The MSt in Creative Translation is designed to enable you to work in Translation Studies, both as an academic subject and a creative practice, giving you a scholarly grounding in the theories, methodologies and history of the subject and the space to develop hands-on skills in the practice of translation itself. The course is suitable both for candidates wishing to proceed to a research degree, those who wish to spend only one year at Oxford and/or those who are already translating and want to achieve a formal qualification.
The course is suitable for applicants with any of the following languages: French, German, Italian, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
For the 1st year there will be a fully funded studentship available for the course (covering a maintenance and full UK fees). All applicants will automatically be considered for this studentship.
Full guidance on how to apply, application deadlines, and entry requirements can be found on the central admissions pages and application guide pages of the University website.
Course Content
| Michaelmas | Hilary | Trinity |
|---|---|---|
| Methods Course – Issues in Translation | Methods Course – Issues in Translation | Independent Translation |
| Special Subject 1 | Special Subject 2 | |
| Aspects of Practice | ||
Core Methods Course ‘Issues in Translation’
Across Michaelmas and Hilary terms, you will take a series of ten seminars on aspects of theory and method in translation and adaptation offering key texts and approaches. Cumulatively the sessions will provide a grounding in the a) History and Positioning of Translation Studies; b) Pertinent Questions in the Discipline; c) Academic and Creative Practice. Topics taught might include:
- History of Translation
- Philosophy and Ethics and Translation
- Gender and Translation
- Translation and Adaptation
- Translation and Circulation
- Untranslatables and Universals
- Translation and Intermediality
- Translation Memoirs as Genre
- Collaborative Translation
- AI and Translation
Please note that the options listed are illustrative and may be subject to change as they are not guaranteed to run every year.
Special Subjects
You will take two special subject options, one a cohort-wide non-language specific topic covering issues in translation, and one that can either be non-language specific or based on an individual language. Courses are offered across different language strands and specialisms, subject to the availability of the relevant supervisors in any particular year. Each special subject runs across one of either Michaelmas or Hilary terms, and normally involves four meetings, which, depending on student numbers, may take the form of classes or tutorials. These meetings are normally fortnightly.
Options might include:
- Translating for Performance: Classics and the Contemporary Moment
- Translating the Multilingual
- Multilingualism/translanguaging
- Pseudo-translation
- Translating Culture
- Translating the Untranslatable
- Translating Philosophy
- Translating Contemporary German Poetry
- Translating Mourning
- Nature Writing and Translation
- Editions and Translations
- Retranslation
- Language and Style in Modern Italian
- Creative Writing and Translation
- Adapting the Early Modern
- Spanish Translation
- Modern German Poetry
- Modern Russian Poetry
- Early Modern Spanish Theatre: Translation for Page and Stage
- Translating Hispanic Poetry
- Translating the Pre-Modern, Then and Now
Please note that the options listed are illustrative and may be subject to change as they are not guaranteed to run every year.
Aspects of Practice
Throughout the year you will attend seminars in which industry specialists and creatives will be invited to give presentations about various issues of interest, for example: their own practice, publishing, translating for film, dubbing, performance, journals, theatrical adaption, translation and songwriting, creative writing and translation, AI.
Independent Translation
You will complete an independent translation project along with a piece of reflective prose on your creative practice to be submitted in the final term of the year.
Assessment
For your core Methods course you will submit an essay at the end of Hilary term.
For formative assessment, you will also be expected to submit a Methods course essay at the end of Michaelmas term. It will not be part of your formal (summative) assessments, but an opportunity to receive comment and feedback.
For your special subject options, you will complete an assessment which can take the form of an essay, or a portfolio of essays, or comparative critical analysis of existing translations, on a topic or topics related to each of the special subjects, or a translation and self-reflective piece. You will submit coursework for examination at the end of Michaelmas term, and at the end of Hilary term.
You will also submit an independent translation project in the final term of study, with work on this project lasting over the duration of the whole academic year.