Translation Studies: Translation & Professional Practice
Mandatory Courses
Core Course 1: Translation Studies in Theory and Practice (Semester 1)
This core theoretical module will provide you with a broad overview of translation theory, history and methodology. It will also offer an essential foundation for improving your awareness of the translation process and your practical skills as a translator. These classes will be taught in mixed-language groups, allowing individuals to benefit from discussing translation with other MSc students who may have varied interests and ambitions.
Students must submit a 5,000 word written assessment at the end of this course.
Core Course 2: Translator’s Toolkit (Semester 2)
This core course will introduce you to the practical world of translation, looking at both agency work as well as setting up as a freelancer. The sessions will explore key issues faced in the translation of both technical and non-technical texts. The non-technical element will include discussions on the translation of marketing and PR texts, children’s books, issues of mistranslation and translator ethics.
The technical part of the course will include an introduction to computer assisted translation software from SDL Trados. Students will be able to take the online certification exams for SDL’s terminology and translation memory management software whilst studying at Glasgow. These will be extremely useful qualifications when setting up as a professional translator but are also interesting areas for research in Translation Studies as technology in the field is advancing at a fast rate.
Students must submit a 5,000 word written assessment at the end of this course.
Advanced Translation and Language Study (ATLS 1 and 2)
All students taking the Translation Studies MSc must follow advanced language study in their principal area of foreign language study over the two semesters (ATLS 1 and 2).
The ATLS classes will be led by a language-specific tutor. There you will be able to focus on translation into English from a language of your choice offered in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures. The languages offered for the academic year 2012-2013 are:
- French
- Spanish
- Italian
- Russian
- German
- Polish
- Portuguese
Seminar groups will be small and will allow you to apply some of the theories you have learnt about in the core module to translation practice. You will look at a wide range of text types, from newspaper articles to PowerPoint presentations, poetry or advertising. And you’ll have the opportunity to focus in depth on the texts given in class, analysing the source language whilst engaging with the challenges of creating a new piece of work that functions according to the purpose of the text in the English language.
Assessment for ATLS 1 and 2 courses consists of a portfolio of translation coursework and an end-of-course examination (equally weighted).