MA Translation Studies (Distance Learning)
DURATION
30 Months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
29 Aug 2025*
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
GBP 1,304 **
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning
* for all students studying a distance learning course
** per module: £1,260 (July 2025 | £1,304 (October 2025)
Introduction
Study from anywhere in the world on our distance learning MA Translation Studies course. You'll learn flexibly from home around other commitments. Join our global community of translators and develop industry-specific skills.
This course is runs over 18 or 30 months part-time and is taught by distance learning. You’ll access materials online at a time that suits you.
Enjoy complete flexibility to choose the type of qualification you receive and how you study.
You can study over 18 or 30 months and choose from multiple entry points throughout the year.
- We’re a member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), the Association of Programmes in Translation and Interpreting Studies, UK and Ireland, and the Association of Translation Companies.
- Develop the employability skills you need for the translation industry, whether you want to take the next step in your translation career or begin a new career altogether.
- Access translation software, including translation memory tools, corpus and text analysis tools and post-editing tools, plus SDL Studio Freelance licences.
- We're one of the top 100 Modern Languages departments in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024).
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Scholarships and Studentships
Scholarships to cover fees and/or maintenance costs may be available. To discover whether you are eligible for any award across the University, and to start your funding application, please visit the University's Postgraduate Funding Database.
Curriculum
Please visit the course webpage below for up to date information on modules.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
By studying a postgraduate degree in Modern Languages at Birmingham, you’ll develop transferable skills suited to a range of career paths. These skills include the ability to work well with others, strong language and communication skills, plus an awareness of different cultures.
Our Modern Languages graduates enter many roles, including:
- Translation project manager
- Translator
- Secondary school teacher
- Copywriter
Employers our Modern Languages graduates have worked for include:
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Morningside Translations
- Secondary schools
Get ready for tomorrow, with advice, guidance and opportunities at every step of your studies. From developing new skills to preparing for a PhD, our Careers Network can help you gain an advantage in the job market or advance in your field.
Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one-to-one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters. We also offer subject-specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.
Program delivery
The University of Birmingham offers flexible routes of study for this program:
- Accelerated Route* (program code 011D): Complete your studies in 18 months (Complete a module every 2 months and your final project over 6 months). October start only.
- Standard Route (program code 8914): Complete your studies in 30 months (Complete a module every 4 months and your final project over 6 months). October, February, or April start available.
*Only students following the accelerated route are eligible for Government loans
All MA students will need to complete 6 modules, followed by a final project. Unsure if you want to commit to a full MA? Complete 3 modules successfully for a Postgraduate Certificate, or 6 modules for a Postgraduate Diploma.
Learning and Teaching Methods
The course will:
- Encourage reflective practice in translation
- Familiarise you with state-of-the-art technological tools currently used in the translation industry and with the professional environment in which translators operate
- Provide you with the opportunity to carry out extensive practical translation work with the guidance of experienced tutors so as to develop skills in line with current professional practice
- Enable you to develop a sophisticated understanding of the most up-to-date concepts and theories of the discipline of translation studies
- Develop a critical understanding of the social constraints on and consequences of translation and the differing contexts of translation throughout the world
- Encourage an understanding of how English and other languages work and how they may usefully be analyzed, in particular with reference to its grammar, Alexis, and discourse, and how such an analysis may benefit you as a translator
- Provide a practical understanding of established techniques of research and inquiry used to create and interpret knowledge in the discipline, so as to enable you to undertake further research, either as part of your future professional career or by enrolling for a research degree.