Written by Julia Zieba, a student on the MA Translation and Interpreting Studies course.

Hi, my name is Julia and I am from Poland! I am currently a student in the 1-year MA Translation and Interpreting programme. I have just finished my first semester, so I am halfway through obtaining my Master’s. I have really enjoyed the course so far and find the content very intellectually stimulating. I think there is a good balance of theoretical, introductory content and practical work. The first semester has been a chance to get to know the different pathways a translator and interpreter might choose. In the second semester, we are expected to select two subjects that we want to focus on, aside from writing the dissertation. Lectures and seminars aside, there is plenty of opportunities to obtain practical writing and referencing skills through staff-led workshops, as well as sessions with professional translators. During the latter, we can learn more about what their (and potentially ours in the future) job entails and ask questions.

As with any university course, there are always subjects one enjoys the most. As a self-proclaimed art and culture geek, I have obviously enjoyed Translating for Creative and Heritage Industries the most this semester. Based on assigned texts for the week- be it poetry or prose- we have discussed such topics as culture, humour and multilingualism and how to deal with them when translating from one language to the other. Moreover, the practical aspect of translation has been emphasised further by tutorials on subtitling. Whilst we had to learn how to use the software before the class, we were provided plenty of time and resources to do so. This was followed by an in-person tutorial. As with all the other subjects, there were also some language-specific sessions with assigned tutors. I think this module is a great introduction to what literary and audio-visual translation entails. I will definitely continue with it next semester, alongside Translating for Businesses and Institutions.

Needless to say, things do get intense when one does a full-time master’s degree. The semester has just flown by! From one essay to another, from one assignment to the next, I made sure to keep myself busy. When not in class, I was happy to hang out with my coursemates on campus. The University has a lot to offer in terms of lunch spots and cafes. We love studying (and gossiping away) at the newly opened Bold Street Coffee right around the corner from where we have classes. But do not fret, there will always be plenty of time to get involved with other things! I went on a few trips with the International Society. This highly popular University society organises regular day and overnight group excursions to different tourist spots across the UK, among other things. This semester I visited North Wales and Cambridge, which was great fun! I am looking forward to the next semester.

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