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Translation Studies Practice-Based PhD (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)

Start date
Flexible – September or January encouraged
Duration
Full-time: 3 years, part-time: 6 years
Course Type
Postgraduate, Distance learning, Doctoral research
Fees

Annual tuition fee 2024 entry:
UK: £4,778 full-time, £2,389 part-time
International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only)
More detail.

Put your passion for Translation into practice with our Practice-Based PhD. This new programme brings together our expertise in Translation Studies and supervising practice-based research to support you in producing an original work of translation supported by a critical commentary. 

Join a stimulating research culture within the  Department of Modern Languages, and benefit from our dedicated facilities for Translation Studies research including access to specialist software and an excellent collection of library resources, including e-resources.

On the practice-based programme, you will translate a source text of 18,000-50,000 words that is of significant, publishable quality. This will be supported by a critical commentary on your translation project of no fewer than 50,000 words, which is informed by rigorous research and will discuss, where relevant, critical and creative processes. 

Potential source texts include both literary genres (e.g. novels, prose, short stories, screenplays, stage plays, poetry) and non-literary ones (e.g. memoirs/correspondence, academic texts,  semi-specialised scientific writing).

Please read our frequently asked questions for further details on this practice-based programme.

You may be interested in comparing this programme to the Translation Studies PhD / MA by Research, which is delivered without the practice-based element of this course.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

You can study our Translation Studies Practice-Based PhD full-time or part-time, on campus or by distance learning. The College of Arts and Law is experienced in delivering high quality distance learning to students all over the world. Find out more on our distance learning website.

Birmingham has an excellent academic reputation with leading experts in the field which makes it the perfect choice to carry out research in this field. There is a vibrant research community with lots of opportunities to meet other colleagues at workshops, seminars and conferences organised by the Department

Balsam

Why study this course?

  • World-leading research: The University of Birmingham is ranked equal 10th in the UK amongst Russell Group universities in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 (Times Higher Education). We also have a strong track record of supporting practice-based research within the Department, as well as in the wider College
  • Employability skills: Translation skills are highly sought after in an increasingly global employment market. You will be an expert in this field, but also develop a range of transferable skills including the ability to gather and interpret information, organisational and communication skills and the ability to work well with others, while cultural awareness and foreign language skills are highly sought after by employers. 
  • Community: We have a lively programme of translation-related events at Birmingham, and we also have strong connections to the international translation community. We are a corporate member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting. Our staff are active members of the European Society for Translation Studies and the International Association of Translation and Interpreting and we are also a partner in the ARTIS initiative (Advancing Research in Translation & Interpreting) and IPCITI (International Postgraduate Conference in Translation and Interpreting). We have hosted an annual Translation Studies Research Forum featuring a guest lecture by a distinguished scholar and there continues to be a lively programme of translation-related events.

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience.

Fees

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024 entry are as follows:

  • UK: £4,778 full-time; £2,389 part-time *
  • International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only)

The same fees apply to both campus-based and distance learning study. The distance learning programme also includes one fully-funded visit to campus in the first year of study.

The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

* For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change. The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2024.

Fee status

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students.

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding.

How To Apply

Practice-Based Research Proposals

Your proposal will not differ in many ways from a standard PhD research proposal. However, a strong proposal for a practice-based project should also include:

  • Details of your source text and a description of your proposed target text
  • An explanation of why your translation will be an original, substantial piece of work which demonstrates e.g. your professional, creative practice and which will be of publishable quality
  • An explanation of how your project relates to current work in Translation Studies, with reference to some of the relevant secondary literature which might inform your approach
  • A brief statement explaining why you are interested in undertaking research with us at Birmingham. Many projects are achievable without needing a PhD, so it is helpful to see why you are interested in working within academia

Application deadlines

Postgraduate research can start at any time during the year, but it is important to allow time for us to review your application and communicate a decision. If you wish to start in September 2024, we would recommend that you aim to submit your application and supporting documents by 7 May 2024.

If the programme has a Distance learning option then students will usually attend a residential visit in September or January, and those students wishing to attend the September residential are also encouraged to apply by 7 May 2024. The visit will take place at the end of September/beginning of October and you will receive further details once you have accepted your offer.

Six easy steps to apply for a postgraduate research course in the College of Arts and Law

Six steps to apply for our Postgraduate Research courses

Do you have an idea for an interesting research project? You can follow our six easy steps to apply to study for our postgraduate research courses. These include guidance on identifying funding opportunities and writing your research proposal.

Please also see our additional guidance for applicants to the PhD Distance Learning study mode.

Please note: While our PhD programmes are normally studied in three years full-time or six years part-time, and Masters-level research programmes one year full-time or two years part-time, many programmes have a longer length listed in course or funding applications. This is because the course length is defined as the maximum period of registration, which includes a period of supervised study plus a thesis awaited period. The maximum period of registration for a full-time PhD is four years (three years supervision plus one year thesis awaited). For a full-time Masters-level research programme, it is two years (one year supervision plus one year thesis awaited). For part-time programmes, the periods are double the full-time equivalent.

Making your application

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

Our requirements for postgraduate research are dependent on the type of programme you are applying for:

  • For MRes and MA by Research programmes, entry to our programmes usually requires a good (normally a 2:1 or above) Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification if you were educated outside the UK, usually in a relevant area.
  • Applicants for a PhD will also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level or above (or its international equivalent), usually in a relevant area.

Any academic and professional qualifications or relevant professional experience you may have are normally taken into account, and in some cases, form an integral part of the entrance requirements.

If you are applying for distance learning research programmes, you will also be required to demonstrate that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study by distance learning.

If your qualifications are non-standard or different from the entry requirements stated here, please contact the admissions tutor.

International students

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries - use our handy guide below to see what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements: standard language requirements apply for this course - IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band. If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our English for Academic Purposes Presessional Course - if you successfully complete the course, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without retaking a language qualification.

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band is equivalent to:

  • TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 21 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 59 in all four skills
  • Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

Learn more about international entry requirements

International Requirements


We have considerable experience as practising translators. Members of staff in the Department have published a number of literary translations: from poetry and short stories from Persia, Georgia and Russia, to Latin American Golden Age comedies, to novels and short stories by Spanish, Colombian, Ecuadorian and Mexican authors. Our research expertise covers a wide range of genres, both literary and non-literary.

Please contact a staff member working in your area of interest to discuss your research in the first instance. 

Our research streams, and areas of supervision within these, can also be found below. 

Forging Links

(Trans)forming Knowledge

Intersecting Identities

We also have expertise in FrenchGermanHispanic, Italian and Russian as well as audio-visual research.

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated  careers and employability team who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

  • Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
  • Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
  • Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
  • Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation.

Postgraduate employability: Modern Languages

Our Modern Languages postgraduates develop excellent communication skills, cultural awareness and foreign language skills - all highly sought after by employers at home or abroad. Postgraduates in Modern Languages also have a range of transferable skills including the ability to gather and interpret information, organisational skills and the ability to work well with others.

Many of our graduates enter roles for which their programme prepared them, such as language teaching oe translation. Others use their transferable skills in a wide range of occupations including publishing, executive research and project management. Employers that graduates have gone on to work for include Language Connect, RWS Group, TransPerfect Global Business Solutions, University of Birmingham, University of Cambridge and University of Oxford.

The department has an excellent employability record, and the majority of graduates go on to successful careers. Find out about how our alumni, have used the skills they developed studying Modern Languages at postgraduate level within their careers.