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Do you want to equip yourself with all the technology and strategies you need to become a fully-fledged professional translator? This course will introduce you to techniques and technology that will significantly develop your own personal translation skills to competently deliver professional literary, technical, and audio-visual translation.
Our hands-on training includes working with native speakers of your chosen language and becoming familiar with the latest technologies used by professionals in their everyday work. You'll also learn aspects of the business side of the translation profession to actively access the translation industry.
Our course is offered with the combination of English and one of Arabic, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. You can be a native or near-native speaker of any of these languages, as you learn to translate to and from both languages. You work with native speakers in developing your ability to move accurately and quickly between your chosen language and English.
This course gives you the tools to confidently deal with the translation specific genres like journalistic, promotional, medical- scientific, academic, technical and literary.
Areas of special study include:
Principles of Translation
Technologies of Translation and Post editing
Audio visual translation
Subtitling
Intercultural Communication
Translation Portfolios
We are 1st in UK for research impact in modern languages and linguistics (Grade Point Average, Research Excellence Framework 2021). We're 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.
Latin American Scholarship (including Caribbean)
Our £5,000 Latin American Scholarship is available for this course, if you're from Latin American or the Caribbean.
Why we're great.
This course gives you all the tools you need to become a global, professional translator.
We are 1st in UK for research impact in modern languages and linguistics (Grade Point Average, Research Excellence Framework 2021).
Our staff are highly skilled translators or interpreters with many years of teaching experience.
Our expert staff
Our lecturers are skilled interpreters and translators, experienced in training students with the necessary skills for professional practice. We maintain excellent student-staff ratios with capped language-specific seminars.
Specialist facilities
Our state-of-the-art interpreting lab provides you with simultaneous interpreting booths in a professional business setting for both classwork and practice
You also have access to LTB 6, a conference facility for up to 350 people with simultaneous interpreting booths, for interpreting live conferences and lectures
24-hour self-access to our translation lab dedicated to translation students
Use specialist software such as Trados 2022, (in preparation of Trados Certification) MemoQ, Phrase and WinCaps Qu4ntum for Subtitling.
Use our professional recording studios to video record interpreting mock and real test.
Weekly multilingual interpreting conferences, field trips and workshops led by internationally renowned experts from the industry
Our Languages for All programme offers you the opportunity to study an additional language alongside your course at no extra cost
Your future
The exponential growth of the translation industry and high demand for highly qualified translators and post-editors make it an ideal time to study translation. Our course will enable you to become fully fledged translators (including audio-visual translation), post-editors and proof-readers with a good knowledge of the business aspect of this art.
We work with the University's Careers Services to help you find out about further work experience, internships, placements, and voluntary opportunities.
Within our Department of Language and Linguistics, we also offer supervision for PhD and MPhil. We offer supervision in areas including language acquisition, language learning and language teaching, culture and communication, psycholinguistics, language disorders, sociolinguistics, and theoretical and descriptive linguistics.
Our graduates are successful in a wide variety of career paths. They leave Essex with a unique set of skills and experience that are in demand by employers.
Entry requirements
UK entry requirements
A 2:2 degree, or international equivalent, in any discipline, taught in Arabic, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish.
You may also be considered with a lower-class degree taught in Arabic, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish, if you have translation, linguistics or interpreting experience; or a 2:2 degree not taught in Arabic, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, or Spanish if you have translation, linguistics or interpreting experience
Applicants are required to successfully pass a Translation and Interpreting aptitude test.
International & EU entry requirements
We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.
Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Graduate Admissions team at pgquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, we require IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum score of 6.0 in all components.
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English
pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Additional Notes
The University uses academic selection criteria to determine an applicant’s ability to
successfully complete a course at the University of Essex. Where appropriate, we may ask
for specific information relating to previous modules studied or work experience.
Structure
Course structure
Our research-led teaching is continually evolving to address the latest challenges and breakthroughs in the field. The following modules are based on the current course structure and may change in response to new curriculum developments and innovation.
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.
Components and modules explained
Components
Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.
Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.
Status
What this means
Core
You must take the set module for this component and you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Core with Options
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component but you must pass. No failure can be permitted.
Compulsory
You must take the set module for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Compulsory with Options
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
Optional
You can choose which module to study from the available options for this component. There may be limited opportunities to continue on the course/be eligible for the qualification if you fail.
The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.
Modules
Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.
In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.
Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code. For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:
HR
100
4
FY
The department or school the module will be taught by.
In this example, the module would be taught by the Department of History.
Postgraduate students of English Language and Linguistics would typically attend a two-hour teaching event for each module every week. Seminars would usually have about 20 students.
Postgraduate students of translation modules typically involve two hours of classes per week. Interpreting modules typically involve four hours of classes per week. Classes usually contain up to 20 students within each group.
Teaching methods include lectures, demonstrations and learning by teaching others.
We run a weekly seminar delivered by industry professionals to support our academic input.
Assessment
Your eight one-term modules are assessed by coursework and you are also assessed on your dissertation.
Dissertation
Your 16,000-word dissertation allows you to focus in-depth on your chosen topic from April onwards.
Close supervision by a member of staff within our Department.
Fees and funding
Home/UK fee
£10,000
You have the opportunity to take part in seminars delivered by DG Interpretation (DG SCIC) and DG Translation at the European Commission during our optional annual trip to Brussels. The additional cost for this is £250, depending on your mode of travel.
International fee
£21,700
You have the opportunity to take part in seminars delivered by DG Interpretation (DG SCIC) and DG Translation at the European Commission during our optional annual trip to Brussels. The additional cost for this is £250, depending on your mode of travel.
We hold Open Days for all our applicants throughout the year. Our Colchester Campus events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex, and give you the chance to:
tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
meet our students and staff
If the dates of our organised events aren’t suitable for you, feel free to get in touch by emailing tours@essex.ac.uk and we’ll arrange an individual campus tour for you.
We aim to respond to applications within two weeks. If we are able to offer you a place, you will be contacted via email.
For information on our deadline to apply for this course, please see our ‘how to apply' information.
Visit Colchester Campus
Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.
If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tour allows you to explore the Colchester Campus from the comfort of your home. Check out our accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.
At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.
The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and
Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.
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