MA in Translation

Entry requirements

You must:

• (A) pass the entrance exam
• (B) fulfill the admission conditions based on your application file
• or (C) be a student in your last year of the BA in Multilingual Communication at the FTI

(A) If you already hold a university diploma : You will still have to sit for the FTI entrance exam.

(B) If you hold a BA in the same branch of studies and your diploma is deemed to be equivalent: if you do not change language combinations, the FTI may decide to admit you without requiring you to sit for some or all of the admission tests.

Registration for the examination closes at the end of January. The examination itself is held in late April. Detailed information on how to apply is available from https://www.unige.ch/fti/en/enseignements/ma-traduction/inscription/

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Master of Arts in Specialised Translation provides in-depth training in professional methods and approaches to translation. It covers a variety of specialised fields, including law and economics ("Legal and Institutional Translation" and "Economic and Financial Translation" concentrations). The Master of Arts in Specialised Translation also can lead to an academic career (“Translation Studies” concentration).

The Master of Arts in Translation and Technologies programme produces versatile translators who are specialised in new translation technologies and multilingual engineering. It is based on three major topics: IT tools for translators, terminology, and localisation and project management (with the possibility of specialising in terminology , or localisation and project management).

The Master of Arts in Translation and Specialised Multilingual Communication programme will help you develop your analytical, linguistic, intercultural and group work skills, providing you with the tools to successfully carry out projects in specialised multilingual communication. Combines translation with skills in various different fields: a) corporate communication (multilingual finance and marketing); b) multimedia communication (web, localisation and audiovisual translation); and c) language mangement (Language Policy and Planning and diversity management).

These three MAs share certain courses, which help develop the necessary skills to become a professional translator. Students are required to complete 90 or 120 ECTS credits, depending on the number of B languages they have. The entrance exams and admissions process are the same for all three programmes. You do not need to select your concentration before being admitted. You will only have to decide in your second semester of studies. The programme begins in the Autumn semester of each year, and takes three to four semesters to complete. Classes are taught in the languages in your combination. Courses that are common to all language units are taught in French (or English in some cases).

Information for international students

The Faculty of Translation and Interpreting at the University of Geneva has an extremely international student body. See https://www.unige.ch/dife/en/social/infos-etudiants-etrangers/ for practical information on visas, work permits etc. All students enrolled on the MA complete an internship of several months, generally at one of the many international institutions in Geneva.

Fees and funding

Fees at the University of Geneva are low, at around 500 Swiss francs per semester (around £400), including for international students. Additional hardship funding is available in some cases. See https://www.unige.ch/admissions/en/informations/fees for further details.