Translation Studies MA

Cardiff University

Gain core training in the theory and practice of translation and work in a language that suits you.

Our MA in Translation Studies offers core training in the theory and practice of translation. Its design was informed by various protocols and best practice guidelines for the study of translation, to ensure it meets the standards and expectations of the contemporary translation service and industry.

The aim is to provide you with a full understanding of the development of the discipline of translation studies and of the translation industry, allowing you to pursue specialist or vocational interests within a general framework.

We’ll introduce you to the main theoretical issues of translation studies which will allow you to demonstrate how they have a bearing on your specialist area of study, be that the practical translation of literary, legal, medical or administrative texts, or the academic study of translation e.g. its theory and history, or the complex, cultural transactions it involves.

You’ll gain an awareness of the problems of understanding and interpretation raised by the practice of translation and explore them in relation to key theoretical approaches. As a result, you’ll develop analytical, practical, evaluative, aesthetic and expository skills that will serve to address these problems in both applied and theoretical contexts.

The programme also offers grounding in different forms of specialised translation, including interpreting, computer-assisted translation and subtitling. You’ll also have the opportunity to gain experience of different aspects of the translation industry through a series of guest lectures by leading practitioners and tailored placements with a range of national and international employers.

We’ll encourage you to develop research skills specifically related to your specialist area of interest in order, as appropriate, to prepare the theoretical and methodological groundwork for a dissertation or for an annotated translation project. You’ll also develop skills in the balanced interpretation of the cultural and linguistic contexts for the practice of translation, helping you to understand the practical implications of political and cultural arguments in the context of translation studies.