Translation Studies – (M.A.)

Contents

Translation Studies has a strong practical element and features units that have a high degree of professional relevance and training, enabling you to learn the basics of staff, agency and freelance translation work.

The course is structured on the basis of core units and optional units.

Core units

* Translation theory and practice 1 and 2
* Specialised translation workshops 1 and 2
* Research management
* Dissertation

Optional units

* Computer and the translator
* Liaison interpreting
* Second specialised translation workshop 1
* Cross cultural marketing communication
* Theory and practice of subtitling
* Professional aspects of translation
* Second specialised translation workshop 2

These units are described briefly below.

Exit levels

The credit system creates a flexible framework in which you can graduate with one of the following awards, depending on the number of credits gained. Each taught unit has a credit rating of 15 credits with the dissertation worth 60 credit points:

* MA in Translation Studies (four core units plus the research management and dissertation units) 180 credits
* Postgraduate Diploma in Translation Studies: 120 credits
* Postgraduate Certificate in Translation Studies: 60 credits

Core units

Translation theory and practice 1
Sometimes we think of translation theory as something entirely abstract, which has little relevance to the day-to-day work of translation. This unit is designed to introduce you to the principal conceptual frameworks in linguistics and translation studies. It aims to demonstrate how the integration of practice and theory can be of benefit to the translator, boosting their sensitivity to the languages in which they work.

Specialised translation workshop 1
The purpose of the workshop is to provide you with opportunities to develop your practical translation skills. In each semester, an understanding of the challenges to the translator provided by three domains, such as economics, business/commerce, legal documents, is developed through the regular production and discussion of texts. At the same time, you will be encouraged to develop your reflective skills through translation commentary writing. There is a separate workshop for each language.

Research management
The research management unit is designed to help you prepare for the dissertation by acquainting you with a variety of research skills and models. The RMU has three foci: the dissertation proposal, exploiting the internet for research purposes and research models in translation studies. Key concepts such as equivalence, function and culture are examined in detail in relation to translation.

Translation theory and practice 2
This unit follows on from the previous semester, taking a more global approach to translation models, looking at text, context and culture. Part of the semester is dedicated to genre theory as a model for textual analysis, which can help us to understand how different text types work within our source and target languages. The unit further addresses the skills that translators need to manipulate language flexibly and effectively.

Specialised translation workshop 2
In workshop 2 a further three domains, such as technology, science and information technology, form the focus of translation activity. Assessment includes the translation project, designed to encourage you to explore a particular domain in your area of interest. A variety of tasks is introduced through, for example, an examination of pre-editing and post-editing (translation review) techniques.

Dissertation
There are a variety of different dissertation types in translation studies, ranging from the more theoretical to the more vocational. Often the dissertation topic emanates from one or more of the course units. The most popular dissertation is the translation and commentary model because it provides an opportunity for you to develop your specialist translation skills in a particular area or domain, but there are many other dissertation topics including subtitling, the application of corpus analysis to translation, translation software evaluation and the translation of literature.

Optional Unit descriptions

Computer and the translator
Technology plays an increasingly significant part in the life of the modern professional translator. As a consequence, the unit introduces students to key technologies, such as concordance software, dictionary generation software (TRADOS) and translation memory software (DEJA VU). Familiarisation with these technologies is promoted by means of two projects in which (a) students produce and evaluate their own glossary and (b) produce and evaluate the outputs of translation memory.

Liaison interpreting
Translators are often called upon to undertake a particular form of interpreting known as liaison interpreting where they act as a linguistic intermediary between speakers of different languages. The unit provides students with key interpreting skills, such that they are able, on conclusion of the unit ,to undertake basic professional interpreting tasks. The practical components of the unit are underpinned by a short series of lecture inputs on a variety of aspects of interpreting theory.

Second specialised translation workshop 1
The second specialised translation workshop is designed for students with a high level competence in a second foreign language. The pattern of delivery and assessment is identical to that of Specialised Translation Workshop 1.

Cross cultural marketing communication
The unit is designed for students with an interest in, or knowledge of, marketing and/or international communication. Its primary aim is to examine problems associated with cultural practice and international marketing communication. Assessment is by a project based on a topic of the student´s own choice.

Theory and practice of subtitling
This unit introduces students to the practice and theory of subtitling within the context of AVT (audio-visual translation). The unit covers the linguistic, cultural and technical challenges associated with this very constrained form of translation. Participants gain practical subtitling experience using the dedicated facilities in the School of Languages and Area Studies. Classes follow a workshop model.

Professional aspects of translation
The unit provides an interface between translator training and the professional translation world. Students meet a variety of different professionals operating in the field: the freelancer, the company translator, the translation agency owner, the translation company owner, representatives of the two professional bodies, the ITI (Institute of Translation and Interpreting and the IoL (Chartered Institute of Linguists). In this way, students are able to obtain a sound understanding of the skills matrix of the successful professional translator and are encouraged through a range of assessments to identify the current stage of their skills development in relation to the skills matrix of the professional.

Second specialised translation workshop 2
The second specialised translation workshop is designed for students with a high level competence in a second foreign language. The pattern of delivery and assessment is identical to that of Specialised Translation Workshop 2. Consequently, students produce a Translation Project in their second foreign language, too.

Please note. All optional units are subject to staff availability and student demand.