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Modern Languages with Translation Studies

Entry requirements


A level

B,B,B-B,B,C

Including B in the appropriate language for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway. Where students wish to take the three language option at least two must be taken at A-level or equivalent. Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A-levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required. Socio-economic factors which may have impacted an applicant’s education will be taken into consideration and alternative offers may be made to these applicants.

Access to HE Diploma

D:24,M:21

Access course must be in a relevant subject area. Please note that the Access to Higher Education Diploma will only be acceptable if the applicant has had a considerable break from education. Grade B at A level in the appropriate language for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway.

Applicants with the Cambridge Pre-U are strongly encouraged to apply to Royal Holloway. Offers will be made on the basis of equivalent A-Level grades as can be found on the Royal Holloway website.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

We require at least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9 - 4 including English and Mathematics.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

30

5,5,5, with a minimum of 32 points overall including 5 in the appropriate language(s) at Higher Level for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway. Where students wish to take the three language option at least two must be taken at Higher level or equivalent.

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

H3,H3,H3,H3,H3

Including H3 at A level in the appropriate language for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway.

Pearson BTEC Extended Diploma (QCF)

DDD

BTEC must be in a relevant subject with an A-level grade B in the appropriate language for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway. Where students wish to take the three language option at least two must be taken at A-level or equivalent.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DM

BTEC must be in a relevant subject area plus A Level Grade B in the appropriate language for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway. Where students wish to take the three language option at least two must be taken at A-level or equivalent.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

D

Plus A Levels Grades B,B including the appropriate language for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway. Where students wish to take the three language option at least two must be taken at A-level or equivalent.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDM

BTEC must be in a relevant subject with an A-level grade B in the appropriate language for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway. Where students wish to take the three language option at least two must be taken at A-level or equivalent.

Scottish Advanced Higher

B,B,B-B,B,C

Including Grade B in the appropriate language for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway. Where students wish to take the three language option at least two must be taken at Higher Level or equivalent.

Scottish Higher

B,B,B,B,B

Including Grade B at A level in the appropriate language for the Translations Studies advanced level language pathway. Where students wish to take the three language option at least two must be taken at Higher level or equivalent.

Requirements are as for A Levels where one non subject specified A Level can be replaced by the same grade in the Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate

UCAS Tariff

112-144

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time including placement abroad | 2024

Subjects

French studies

German studies

Spanish studies

Italian studies

Translation studies

If you want to focus on gaining practical skills in translation alongside fluency in French, German, Italian or Spanish, as well as a globally-aware, creative, and critical mind-set, this specially designed four-year degree programme is for you.

As a modern linguist, you will not only learn to speak and write fluently, you will also develop excellent communication and research skills and combine language proficiency with cross-cultural perspectives.

As a part of Royal Holloway’s close-knit international community based on our beautiful historic campus, you will be within easy reach of London and its wealth of cultural resources.

Whether you are an advanced or native-speaker level student when you start, by the time you graduate you will be fluent in one or two languages, confident in reading, understanding and analysing text in your chosen language(s) and English, and able to write with ease and accuracy.

In your third year you will have the opportunity to spend time working, teaching or studying abroad, where you will immerse yourself in another language and culture, truly broadening your horizons in the process.

+ On graduation you will have language and analytical skills in up to three modern languages, together with additional knowledge of culture, society and history, culture and society that will give you a valuable competitive edge in an increasingly globalised world.

+ Our research staff are engaged in research at the highest level internationally; we are in the top 10 of UK Modern Language departments for research quality and the top in London (Research Assessment Exercise 2014).

+ You can choose to specialise in one of our pathways, such as translation, visual cultures or literature, or take a wide range of options to broaden your horizons.

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, we will commit to providing 2019 and 2020 entry students with a subsidy equivalent to current Erasmus+ funding (where this would have previously been funded by the Erasmus+ scheme). To find out more visit the Erasmus+ page.

Modules

Further information can be found here: https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studying-here/undergraduate/languages-literatures-and-cultures/modern-languages-with-translation-studies/

Assessment methods

The course has a modular structure. Some course units are compulsory while others are elective thereby offering flexibility and choice. In years one and two, you will take a core course in translation theory and weekly practical translation classes. In the final year, you will take the full-unit Advanced Translation - Professional Practice.

Every course is assessed using a varied range of methods such as coursework and end-of-year examinations. You produce coursework such as essays, language exercises, translations, or reports at regular intervals and the marks you receive for these pieces of work count towards your final mark. We also use oral presentations and computer-based tests to assess grammar and comprehension skills in some course units. You can, to some extent, choose course units which suit your own assessment preferences.

The first year is foundational and marks do not count towards your final degree. The subsequent years do count, with more importance being given to the final year marks in order to reward progress and achievement.

Final-year students will produce a translation of a text of their choice together with a critical discussion of the theories and strategies deployed; individual tutorials are offered for these students.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£23,800
per year
International
£23,800
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Republic of Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

Extra funding

https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/studyhere/undergraduate/feesandfunding/bursariesandscholarships/home.aspx

The Uni


Course location:

Royal Holloway, University of London

Department:

Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Read full university profile

What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

96%
French studies
90%
German studies
78%
Spanish studies
83%
Translation studies

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

French studies

Teaching and learning

98%
Staff make the subject interesting
98%
Staff are good at explaining things
89%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
75%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

75%
Library resources
89%
IT resources
64%
Course specific equipment and facilities
89%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

79%
UK students
21%
International students
10%
Male students
90%
Female students
92%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
B

German and scandinavian studies

Teaching and learning

80%
Staff make the subject interesting
95%
Staff are good at explaining things
85%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
75%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

80%
Library resources
89%
IT resources
72%
Course specific equipment and facilities
60%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

79%
UK students
21%
International students
17%
Male students
83%
Female students
92%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
C

Iberian studies

Teaching and learning

82%
Staff make the subject interesting
90%
Staff are good at explaining things
86%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
80%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

59%
Library resources
92%
IT resources
86%
Course specific equipment and facilities
51%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

79%
UK students
21%
International students
19%
Male students
81%
Female students
92%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

Italian studies

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

79%
UK students
21%
International students
17%
Male students
83%
Female students
92%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A
B
B

Others in language and area studies

Teaching and learning

87%
Staff make the subject interesting
87%
Staff are good at explaining things
89%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
86%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

71%
Library resources
83%
IT resources
78%
Course specific equipment and facilities
64%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

77%
UK students
23%
International students
13%
Male students
87%
Female students
92%
2:1 or above
10%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

French studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£19,000
low
Average annual salary
94%
low
Employed or in further education
47%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

28%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
11%
Teaching and educational professionals
10%
Other elementary services occupations

German and scandinavian studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£19,500
med
Average annual salary
97%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

28%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
10%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
7%
Other elementary services occupations

It's often said the UK doesn't produce enough modern language graduates, and graduates from German courses have a lot of options available to them when they complete their courses. The unemployment rates last year was lower than graduates in general. Nearly a quarter of working graduates from 2015 got jobs outside the UK — mostly as English teachers — which is much higher than for most subjects. The relative strength of the German economy means there will continue to be opportunities there in the future. But more graduates went to work in London, and those who want to stay at home to work find jobs anywhere where good communication skills are a must, particularly in education, in marketing, in the arts and in business and finance as teachers, writers, personnel officers, financial advisors, analysts, sales people and marketers.. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills.

Iberian studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£19,500
med
Average annual salary
96%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

21%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
17%
Teaching and educational professionals
7%
Business, finance and related associate professionals

It's often said there's a shortage of modern language graduates, and graduates from Spanish courses have a lot of options available to them when they complete their courses. In 2015, nearly 1300 UK graduates got degrees in Spanish and the subject is seeing its popularity increase. About one in five got jobs overseas — often as English teachers. If you want to put your degree to work in the UK, teacher training is a common option, and businesses see Spanish-speaking countries as important markets, leading to graduate opportunities in marketing, human resources, sales and project management. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills.

Italian studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£19,500
med
Average annual salary
97%
med
Employed or in further education

Top job areas of graduates

28%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
10%
Sales assistants and retail cashiers
7%
Other elementary services occupations

This is one of the less common modern languages for students to take, but graduates from Italian courses have a lot of options available to them when they complete their degrees. About one in five graduates from 2015 got jobs overseas — often as English teachers — which is much higher than for most subjects, and higher than previous years. Nearly half of the rest went to work in London. Those who want to stay at home to work usually find jobs anywhere where good communication skills are a must — and in 2015, that included education, marketing and finance. But remember — whilst employers say they rate graduates who have more than one language, you need to have them as part of a whole package of good skills.

Others in language and area studies

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£20,000
med
Average annual salary
98%
med
Employed or in further education
61%
low
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

27%
Sales, marketing and related associate professionals
8%
Teaching and educational professionals
8%
Administrative occupations: records

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

French studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£26k

£26k

£33k

£33k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

German and scandinavian studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£26k

£26k

£33k

£33k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Iberian studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£26k

£26k

£33k

£33k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Italian studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£26k

£26k

£33k

£33k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

Others in language and area studies

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£18k

£18k

£26k

£26k

£33k

£33k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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Higher entry requirements
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This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

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Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here