NUI Galway - Advanced Language Skills - French, German, Italian or Spanish

Course Overview/Contact:

This Master’s programme provides advanced linguistic and technical training to prepare you for language work as a linguist. There is a growing demand for such specialised services. You will develop your language skills to a high level and gain experience in the area of translation technology. You will acquire a high level of communication skills in your chosen language speciality of French, German, Italian or Spanish.

The programme offers intensive training in the use of Trados Translation software and provides students with the possibility of progressing to Trados Certification at no extra cost. Optional modules provide the opportunity to concentrate on areas of particular interest.

• Translation Methodology and Text: development of skills in advanced and specialised translation with an emphasis on translation software.
• Introduction to the Skills of Consecutive Interpreting: development of skills required in consecutive interpreting: speaking in public, note taking, mnemonic retention.
• Audiovisual Translation: interlingual subtitling (French and Italian). Elements of analysis of film discourse and audiovisual translation. Hands-on workshops with short subtitling projects.
• Language and Intercultural Communication: the aim of this module is to equip students with the transferable skills necessary to work successfully in an international environment.
• Translation Studies: this module provides a strong theoretical focus and a history and development of the field of translation studies.
• Dissertation: a research dissertation of approximately 20,000 words on a topic to be decided in consultation with the course coordinators.

Dr Máire Áine Ní Mhainnín | Dr Laura McLoughlin
T: +353 91 493 397 | +353 91 492 240
E: mary.mannion@nuigalway.ie | laura.mcloughlin@nuigalway.ie

Career Opportunities:

Our students have found employment in a variety of contexts, both in Ireland and abroad. In particular, graduates have been employed by national and international translation companies, EU offices, and international customer care and marketing centres.

Many have taken up second and third-level teaching positions. A number of graduates have progressed to doctoral studies and have obtained prestigious scholarships.

Student Testimonials:

Margaret O' Connor |    

‘I found the course an enjoyable and worthwhile experience. It helped me to develop skills that are useful for the workplace with the study of translation technologies such as Trados. It also offered me the opportunity to study academic disciplines that interested me, such as Translation Studies. The skills that I developed should provide a good foundation for my future career.’

Tom Ryan|   JR TRANSLATION PROJECT MANAGER/REVIEWER, NOVA LANGUAGE LTD.

‘The MA (Advanced Language Skills) offers students a great opportunity to further develop their language skills, increase their awareness of the translation field and gain new skills in the area of translation software. I really enjoyed the range of subjects on offer and the practical, translation-intensive nature of the course. Translations varied from literary to medical and always offered new challenges. Classes in interpretation and oral skills really helped to develop my confidence in my spoken French and the film subtitling module offered a unique insight into the concepts of audiovisual translation, which I found very interesting. The dissertation gave me an opportunity to work independently, researching the strategies and concepts involved in translating children’s literature all the while translating a children’s book and commenting on the approaches I took throughout. All of the theoretical and practical experience greatly benefitted me in my subsequent career as a translation project manager where I translate and review texts in the areas of IT, marketing and gaming, using a wide array of translation software.’

Entry Requirements and Assessment:

Assessment will include a mixture of project work, assignments, and examinations. Language proficiency will be assessed continuously throughout the year and examined in a written examination. An oral examination, generally consisting of a research presentation, will also take place.