MA Audiovisual and Literary Translation

Should translated literature be entirely faithful to the original text, or should the translation be free and creative not to lose the poetic elements of the text? How can translation account for wordplay, complex metaphors, untranslatable idioms, and unique literary styles? How to translate experimental literature that ignores grammatical rules or defies stylistic conventions? How to effectively convey social and cultural contexts when translating literary, audiovisual, and multimodal texts? How to make the most of the creative challenges and possibilities associated with subtitling, dubbing, and voiceover?

Building on the internationally recognised expertise of both our Departments of Language and Linguistics, and our Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies, our MA Audiovisual and Literary Translation course will allow you to further specialise in literature and literary translation, audiovisual translation, and general translation. We combine translation theory with practice, allowing you to develop an in-depth understanding of the linguistic, stylistic, and cultural aspects of translation. You will develop your own personal translation skills, allowing you to translate a literary work accurately and creatively from one language to another.

Our course is offered with the combination of English and one of the following languages: French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. You can be a native or near-native speaker of any of these languages. You will work with native speakers in developing your ability to move accurately and quickly between your chosen language and English.

Explore our hands-on, practical modules in the Department of Language and Linguistics, covering areas including:

• Audiovisual translation
• Translation portfolio
• Subtitling principles and practice

Learn about connections between different literatures and cultures attending wide-ranging topics in the Department of Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies, including:

• Crossing the Boundaries: Literature and translation in a global context
• The Modern City: From modernism to postmodernism
• African American literature
• Continental Crossings: Caribbean and US literature and culture
• Documentary and the Avant-garde: Film, video, digital
• Queer: history, literature, politics

We are 1st in UK for research impact in modern languages and linguistics (Grade Point Average, Research Excellence Framework 2021).

Top 25 in the UK for linguistics in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024.

If you want a global outlook, are interested in human communication, and want to study for a degree with real-world practical value in a world-class department, welcome to Essex.