You may study one language post-A level (French, German, Spanish or Russian) and opt to add another post-A level language or study, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian/Croatian, or Spanish at beginners’ level.
The course combines academic rigour with a strong practical emphasis and includes training in interpreting, and in technical and literary translation. You will also be given an introduction to technological tools for translators. Wherever possible, translation assignments are modelled on real-life situations and you will be encouraged to take up at least one translation internship or voluntary translation assignment for an external organisation during your course. You will spend your third year abroad where you will have the opportunity to study at one of our partner institutions specialising in translation/interpreting.
Year one
You will take a core language module in your chosen post A-level/IB language(s), consolidating and building on your general language skills. You will also select optional modules in politics/society/history/literature related to the relevant language(s). If you have opted to take a beginners' language, you will take the first part of an intensive programme designed to enable you to achieve degree level language competence by the end of the four-year course. You will take core introductory modules in linguistics and translation/interpreting, carrying out practice exercises in your post A-level/IB language(s).
Year two
You will continue to follow the core language programme in your chosen post A-level/IB language, with a particular focus on preparation for the year abroad, and you will select further optional modules in linguistics/politics/society/history/literature/film/media. You will continue your beginners' language programme (where relevant), again with a focus on preparing for the year abroad. You will take a core module in translation studies, and will prepare an assessed translation portfolio. Once again, practice exercises will be carried out in your post A-level/IB language(s), but you will be encouraged to start thinking about the applicability of the various ideas and approaches to your other selected language (where relevant).
Year three
You will spend the third year abroad, dividing your time between countries where you can practise your language skills. You may choose from the full range of options available to CLAS languages students (teaching assistantship, studying, working), but where appropriate will be encouraged to spend at least part of the year studying at one of our partner institutions specialising in translation/interpreting or carrying out a translation-related work placement.
For more information see our Year Abroad page.
Year four
You will develop your command of your languages and their use in increasingly sophisticated contexts, and study optional modules drawn from the areas of literature, history, politics, society, media and linguistics. You will take a core module in interpreting and carry out an extended translation project. If you have followed a beginners' language programme, you may opt to focus on this language instead of your post A-level/IB language for some or all of the practical translation tasks.