MA Literary Translation

The MA in Literary Translation at The University of East Anglia (UEA) is unique in that it both combines translation practice with translation theory and also specifically looks at the link between the two. Should translators know about theory? Does theory describe what translators do or is it a practical tool that the translator can use? These are some of the questions we consider throughout the programme, recently described by its external examiner Dr Francis Jones as "deservedly a UK leader in literary translation studies". Many of our MA students go on to become practising translators, or to teach translation. Others work in areas related to translation, such as publishing or the media.

Why Study Literary Translation at UEA?

The MA in Literary Translation (MALT) is based in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, whose members teach and research in English and World Literature (including French, German, Indian, and other literatures), Literary Translation, Literary Theory and Creative Writing. It is home to the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT) and the international John Dryden Translation Competition. The School has a reputation for excellence in teaching and research and is highly-ranked in the National Students' Survey. Of particular interest to MALT students is our annual programme of readings, visits and residencies by writers and translators. BCLT runs a Summer School which MALT students can attend at a reduced rate, and there is also the opportunity, at a very reasonable cost, to learn a language in the School of Language and Communication Studies. Students on the MA in Literary Translation can also take part in the BCLT Internship programme.

Course Content and Structure

The MA is a one-year full-time or two-year part-time course, that provides an academic qualification for professional translators and is also a good basis for further research. Few other taught courses in Literary Translation in the UK combine practical work with a strong emphasis on stylistic and cultural issues. MALT consists of four modules: Stylistics for Translators, Translation Theory, Case Studies, Process and Product in Translation. In the first semester, students also assemble a dossier of their translations for submission to a tutor, an expert in their source or target language. This, like the practical Translation Workshops, is a non-assessed element. The Workshops on varied topics include translation editing, and a member of the Translators Association advises on how to approach a publisher. Students also have the opportunity to join the editing team for our journal Norwich Papers. Arc Publications’ Visible Poets series of bilingual poetry books is edited by Jean Boase-Beier in the School, and provides useful study material. Some of our best former students have been published by Arc; others have published translations of children’s literature, novels and drama. Many have won awards for their work.

Course Assessment

Students may work with any languages, as long as these include English. We have many language specialists in the School and the Humanities Faculty, as well as external assessors. Modules are assessed by essay, and there is a 15,000 to 20,000 word dissertation, either a translation with commentary or a critical essay. Work on the dissertation, with a supervisor, begins for full-time students in the spring and goes on until the beginning of September.

The Course Team

Many members of the School and the Faculty are practising translators or work in translation. Those who currently contribute substantially to MALT, with their main areas of interest, are:

• Professor Jean Boase-Beier, Convenor (stylistics; translation theory; modern German and English poetry and translation);
• Dr Valerie Henitiuk (East/West cultural exchange; gendered translation; translation history/reception);
• Dr George Szirtes (poet and translator;; the relationship between poetry and art);
• Dr BJ Epstein (translation studies; children's literature; lgbtq literature; contemporary Scandinavian literature).

We also have a very dynamic body of PhD students working in Literary Translation. Past and current topics include: the translation of Russian poetry, Ancient Greek drama translation, the translation of Turkish idioms, Japanese feminist translation.

What Our Past Students Say

“… the course was stimulating, enjoyable and I met some really interesting people. And it does lead to jobs! I've just done some extracts for an anthology on memory, edited by AS Byatt.” Bridget Patterson

“The year with literary translation was very special to me. It meant the fulfilment of a dream: spending twelve months talking and writing about my greatest passion - translation.” Henriette Heise

“At the end of this well-organised MA course, I know why I'm translating the way I am. “ Jon Lindsay Miles

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I receive teaching on translation into and out of my chosen languages?
Not as part of the taught classes. We assume you have near-bilingual language competence. Our focus is on translation issues, questions and techniques. You will, however, produce several pieces of translation involving your chosen languages.

Will I receive instruction on publishing translations?
Yes, in a special workshop and other classes.

Can I go on to do a PhD?
Yes, if your performance on the MA is good. MALT provides a very good basis for PhD study.

Will doing MALT help me to get a job?
Almost certainly. There is evidence that even firms specialising in technical or commercial translation value an MA in Literary Translation. For freelance work, it is definitely a bonus. While it is unlikely you will earn enough to live on as a freelance translator in the first years after completing the programme, many graduates combine freelance work with teaching, lecturing, librarianship, work in the media, or publishing. Here, too, MALT is a clear advantage.

So why would I want to become a literary translator?
It is hugely enjoyable. If you translate contemporaries, you will often have a lot of contact with "your" authors. It is very flexible, and is ideal for combining with a less interesting job elsewhere. You can work from home (and in the train, in the doctor's waiting-room or on the beach). And it is relatively easy to become known in the translation world; you can cultivate contacts by joining the Translators Association, taking part in debates and attending translation events.

And you might even come back to UEA and hold a workshop yourself.

Course Organiser:Prof Jean Boase-Beier

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Entry Requirements Degree Subject: UK BA (Hons) 2.1 or equivalent Special Entry Requirements: Sample of work Students for whom English is a Foreign language

If English is not your first language you must have a recognised English Language qualification:

Minimum IELTS 7.0 with a minimum 6 in each section and 7 in writing and speaking.

Other qualifications such as TOEFL and CAE are also recognised by the University. Please contact the Admissions Team for further information.

Special Entry Requirements

A sample of your academic writing (for example an essay from your undergraduate degree).

Intakes

The School's annual intake is in September of each year.

Alternative Qualifications

If you have alternative qualifications that have not been mentioned above then please contact the Admissions Office directly for further information.

Assessment

All applications for postgraduate study are processed through the Admissions Office and then forwarded to the relevant School of Study for consideration. If you are currently completing your first degree or have not yet taken a required English language test, any offer of a place is likely to be conditional upon you achieving this before you arrive.

The School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing brings together writers, scholars, teachers and students in an exploration of the powers and possibilities of literature. Our aim is to make creative writing and critical reading confront one another in ways that sharpen and enliven both.

Literature

We teach and research across the range of English Literature from the fourteenth century to the twenty-first. This coverage is supplemented by our interests in European Literature, in postcolonial writing in English across the world, and in literary and cultural theory.

Translation

UEA is home to the British Centre for Literary Translation, which is both a forum for professional translators and a focus for translation work with undergraduate and postgraduate students of literature. The School of Literature & Creative Writing runs the MA in Literary Translation course.

Creative Writing

For over thirty years UEA has been an important centre for established and upcoming writers, whether they come here as teachers, as students, as writers in residence, or to take part in the long-running literary festival organised by the Arthur Miller Centre and the Centre for Creative and Performing Arts. For more information on our Creative Writing MA courses, please click here

Drama

Our drama programmes combine critical study with creative practice. The theoretical aspect draws on the expertise of LIT as a whole; the practical work is based in the purpose-built Drama Studio. For further information on the Drama sector, please click here.

Literature at UEA is not a complete, finished object of study, but a living practice. Because we also do creative writing, translation and drama, we are aware that imaginative writing is not fixed; it is constantly being transformed, adapted, rewritten and reread. Students are invited to study these processes, and also to be part of them. Click here to see what our students say about studying in the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing.

Among a diverse group of about twenty literature lecturers, there are experts on the various roles that the practice of literature can play, and has played, in society — how it can be something like praying, or like journalism, or like conversation, how it can be a form of political action, or a vehicle for ideas, or a working out of unmanageable experience, or a way of negotiating (or inflaming) differences of class and race and gender. We teach literature not in isolation, but in relation to this untidy bundle of social and psychological purposes.

It follows that we have no great respect for the boundaries that divide one academic discipline from another. We take a lively interest in the work of our colleagues in history, philosophy, film, the visual arts and music, and we encourage our students to do the same. That is why we offer a range of degree programmes which combine literature with other, related subjects.

We run internationally recognised programmes of teaching and research in literature, translation, creative writing, and drama: the important thing about all of these is that they interact with each other.

Fees and Funding Tuition fees

Tuition fees for Postgraduate students for the academic year 2013/4 are £5,000 for Home/EU students and £12,500 for International Students.

If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home/EU students).

Please note that all the above fees are expected to rise for the year 2014/15. We estimate living expenses at £600/650 per month.

Scholarships and Awards: International scholarships

All international students (outside the European Union) are considered for a scholarship of between £1000 and £2000 towards tuition fees. In order to be considered for an International Scholarship you do not need to make a separate application. Please indicate on your application for admission that you wish to be considered for a scholarship. It is important to make the application as early as possible because they are considered as they are received. So apply early to make sure of the best chance of success.

Scholarships are awarded to students on the basis of academic merit and are for the duration of the period of study (which will be one year). Students of outstanding academic ability will also be considered for Faculty Scholarship Awards, usually in March and May each year, which can be worth up to 100% of the tuition fee. These are highly competitive and prestigious awards. Those students being offered a scholarship will be notified directly by the School of Study.

Home / EU Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities has a number of Scholarships and Awards on offer for 2013 entry. For further information relevant to the School of Literature and Creative Writing, please click here.