Degree programme objectives

This study programme is focused on theoretical and practical aspects of translation, primarily English-Czech, and also Czech-English. The emphasis is placed on technical (non-literary) translation. The programme develops and cultivates students' bilingual, extralinguistic, instrumental skills and translation-profession knowledge as well as strategic skills for translation. It provides students with translation theory and a broad view of translation as an important activity essential in society, as a basis for their informed expert and efficient translation decisions. Including also a considerable practice-based component, the programme prepares graduates for a number of translation specializations (including institutional translation, freelancing, subtitling, localization etc.). The programme offers only elements of interpreting, leaving a possible specialization in interpreting up to students' further development.

Study plans

Admission Procedures
Admission to Master's degree programmes in 2024/2025 (beginning: Autumn 2024)
Submission deadline until midnight 30. 4. 2024

  • Information on entrance examinations designed for this degree programme

    Deadline for submitting applications: January 1 - April 30

    Who the programme is intended for: The programme is offered to graduates of all Bachelor’s degree programmes.

    Subject matter of the entrance examination: Prerequisites for admission are very good knowledge of English and Czech, interest in events in English-speaking countries, and the applicant’s relationship towards working with text and information. Applicants will be admitted on the basis of an entrance examination comprised of:

    • written part - English, Czech, text orientation, WORK WITH TEXT, general overview;
    • oral part - interview with a shortlist of candidates WITH A FOCUS ON MOTIVATION TO STUDY AND OVERALL AWARENESS OF THE TRANSLATOR'S WORK (applicants who pass the written test will proceed to the oral exam).

    The written examination for the English-language Translation programme is not identical to any other examination for the follow-up Master’s programmes offered by the Department of English and American Studies, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University. Applicants must participate in it, even if they also apply to one of the other programmes of DEAS FA MU. The result of the written examination in the English-language Translation programme cannot be included in any other follow-up Master’s programme offered by DEAS FA MU.

    Only applicants who pass the written examination will be invited to take the oral examination in the English-language Translation programme.

    Website Department of English and American Studies.

    General information on the course of the admission procedure to the follow-up Master’s degree programmes at FA MU can be found here. Documents for the current admission procedure are kept in Materials for Applicants.

  • Evaluation criteria valid for the applicants applying for a place on this degree programme

    Pass/fail line of the entrance examination: 60 points (out of 100).

Studies

  • Objectives

    This study programme is focused on theoretical and practical aspects of translation, primarily English-Czech, and also Czech-English. The emphasis is placed on technical (non-literary) translation. The programme develops and cultivates students' bilingual, extralinguistic, instrumental skills and translation-profession knowledge as well as strategic skills for translation. It provides students with translation theory and a broad view of translation as an important activity essential in society, as a basis for their informed expert and efficient translation decisions. Including also a considerable practice-based component, the programme prepares graduates for a number of translation specializations (including institutional translation, freelancing, subtitling, localization etc.). The programme offers only elements of interpreting, leaving a possible specialization in interpreting up to students' further development.

  • Learning Outcomes

    After successfully completing his/her studies the graduate is able to:

    • have written and spoken English-language competence at the C2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
    • have a deep knowledge of pure and applied translation theory and current translation norms
    • have very good practical skills relevant for translating a wide range of text types, with a focus on non-literary translation
    • work independently and conduct critical analyses of language in use and intercultural communication
  • Occupational Profiles of Graduates

    Graduates of this degree programme should be able to work independently as translators (and interpreters) and provide comprehensive consulting services in written and oral intercultural English–Czech and Czech–English communication. Graduates will be able to find jobs as professional translators (both in-house translators and freelancers), in translation project management and in publishing houses, in both national and supra-national institutions. Apart from translation of written documents, graduates may find jobs also in subtitling and localization, as well as interpreting. They should also be able to work for a number of public institutions, including local and national government offices, the media, international organizations, and NGOs, and in the private sector, where high-level English-language skills, English-Czech translation skills, and communicative and analytical skills are required.

  • Practical Training

    The programme includes no compulsory internship.

  • Goals of Theses

    The minimum scope of a Master's thesis (for students enrolled in the programme in 2015 or later) is 125,000 characters (including footnotes and bibliography and excluding front pages, table of contents, and acknowledgments). Appendices, where resulting from student's own substantial analysis, can count towards the thesis by 30-50% of length, which is to be approved by the supervisor. Topics include mainly students' own research in a selected area of translation and interpreting, preferably descriptive-based research; theoretical theses developing the state-of-the art in a selected translation area considerably are also possible. Theses presenting and analyzing student's own translation work are allowed only exceptionally, upon agreement of the supervisor, to avoid possible conflicts due to subjectivity.

  • Access to Further Studies

    Graduates may continue their studies in a doctoral degree study programme in English linguistics (with or without specialization in translation) or in Literatures in English (with disssertation topics merging literature and translation).

Basic information

Abbreviation
N-PAJ_
Type
master's degree programme (following the bachelor's one)
Profile
academic
Degree
Mgr.
Degree in Advanced Master's state examination
PhDr.
Length of studies
2 years
Language of instruction
Czech Czech

25
estimated number of admitted
39
number of active students
37
number of theses/dissertations

Faculty of Arts
Programme guaranteed by