Translation and AI MA - 2025/6
Awarding body
University of Surrey
Teaching institute
University of Surrey
Framework
FHEQ Levels 6 and 7
Final award and programme/pathway title
MA Translation and AI
Subsidiary award(s)
| Award | Title |
|---|---|
| PGDip | Translation and AI |
| PGCert | Translation and AI |
Modes of study
| Route code | Credits and ECTS Credits | |
| Full-time | PPA63039 | 180 credits and 90 ECTS credits |
| Part-time | PPA63040 | 180 credits and 90 ECTS credits |
QAA Subject benchmark statement (if applicable)
Other internal and / or external reference points
N/A
Faculty and Department / School
Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences - Literature & Languages
Programme Leader
ASIMAKOULAS Dimitris (Lit & Langs)
Date of production/revision of spec
15/12/2025
Educational aims of the programme
- The programme aims to: develop a broad and deep understanding of current and future opportunities and challenges of translation in different markets and contexts
- enable students to become experts in translation as a multilingual, multimodal and sometimes intralingual activity in the digital era, and perform a variety of translation-related tasks (e.g. content writing, post-editing, project management, language engineering)
- enable students to draw on theoretical knowledge to frame their practice using scholarly and professional writing
- focus specifically on advanced technology, business and creative skills - i.e. the areas of translator education which will enable students to take full advantage of the changing language industry landscape
- instil in students the capacity for carrying out independent research in the area of translation studies and neighbouring disciplines
- provide a solid, all-round translator education fit for the evolving realities of the language industry
Programme learning outcomes
| Attributes Developed | Awards | Ref. | |
| On completion of the programme students will be able to: demonstrate a thorough understanding of theoretical, professional and ethical issues relevant to translation as a discipline and as an industry/practice affected by digital technologies | K | PGCert, PGDip, MA | |
| Translate and post-edit specialised texts to industry standards and follow best practices grounded in translation scholarship to justify choices and decisions, as well as produce multilingual content by means of writing, re-writing or adapting texts to target audiences in multiple scenarios | KCT | PGCert, PGDip, MA | |
| Become competent users of language/translation technologies (including computer-assisted translation, machine translation, corpus technologies and natural language processing) to support a range of translation-related tasks, during the comprehension, preproduction, production and post-production stages | PT | PGCert, PGDip, MA | |
| Reflect on, analyse, synthesise and evaluate a range of issues relevant to translation as a discipline, practice, profession and industry, with evidence of efficient processing of complex information and problem solving | KCT | PGCert, PGDip, MA | |
| Work independently and contribute to teamwork on extended pieces of work in a sustained way, with or without guidance, and using advanced research skills | CPT | MA | |
| Demonstrate commitment to continuous professional development and independent pursuit of opportunities to engage with various (academia/profession/industry) stakeholders | PT | PGCert, PGDip, MA |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Programme structure
Full-time
This Master's Degree programme is studied full-time over one academic year, consisting of 180 credits at FHEQ level 7. All modules are semester based and worth 15 credits with the exception of project, practice based and dissertation modules.
Possible exit awards include:
- Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
- Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits)
Part-time
This Master's Degree programme is studied part-time over two academic years, consisting of 180 credits at FHEQ level 7. All modules are semester based and worth 15 credits with the exception of project, practice based and dissertation modules.
Possible exit awards include:
- Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
- Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits)
Programme Adjustments (if applicable)
N/A
Modules
Year 1 (full-time) - FHEQ Level 8
Module Selection for Year 1 (full-time) - FHEQ Level 8
Students must choose five optional modules - two in Semester 1 and three in Semester 2.
Professional Translation Practice language options include Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Greek, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish paired with English. They require native or near-native competency in English and one of the above languages.
Year 1 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
Module Selection for Year 1 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
Students must choose the following compulsory modules in year 1: Professional Translation Practice I, Professional Translation Practice II and Principles and Challenges of Translation and Interpreting. They must choose one optional module in Semester 2.
Professional Translation Practice language options include Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Greek, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish paired with English. They require native or near-native competency in English and one of the above languages.
Year 2 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
Module Selection for Year 2 (part-time) - FHEQ Level 7
Students must choose four optional modules in year 2.
Opportunities for placements / work related learning / collaborative activity
| Associate Tutor(s) / Guest Speakers / Visiting Academics | Y | |
| Professional Training Year (PTY) | N | |
| Placement(s) (study or work that are not part of PTY) | Y | There is an optional work placement within TRAM505. |
| Clinical Placement(s) (that are not part of the PTY scheme) | N | |
| Study exchange (Level 5) | N | |
| Dual degree | N |
Other information
Core strengths and skills of the programme:
Global & Cultural Capabilities. Translation Studies is an interdisciplinary field that adopts global, balanced (North-South/East-West) perspectives and challenges traditional ideas through the lens of technological/social change. The learning environment is highly interactive, multi-cultural, focused on comparative analysis in language usage/professional behaviour.
Employability. Students gain linguistic, technological, business and soft skills required for the language services industry. They work with professional translators/interpreters on realistic simulations across diverse thematic areas. Practical/technology modules focus on high-demand skills, like Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT), post-editing Machine Translation (MT) output, remote collaborative translation, and video-mediated interpreting.
Digital Capabilities. Students gain proficiency in: AI-powered platforms, CAT tools, MT systems, terminology databases, subtitling software, respeaking software, and corpus management tools. The approach is also reflective, focusing on training students to critically assess the quality and reliability of technological solutions.
Sustainability. Sustainability is addressed through practical modules (working with texts on environmental sustainability and decent work) and theoretical modules (exploring how digital solutions consolidate resources and prepare for work diversification). The program also addresses reducing inequalities by examining the visibility/service of cultural and linguistic minorities.
Resourcefulness and Resilience are fostered through inter-disciplinary foundations (social sciences investigation/humanities reflexivity) and a focus on problem-solving skills in a supportive, empathetic environment. Assessments are designed to build self-efficacy, and flexible timetabling encourages student agency.
Quality assurance
The Regulations and Codes of Practice for taught programmes can be found at:
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.