedicated research piece at the end of the programme.

The MA in Translation Studies is a full-time or part-time programme running for 12 months or 24 months from the date of first registration for the programme. Students complete 90 credits as follows:

Part I
LL6014 Translation and Professional Communication Skills (5 credits)
LL6018 Contemporary Translation Theory and Practice (10 credits)
LL6020 Work-integrated Learning in Translation (10 credits)
LL6026 Introduction to Translation Technologies (5 credits)
Students take modules to the value of 30 credits from the following Groups, with a minimum of 10 credits from Group A. Note only the language(s) approved at the application stage may be selected.

Group A: Advanced Translation Skills
AS6215 Translation in Contemporary Japanese Culture & Current Affairs (10 credits)
AS6400 Translation in Contemporary Korean Culture & Current Affairs (10 credits)
CH6400 Translation Studies: Asian Studies (Chinese) (10 credits)
FR6503 Advanced French Translation Skills (10 credits)
GA6020 Advanced Translation Skills (Irish) (10 credits)
GE6014 German-English-German Translation: Methods & Practice (10 credits)
HS6003 Advanced Spanish Translation Skills (10 credits)
IT6101 Translation: Methods and Practice (10 credits)
LL6030 Translation Project (Other) (10 credits)

Group B: Specialised Translation Practices
LL6013 Introduction to the Localisation Industry (5 credits)
LL6021 Adaptation and Intersemiotic Translation: Rewritings, Reviewings, Rereadings (5 credits)
LL6025 Introduction to Audiovisual Translation Studies (5 credits)
LL6027 Genres in Translation (5 credits)
LL6028 Translation in the European Union (5)
LL6029 Introduction to Community, Liaison and Public Service Interpreting (5 credits)
LL6035 Translation Project (General) (5 credits)
LL6036 Introduction to Terminology (5 credits)
LL6039 What Gets Lost: Poetry and Translation (5 credits)
LL6040 Theory, Methodology and Practice of Consecutive and Simultaneous Interpreting (5 credits)

Part II (30 credits)
LL6031 Extended Translation Project (30 credits) or
LL6032 Dissertation in Translation Studies (30 credits)

You are encouraged to consider alternative elective modules as your first choice cannot always be guaranteed to run depending on minimum numbers and staffing.

Applicants should normally have a Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours degree (NFQ Level 8) in languages or a language-related area of study, with at least a Second Class Honours Grade I in the chosen language(s). Students with native proficiency in a language for which they are applying should normally have an Honours primary degree with at least a Second Class Honours Grade I in a relevant discipline (Applied Languages, Linguistics, Philology or another discipline in which they wish to specialise as a translator).

Applicants with a Second Class Honours Grade II in a primary honours degree (NFQ Level 8) will be considered, subject to adequate proof of language proficiency as assessed by the programme coordinators. They may also be required to present themselves for an interview or language assessment test.

Specific language requirements for Asian Studies are as follows:

Chinese language candidates should hold an HSK (Chinese Proficiency Test) Level 5 certificate (or certified equivalent).
Japanese language candidates should have a Japanese level equivalent to the Japanese Language Proficiency Test N2.
Korean language candidates should have a Korean level equivalent to the TOPIK II (Test of Proficiency in Korean), level 5-6.
Applicants must indicate their chosen language(s) at the application stage. Please note that translation work will always take place in combination with English.

Applicants who do not meet the normal academic requirements may also be considered under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) following a review of their individual qualifications and experience by the course committee. Admission of such applicants will be subject to the approval of the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences.

Closing Date Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.

Assessment

Marks for Part I of the course are derived from continuous assessment of essays, presentations, practical translation work, take-home or online assignments, timed class tests, translation projects, terminology projects and interpreting tests. Full details and regulations governing assessments for the course are contained in the online Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules

90 credits

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Start Date 9 September 2024

Skills and Careers Information
Thanks to our programme's focus on fostering high-level professional communication skills, graduates of the MA in Translation Studies find employment in Ireland and abroad in a broad range of fields:

Within the language industry, working as freelancers or in-house for language service providers in a number of roles: translators, interpreters, post-editors, project managers, language specialists, localisation testers, terminologists, subtitlers, videogame localisers, etc.
In supranational organisations (e.g. EU institutions)
With global companies (e.g. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, etc.)
In a wide range of related areas such as content creation, technical writing, marketing and sales, publishing, journalism, etc.

Internships
Many of our students start their career with an internship soon after graduation. As part of the programme, we regularly welcome private employers and institutional representatives to present their internship programmes and career opportunities.