Languages and Translation with Foundation BA Honours
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2024-09-01 | - |
| 2025-09-01 | - |
Program Overview
The Languages and Translation BA Honours at the University of Westminster equips students with skills and knowledge for a career in professional translation. The program combines core modules in translation with a choice of additional languages or international communication. Students benefit from practical training, real-world assessments, and opportunities for international experiences. Graduates are prepared for careers in translation, interpretation, teaching, and various other industries.
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. Our Languages and Translation BA Honours will give you the skills, knowledge and competencies to build a career as a professional translator. On this course, you can choose from one of two main languages - French or Spanish. Depending on your entry point, you can combine the main language with another language (Arabic, Chinese, French or Spanish) or the International Communication route. You'll develop in-depth knowledge of language structure, register, textuality and discourse, by applying linguistic concepts to practical translation tasks. Our activities and assessments reflect real-world tasks, so you’ll experience professionally orientated training in both generic and language-specific skills and knowledge, preparing you for a career as a professional translator, while also gaining the transferable and cognitive skills necessary for lifelong personal and professional development. Alongside core modules in translation, the course offers a wide range of option modules, covering topics including international communications, world cultures, current affairs, politics and gender issues. One of the highlights of studying languages at Westminster is the opportunity to embark on a transformative international experience. This can be tailored to your personal circumstances, and flexible opportunities could include short fully funded field trips or summer schools, a semester spent studying abroad in the second year, and/or a year-long international experience after your second year of study. You'll benefit from studying in the heart of a multilingual city, where over 300 languages are spoken, offering unique opportunities for linguistic exploration. 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. We accept intermediate (post-A level) and proficient speakers in French or Spanish. This is a linguistically challenging course and we may need to assess you in order to determine your entry point and suitability.
Outline:
Foundation Year
- Introduction to Academic Practice
- Intercultural Communication
- Imagining Global Society and Politics
- Critical Thinking for Academic and Professional Development
Year 1
- Reading Identities
- Living and working in Spanish speaking countries
Year 2
- 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 3
- 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 – Languages and Translation 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 – Languages and Translation with International Experience. Find out more about the costs involved in taking a study abroad or placement year.
Year 4
- 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:
Assessment methods include in-class coursework, essays and projects, presentations, and oral and unseen written exams.
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.
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.
Other:
- 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.
- Spanish and French were the second and third most desired language by employers, according to a report by CBI/Pearson.
- French and Spanish are two of the three most requested languages from top language services recruiters.
- You'll learn practical and authentic translation, including audio-visual translation and transcreation.
- Gain international experience with a year working, studying or volunteering in a Spanish-speaking country.
- We provide access to free online courses in Adobe and Microsoft Office applications, as well as thousands of specialist courses on LinkedIn Learning.
- As George Steiner stated, “Without translation, we would be living in provinces bordering on silence”.
UK tuition fee: £9,250 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
International tuition fee: £15,400 (Price per academic year)
When you have enrolled with us, your annual tuition fees will remain the same throughout your studies with us. We do not increase your tuition fees each year.
