Translation (French) with Foundation BA Honours - Courses
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2025-09-25 | - |
| 2024-09-25 | - |
Program Overview
Through a blend of practical translation, language analysis, and industry-relevant simulations, the program equips graduates with the skills for roles such as editor, interpreter, and translator, in sectors including journalism, law, and marketing. With opportunities for studying or working abroad, students can gain international experience and enhance their language proficiency.
Program Outline
The foundation year is designed to give you the opportunity to explore new ideas, opening up new perspectives on the key debates within your chosen field. Core modules accelerate your academic and professional development, bringing together like-minded students to think about the ‘big ideas’ within your discipline. You will also take modules from areas closely related to your chosen field, giving you the chance to develop a cross-disciplinary perspective on your course. On successful completion of the foundation year, you will be able to move on to study for the Translation Studies (French) BA Honours degree over a further three years study. Our Translation Studies BA Honours will give you the skills, knowledge and competencies to build a career as a professional translator. You'll develop knowledge of language structure, register, textuality and discourse, by applying linguistic concepts to practical translation tasks. You'll also gain the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development. Depending on your entry point, you can combine the main language, French, with another language (Arabic, Chinese, or Spanish) or the Global Communication route. You'll study an integrated curriculum, with a focus on professional context and communication skills, bilingual translation skills and theory. Your studies may include developing your skills in a new foreign language or modules in cultural studies. Teaching and learning take place through a combination of formal lectures, seminars, practical workshops, guided self-study, and exposure to professionally relevant simulations and real-work environments. Alongside core modules in translation, the course offers a wide range of option modules, covering topics including global communications, world cultures, current affairs, politics and gender issues. You'll also have the option to spend a year abroad in a French-speaking country, studying or, depending on your language level, working or volunteering.
Outline:
Foundation Year:
- Introduction to Academic Practice
- Intercultural Communication
- Imagining Global Society and Politics
- Critical Thinking for Academic and Professional Development
- Reading Identities
- Living and working in French speaking countries
Year 1:
- Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication OR The Arab/Chinese/French/Spanish World and the Word
- Introduction to the Study of Language and Culture
- Introduction to Translation
- Objects and Meaning: The Social Life of Material Culture
- World Varieties of English OR The Arab/Chinese/French/Spanish World and the Word
Year 2:
- Building Translation Competence
- Difference and the Visual: Representation, Meaning and Identity OR Expressions of Arabic/Chinese/French/Spanish Culture
- Language in the Public Space OR Expressions of Arabic/Chinese/French/Spanish Culture
- Multilingual e-Collaboration: Transposing Current Affairs
- Understanding Culture: Arabic/Chinese/Francophone/Hispanic Studies in Focus
Placement Year:
- Professional experience or study abroad year
- Between Years 2 and 3, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a professional placement year in industry. Completing the placement year will lead to the final award Bachelor of Arts with Honours – Translation (French) with Professional Experience.
- Alternatively, you can undertake a period of study abroad at one of Westminster’s partner institutions. Successful completion will lead to the final award Bachelor of Arts with Honours – Translation (French) with International Experience.
Year 3:
- Computer-assisted Translation, Machine Translation, and Post-editing
- Final Year Project
- Identities on the Move: Arabic/Chinese/Francophone/Hispanic Studies in Focus
- Mediation in International Contexts OR Themes in Contemporary Arabic/Chinese/French and Francophone/Hispanic Studies
- Multilingualism in Society: Theory and Practice
- Professionalising International Communication OR Themes in Contemporary Arabic/Chinese/French and Francophone/Hispanic Studies
- Sex Strike: Gender and Protest
- Towards Professional Translation
- Work Placement for Humanities
Assessment:
- Much of your learning will take place during independent study, individually and in groups, in the well-resourced and recently refurbished library, at home and via online learning provision.
- Assessment methods include in-class coursework, essays and projects, presentations, and oral and unseen written exams.
- You can find examples of how marks have been calculated and study time distributed in the past in the Teaching and Assessment section at the bottom of this page.
Teaching:
- Teaching and learning take place through a combination of formal lectures, seminars, practical workshops, guided self-study, and exposure to professionally relevant simulations and real-work environments.
- You'll learn practical and authentic translation, including audio-visual translation and transcreation.
Careers:
- As well as careers in professional translation, our graduates have found employment as interpreters, teachers (both in foreign languages and English as a foreign language), and in various other sectors including law, marketing, journalism, and the Civil Service.
- The course prepares you for roles and sectors including:
- Editor
- Interpreter
- Teacher
- Transcreator
- Translator
- Brand management and advertising
- Civil Service
- Communications careers in business and marketing
- Digital content production
- Diplomacy
Other:
- The British Council named French as one of the top three essential languages for the future in 2017.
- Gain international experience and develop your language skills by taking part in an academic year studying or working abroad.
- The teaching on this course will expose you to professionally relevant simulations and real-work environments, enabling you to gain a better understanding of careers in translation.
- Additionally, you'll have the option to take part in a year studying, working or volunteering, depending on your language level, in a French-speaking country.
- As George Steiner stated, “Without translation, we would be living in provinces bordering on silence”.
- The University of Westminster is a Higher Education Language partner of the Chartered Institute of Linguists and a member of the Association of Programmes in Translation and Interpreting Studies APTIS.
UK Tuition Fees:
£9,250 per academic year
International Tuition Fees:
£17,000 per academic year
Additional Costs:
You should budget up to £50 for additional materials in each year.
University of Westminster
Overview:
University of Westminster is a public university located in London, England. It offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs across various disciplines. The university is known for its focus on practical learning and its strong connections to the industry.
Services Offered:
Student Life and Campus Experience:
The university has four campuses across London, providing students with a vibrant and diverse campus experience. Students have access to various facilities, including a cinema, gallery spaces, and sports facilities. The university also offers a range of student support services, including career guidance, academic support, and mental health services.
Key Reasons to Study There:
Location:
The university's location in London provides students with access to a wealth of cultural and professional opportunities.Practical Learning:
The university emphasizes practical learning, with many programs incorporating work placements and industry projects.Industry Connections:
The university has strong connections to industry, providing students with opportunities for networking and career development.Diverse Student Body:
The university has a diverse student body, creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.Academic Programs:
The university offers a wide range of academic programs, including:
Undergraduate courses:
A broad range of undergraduate courses in various disciplines, including business, design, creative industries, and liberal arts.Postgraduate courses:
A variety of postgraduate study options, including master's degrees, research degrees, and short courses.Other:
The university has a strong commitment to research and innovation, with a focus on areas such as sustainability, social justice, and digital technologies. It also has a dedicated alumni network, providing support and opportunities for graduates.
Entry Requirements:
- UK Students:
- A Levels: DEE (56 UCAS Tariff points), being an Advanced/Proficient/Native level speaker in French
- T Levels: 56 UCAS Tariff points
- International Baccalaureate: 56 to 80 UCAS Tariff points from all components of the Diploma Programme. International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- BTEC Extended Diploma: MPP
- BTEC Diploma: MM to DM
- Access: 56 UCAS Tariff points from the Access course with evidence of successful modern foreign language learning in French
- In addition to one of the above, you should have:
- GCSE English Language grade 4/C – IB grade 4 Higher level, GCSE Maths grade 4/C – IB grade 4 and evidence of successful modern foreign language learning in French
- International Students:
- We accept a wide range of international high school level qualifications.
