Translation Studies MSc
Awards: MSc
Study modes: Full-time, Part-time
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Translation Studies
I really enjoyed my coursework and the professors – I found them extremely knowledgeable and very approachable. Having been away from university for a while, it didn’t take long for me to feel comfortable, thanks to their dedication to our intellectual wellbeing. With a strong community of students and the support of the professors, I absolutely relished the opportunity to devote myself to learning once more.
Offering students the opportunity to focus on two languages, in addition to English, the University of Edinburgh is the ideal place to study translation.
Our one-year, full-time taught Masters programme will enhance your practical skills in, and theoretical understanding of, translation as an activity. It can also be completed part-time over two years.
How you will learn
The programme combines:
- core courses
- optional courses
- research training
- practical translation
- a dissertation
It is taught through a combination of:
- seminars
- workshops
- tutorials
- student-led presentations (in option courses)
- written translation exercises
What you will gain
Across all our activities, we encourage critical thinking on language use and translation and an understanding of the factors which impact on the discipline. We will introduce you to key concepts in translation theory and show you how to apply them in translation practice.
This will help you sharpen important professional skills, such as:
- undertaking research
- thinking and writing analytically
- understanding texts in different genres and how to translate them
- writing commentaries and essays to deadline
- developing oral and visual presentation techniques
- using a range of resources
The programme will also broaden your understanding of issues relating to translation, such as gender, institutional power relations, colonialism, and religion.
Languages
We offer a wide variety of languages, from Arabic to Norwegian, with the opportunity to focus on two of them, in addition to English.
You can browse the full range of languages offered, and find out about language pairs, on our website:
Community
A member of the RWS Campus-Trados Academic Partner Program, our MSc draws on the expertise of research-active teaching staff from across the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, as well as experts in Translation Studies and visiting speakers.
You will be part of an international community of students and a friendly, close-knit department with an excellent PhD programme, its own seminar series, and good links with the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), and with many industry and cultural partners in the city of Edinburgh.
We are an official Higher Education Language Partner of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) and a member of APTIS (Association of Programmes in Translation and Interpreting Studies, UK and Ireland), which aims to improve the quality of translation and interpreting teaching in British and Irish universities. We also partner with IPCITI (The International Postgraduate Conference in Translation and Interpreting).
The University of Edinburgh library holds some two million borrowable volumes and subscribes to the 'Bibliography of Translation Studies'.
Translation and technology
We closely follow the developments in machine translation and generative AI, and how they might influence the teaching of translation. We also look to the language service industry and professional associations to understand how translators use AI and what opportunities and challenges these technologies might pose for linguists in the future.
Given the rapid technological development, the focus of our option course Technology and Translation in the Workplace has shifted over the past few years to include the field of machine translation.
The computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools we are using, for example, RWS Trados, now not only include translation memory systems, but also incorporate machine translation and other forms of automation as a standard component. In our classes, we examine the impact of these technologies on the workflow and on the role of the translator.
We continuously adapt our teaching to include discussions on technologies as they develop. For example, we also cover machine translation and generative AI in other courses, particularly in relation to creativity, translation practice and research methods, and ethical and legal issues (such as data usage or transparency).
Over the duration of the programme, you will take:
- two core courses
- two practical translation courses
- two optional courses
You will choose these from a wide range of subjects. Each course is worth 20 credits.
Core courses
The core courses are:
- Translation Studies 1, which introduces you to key concepts in translation theory and focuses on their application to translation practice
- Research in Translation Studies, which provides you with research skills specific to the discipline of translation studies and prepares you for your dissertation
The practical translation courses consist of tutor-led class time and workshops with Translation Studies staff per course, as well as an independent, peer-assessed study component. You will be supervised and assessed in practical translation exercises and graduate with a rich portfolio of translations.
Dissertation
The final element of the programme is your dissertation, a piece of independent research - 15,000 words (worth 60 credits) - written with the advice and support of a designated supervisor.
Find out more about compulsory and optional courses
We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
| Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSc | Translation Studies | 1 Year | Full-time | Programme structure 2024/25 |
| MSc | Translation Studies | 2 Years | Part-time | Programme structure 2024/25 |
Upon successful completion of this programme you will:
- develop critical thinking on language use and translation as well as the use of translation technologies
- understand the key concepts of the academic discipline of translation studies
- learn to implement the diverse approaches to translation prevalent within translation studies in the form of various translation strategies
- broaden and deepen understanding of a variety of issues in relation to translation, such as gender, power relations, and religion
- acquire important transferable skills
Our programme is designed to enhance your industry skills in translation, with practical exercises throughout the year, and a strong emphasis on communication and working to deadline.
We have excellent links with the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and are a member of the RWS Campus-Trados Academic Partner Program, providing students with the necessary knowledge, expertise and resources to help prepare for a career in the translation industry.
Completing our MSc will also help you develop and refine your research skills, and theoretical understanding of translation, in ways that will prepare you for further postgraduate study, should you wish to continue your career in an academic environment.
Many of our graduates have gone on to work as freelance and in-house translators, as well as project managers and language teachers. Others work within international companies, and some have continued into doctoral studies.
These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a relevant discipline, plus a research interest or professional experience in translation or another relevant field.
Applicants must have native speaker competence in any languages that they apply to work with other than English.
Please consult the offered language pairings available on the programme website:
Students from China
This degree is Band C.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
- Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
| Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSc | Translation Studies | 1 Year | Full-time | Tuition fees |
| MSc | Translation Studies | 2 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.
Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:
borrowing money
taking out a loan
family support
personal savings
income from work
employer sponsorship
- scholarships
Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study
Featured funding
If you are working with either French or Spanish on this Translation Studies programme, you may be eligible to apply for a Muriel Smith Scholarship. This award covers tuition fees for a maximum of one year.
For these same two languages, if you are a current student or graduate of the University of Edinburgh, you are also eligible to apply for a John Orr Award. This award is for £2,300 per annum.
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- For all admissions enquiries
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office
- School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- 50 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LH
- Programme: Translation Studies
- School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
MSc Translation Studies - 1 Year (Full-time)
MSc Translation Studies - 2 Years (Part-time)
Due to high demand, this programme operates a gathered field approach to admissions, with two application deadlines as noted below.
Each application round has a decision deadline, also listed below, but note that we may make offers to the strongest candidates on an ongoing basis, in advance of the published decision deadline.
We strongly recommend that you apply as early as possible, especially if you intend to apply for funding. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand. If you are considering applying for our pre-sessional English Language programme, please make sure you apply in Round 1.
Please note that for an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including references and transcripts. English language documentation can be submitted later but if you have already met the English language entry requirements for your programme at the time of application, your application may be considered more competitive in selection than applications where an English language test still needs to be taken.
Selection deadlines
| Round | Application deadline | Places awarded by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 January 2025 | 17 April 2025 |
| 2 | 29 May 2025 | 30 June 2025 |
Deadlines for UK/Scotland fee status
After Round 2, if there are still places available, applications will remain open only to applicants who are eligible for the UK/Scotland fee rate, including the EU/EEA Pre-settled Scotland fee status. Applications will remain open no later than 30 June 2025 and may close earlier than this if the programme becomes full, so we strongly recommend you apply as soon as possible.
If you apply with another fee status after 29 May 2025, your application will be rejected.
(Revised 17 October 2024 to add application deadlines and selection process information)
You must submit one reference with your application.
If you have practical experience in translation, you should provide one academic reference and one professional reference.
The personal statement in the online application process helps us decide whether you are right for the MSc programme you have selected but. Just as importantly, it helps us decide whether the MSc programme is right for you.
To help us with this, please ensure that you download and complete the Personal Statement Pro Forma, which should then be uploaded to your application as an additional supporting document.
You should indicate the languages you wish to take - a maximum of two - and contact us to check their availability. You will always translate into and out of English. Our programme website details all the languages we currently offer.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- For all admissions enquiries
- Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
- Contact: College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Admissions Office
- School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- 50 George Square
- Central Campus
- Edinburgh
- EH8 9LH
- Programme: Translation Studies
- School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
- College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences