Translation and Interpreting MA

Course summary

Our Translation and Interpreting MA is open to native and non-native speakers of English, who also speak any of the following languages: Chinese, French, German, Italian, or Spanish. The course builds on your existing language skills and provides extensive professional training aimed at a career in the translation and interpreting markets.

The MA trains you in translation and interpreting between one main language and English. You'll learn how to research specialised subjects for professional translation and interpreting purposes and hone your skills through extensive practice in your translation and interpreting classes and the Skills Lab modules. The skills and knowledge acquired in your core modules will be complemented by your choice of option module. At the end of the course, you'll submit either a Translation or Interpreting Project, or a dissertation.

Your core Specialised Translation module will involve both direct and inverse translation training between English and your chosen language. You'll also study conference (consecutive and simultaneous) and public service interpreting, into and out of English, in your core Interpreting module.

The Translation and Interpreting Skills Lab modules complement and contextualise your learning, allowing you to utilise your skills in situated learning scenarios. Through a series of mock conferences and a simulated translation bureau, you’ll apply your knowledge to realistic work-based tasks, preparing you for the workplace.

Your final core module, Professional Development, will tie in with your Skills Lab modules to further prepare you for a career in Translation or Interpreting. You’ll benefit from workshops on CV writing for translation and interpreting, career and CPD plans, visits from guest speakers, and volunteering opportunities to ensure you graduate prepared to launch your career.

Top reasons to study with us

• Prepare for working life – in our Skills Lab modules you’ll work on simulated work-based scenarios to put your skills and theoretical knowledge into practice
• Master the essential software – you’ll learn how to work with a range of industry-standard CAT tools and practise your interpreting skills in our state-of-the art and fully digitised Sanako interpreting suites
• Boost your CV – hone your career building and professional development skills with our Professional Development module and benefit from the University of Westminster Mentoring scheme
• Benefit from our wide range of resources, from an extensive collection of volumes and electronic materials in our library, to a state-of-the-art computer labs and extensive conference interpreting facilities
• Our teaching staff include full and part-time lecturers, all with professional expertise in translation and interpreting and related specialist fields

The Translation and Interpreting MA is designed to enable you to succeed as a professional linguist or freelance interpreter in the public and private sector and/or engage in further research. The course has an excellent graduate employment record, and our membership of Elia Exchange ensures that we can assist you in securing high-quality work placements both during the course and following graduation.

This course will prepare you for a variety of roles, including:

• Bilingual advocate
• Conference interpreter
• Editor/Reviser
• Localiser
• Public service interpreter
• Translator
• Translation project manager
• Terminologist