MSc Translation Studies
ApplyKey facts
- Start date: September 2025
- Study mode and duration: MSc: 12 months, full-time
PgDip: 9 months full-time
Study with us
- strategically prepare for a career in the language industry and beyond, or for a PhD
- build expertise and confidence in specialised translation domains, translation technology (including Trados and GenAI), and translation research
- gain valuable exposure to real-world ways of working through authentic assignments and a work placement
Why this course?
This is a versatile course that combines both practical and academic insights into translation in order to equip you with industry-relevant and more widely transferrable skills. We understand that employability is key, and so the course has been designed to serve as a launchpad for a career in the language industry, for further doctoral study, or for any number of roles in the global workforce where intercultural communication, creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking are valued.
The practice of translation is at the centre of the course; you will be encouraged and supported by our experienced staff to optimize your skill-set across specialised, in-demand domains of translation, including technical translation, medical translation, website localisation, audiovisual translation, and commercial translation. As an RWS Campus partner, we are also able to offer you CAT tool and post-editing training, along with the opportunity to gain Trados certification. In addition, you will have the chance to benefit from an industry placement or make entrepreneurial headway in the freelancing space.
More generally, the course sits within the Department of Humanities; one of our strengths is our interdisciplinary ethos, which means that your learning will be scaffolded by insights from other related areas of enquiry.
Interested in postgraduate study?
At the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, our friendly and knowledgeable team will be available to provide you with all the information you need to kick-start your postgraduate journey at the University of Strathclyde. Register for upcoming events below:
Translation & Interpreting Studies
Explore key theories in translation and interpreting studies and how they apply to real-world practice. This module develops your analytical skills, deepens your understanding of translation strategies, and helps you connect theory to your own professional work - building a strong foundation for informed, reflective practice.
Specialised Translation
Gain practical experience translating a variety of specialised text types, from legal to medical to technical content. You’ll learn to adapt your approach to different audiences and contexts while building a professional portfolio and developing the tools and resources needed to work to industry standards.
Storytelling, Memory & Heritage (optional)
Explore public history through storytelling, oral history, and creative writing. This interdisciplinary module builds valuable skills in narrative construction, public engagement, and translation, preparing you for careers in heritage, research communication, and academia. A translation-focused assessment helps you connect your language skills to broader historical narratives.
Business Translation
Master the language and conventions of business texts through practical translation work. This module equips you with skills to handle real-world business documents, sharpen your decision-making around tone and terminology, and gain the confidence to work professionally in the global business environment.
Industry Insights
Gain hands-on experience through an industry placement or freelance project. This module helps you apply translation skills in real-world contexts, build your professional network, and develop the entrepreneurial mindset and industry awareness needed for a successful career in translation.
Research Skills in Media & Communication (optional)
Develop essential academic research and writing skills that support postgraduate study and future academic careers. This module introduces key research concepts, methods, and expectations in the humanities, helping you prepare for thesis writing and beyond through a focus on clarity, rigour, and scholarly communication.
Learning & teaching
Our programme offers a dynamic and engaging learning experience, blending interactive lectures, hands-on workshops, peer review sessions, and presentations.
Assessment
You'll engage in a variety of assignments, including translation projects, post-editing, comparative analyses, and reflective commentaries— all designed to prepare you for the diverse demands of a professional translation career or for an onward journey to doctoral study.
Work placement
Gain real-world experience and boost your employability in this core module with a choice of industry placement or a freelancing pathway. Apply your translation skills in a professional setting, build your brand, expand your network, and develop the entrepreneurial and industry-ready mindset essential for a successful career. Placements total 60 hours over the second semester and can be paid or voluntary.
Facilities
Our dedicated Translation Lab provides an ideal learning environment, with all teaching taking place in a space designed specifically for translators. Equipped with industry-standard software on every PC, the lab allows students to develop hands-on skills in a professional setting, and build confidence from day one.
Trados Top Student Award
Each academic year RWS Campus universities can pick two top students and reward them with a copy of the latest version of ‘Trados Studio Freelance’ free of charge that they can use in their future career.
Entry requirements
| Academic/professional requirements | First- or upper second-class Honours degree, or overseas equivalent. An academic background in English or translating is not required. Applicants with a lower degree classification may be considered on an individual basis. Suitable applicants are required to pass an aptitude test prior to admission, comprising of a written translation test. This may be followed by an oral interview to further demonstrate your language proficiency. The oral interview can be conducted face-to-face or online, according to circumstances.
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| English language requirements | Please check our English language requirements before making your application. |
International students
We've a thriving international community with students coming here to study from over 140 countries across the world. Find out all you need to know about studying in Glasgow at Strathclyde and hear from students about their experiences.
Chat to a student ambassador
If you want to know more about what it’s like to be a Humanities & Social Sciences student at the University of Strathclyde, a selection of our current students are here to help!
Our Unibuddy ambassadors can answer all the questions you might have about courses and studying at Strathclyde, along with offering insight into their experiences of life in Glasgow and Scotland.
Fees & funding
Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.
All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.
Annual revision of fees
Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that the majority of fees will increase annually. The University will take a range of factors into account, including, but not limited to, UK inflation, changes in delivery costs and changes in Scottish and/or UK Government funding. Changes in fees will be published on the University website in October each year for the following year of study and any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 10% per year.
| Scotland | £9,550 |
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| England, Wales & Northern Ireland | £9,550 |
| Republic of Ireland |
If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status. For more information and advice on tuition fee status, you can visit the UKCISA - International student advice and guidance - Scotland: fee status webpage. Find out more about the University of Strathclyde's fee assessments process. |
| International | £21,550 |
How can I fund my course?
Scottish postgraduate students
Scottish postgraduate students may be able to apply for support from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). The support is in the form of a tuition fee loan and for eligible students, a living cost loan. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Students coming from England
Students ordinarily resident in England may be to apply for postgraduate support from Student Finance England. The support is a loan of up to £10,280 which can be used for both tuition fees and living costs. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Students coming from Wales
Students ordinarily resident in Wales may be to apply for postgraduate support from Student Finance Wales. The support is a loan of up to £10,280 which can be used for both tuition fees and living costs. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Students coming from Northern Ireland
Postgraduate students who are ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland may be able to apply for support from Student Finance Northern Ireland. The support is a tuition fee loan of up to £5,500. Find out more about the support and how to apply.
Don’t forget to check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
International students
We've a large range of scholarships available to help you fund your studies. Check our scholarship search for more help with fees and funding.
Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences Scholarships
EU Engagement Scholarships are available to EU applicants who would have previously been eligible for Home (Scottish/EU) fee status.
Apply
Start date: Sep 2025
Translation Studies
Start date: Sep 2025
Translation Studies
Careers
The programme prepares students to make an impact in the language industry, whether as translators, post-editors, terminology managers, localizers, project managers, or quality evaluators. It will also help students to cast their net wider: former students have gone on to work in the civil service, education and marketing, for example. The opportunity is also there to use the MSc as a stepping stone to a PhD.
Glasgow is Scotland's biggest & most cosmopolitan city
Our campus is based right in the very heart of Glasgow. We're in the city centre, next to the Merchant City, both of which are great locations for sightseeing, shopping and socialising alongside your studies.