Translation and Professional Language Skills (Taught)

Gain the sought-after skills you need for a career in specialist language work on this practical and respected master’s course.

Our MA Translation and Professional Language Skills course prepares you to work as a professional linguist at a high level.

You can choose to specialise in one language, or build your skills across two languages. This course is available in the below routes:

• French

• French and German

• French and Italian

• French and Russian

• French and Spanish

• German

• German and Spanish

• Italian

• Italian and German

• Italian and Spanish

• Russian

• Russian and German

• Russian and Italian

• Russian and Spanish

• Spanish

Across each course route, you'll develop the skills required for a range of roles in international organisations and language service providers. You'll mostly work with the written word to develop proficiency in specialised language services, such as:

• translating

• editing

• proofreading

• précis-writing (a type of summary writing used by the United Nations). This is only available on course routes that include French, Spanish or Russian

Through your core units, you’ll advance your editing, revision, and proofreading abilities. These are often the key areas of expertise sought by employers and agencies in the industry.

You can then complement these foundational skills with optional units in specialisms like public service interpreting, public speaking, and translation technology; and even learn how to set up and run your own language services company.

Bath has longstanding links with international organisations like the United Nations and European Union. We make use of these links to keep our programmes up to date with the professional world and to set up external training opportunities where possible.

Use specialist facilities

Depending on your choice of optional units, you will have access to our professional-grade interpreting labs and on-campus TV studio. These are equipped with interpreter consoles and microphones, interpreter booths, and online conference facilities. Access to these labs is exclusive to students studying interpreting units.

Gain important career skills

On completion of this course, you'll leave with:

• a proven ability to work with varied and challenging texts, providing a strong foundation for working at an international level

• experience of working to deadlines and using style guides

• contacts and relationships with potential employers from career-focused talks and/or external training

• access to our close-knit alumni network of linguists who work in international organisations, private bodies and independent agencies

• evidence of translation skills, including the dissertation you'll complete at the end of the taught part of the course

• a greater level of intercultural awareness, which is important for working in an international role

You'll also have the opportunity to attend talks or extracurricular units to enhance your core learning. These will cover a range of topics such as law, economics and current affairs.

In addition to this, we regularly invite speakers and trainers from the course’s professional network to deliver career-focused talks and additional training sessions.

Graduate prospects

Our MA Translation and Professional Languages Skills course is vocational and has an excellent international reputation.

Many of our graduates have gone on to a range of careers in specialist language work. Others have used the transferable skills gained to pursue further study, or careers in teaching, publishing, and design.

Recent graduates have gone on to work for:

• European Central Bank

• UN

• Houses of Parliament

• GCHQ

• International Court of Justice

• Coursework
• Dissertation
• Examinations

You are expected to spend approximately 35 hours per week studying, with around 10 of those hours being structured classes.

This will be made up of a combination of lectures, seminars, workshops, independent study, and tutorials. You will work as an individual and as part of small groups.