MPhil/PhD Translation

Course information

2-4 years full-time or 4-8 years part-time

Course overview

We welcome proposals for research in any area connected with translation and/or interpreting theory and practice, or any research that addresses theoretical or practical issues relating to the interpretation or communication of meaning across borders of language and culture and embraces a wide range of disciplinary and methodological approaches.

The MPhil/PhD Translation is a rigorous, structured interdisciplinary translation or interpreting researcher training programme, which aims to enable you to acquire a solid understanding of Translation Studies or Interpreting Studies scholarship, history, discourses, trends and debates, and to support you in the production of original work within this context.
As part of the programme, you will join the Goldsmiths Translation Research Group and will engage with a programme of taught courses, which bring you into contact with other students within Goldsmiths.
We particularly encourage cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary research in emerging fields of study and creative practice and proposals within the research areas of Translation Studies staff Dr Sarah Maitland and Dr Arianna Autieri.
As well as working with scholars and creative practitioners of international standing, you will have the opportunity to play an active role in a vibrant research environment which includes the Richard Hoggart Lectures in Literature and Culture, the annual Goldsmiths Prize for bold and innovative fiction, and specialist seminars and colloquia offered by the Goldsmiths Writers' Centre, the Goldsmiths Literature Seminars (GLITS), the Goldsmiths Linguistics Seminars (GoldLingS), and the e-journal, GLITS-e.
We’ll help you build your employability skills and kickstart your continuous professional development through our key industry affiliations. You can benefit from our MA in Translation’s membership of the Institute of Translators and Interpreters (ITI), the only UK-based independent professional membership association for practising translators, interpreters and language service businesses. The programme is also a member of the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA) and the Association of Programmes in Translation and Interpreting Studies of the UK and Ireland (APTIS). If you wish to make use of translation memory, machine translation or computer-aided translation as part of your research, software for students is provided by Phrase TMS. As part of your studies, you will also be provided with access to XTRF, a cloud-based end-to-end translation management system and the XTRF Academy, the always-on training and development resource.
Assessment is by thesis and viva voce and there is no restriction on language pair.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Sarah Maitland.

Entry requirements

Applicants should normally possess at least a first degree (normally of upper second class honours standard or above) or equivalent. Applicants should also normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters in a relevant subject area.

Where an applicant possesses non-standard qualifications or equivalent experience, these will be considered.

No prior qualification in Translation Studies or Interpreting Studies is required for admission to the programme, but relevant equivalent experience in contexts of translation and/or interpreting theory and practice, or the interpretation or communication of meaning across borders of language and culture must be demonstrated through the personal statement.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

Home - full-time: £TBC
Home - part-time: £TBC
International - full-time: £TBC

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments. Please check the programme specification for more information.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

How to apply

Apply now

You must apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.

Before submitting your application, you'll need to have:

Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments (and, where relevant, IELTS or equivalent English language qualification)
The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
Contact details of a second referee
A research proposal that meets the requirements published by Goldsmiths · A personal statement that meets the requirements published by Goldsmiths (this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online)

Find out more about applying.

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