TRANSLATION-RELATED DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES IN UK-BASED UNIVERSITIES

This third post is a continuation of my project of enlisting translation-related courses across the globe. In this post, I will talk about the importance of distance-learning, and will mention the distance-learning translation courses found at UK-based universities as of 2012-2013. Before proceeding to the list, however, I would like to talk a bit about the importance of such courses (the need for this rationale is triggered by the commonly-observed lack of interest and attention towards distance learning).

 

 1. Importance for UK-based Students:

Distance learning courses are especially suitable for working people, housewives, and the disable. These courses are flexible, allowing students to easily manage their study-hours, keeping in view their convenience and time-availability. Although these courses cannot provide the benefits that on-site learning (such as participation in group discussions, direct contact with tutors, and participation in seminars) offers, the salience of these courses becomes highly visible for people who are unable to do regular study. For such people, distance learning courses are nothing short of a lucky thing.

2. Importance for International Students:

This point relates specifically to the current situation of fees at the UK universities. As you might already know, the postgraduate fee charged by the UK universities from Home/EU students, with regard to courses in Humanities (including Translation Studies), ranges from 5000 (for instance, in the University of Westminster and the University of Manchester) to 7000 GBP per annum. On the other hand, the fee for international students (i.e. non UK/EU students) ranges from 10000 to 13000 GBP per annum. Let us now compare it with the fee charged for distance learning Humanities courses. The distance learning Humanities programmes normally charge between 5000 to 6000 GBP per annum. As such, they are good for those who are unable to pay the regular fee, and for whom the reduced distance learning fees come in quite handy in enabling them to carry out their studies. This is especially true for international students (I will especially recommend you to check out the cost-effective distance learning MA in Translation Studies offered at the University of Portsmouth, which costs only 1,500 for UK/EU students, and 3,500 for international students, and which you can confirm by following this link
http://www.port.ac.uk/courses/coursetypes/postgraduate/MATranslationStudiesDistanceLearning/feesandfunding/tuitionfees201213/)). An international student, when having no financial support, has to not only pay the huge sum in terms of course fee but also bear expenses of accommodation, food, etc. For such people, distance learning is a blessing and a golden opportunity to receive quality education as well as degree from an esteemed foreign university. They do not have to quit their jobs, and they can easily, while based in their home-countries, gain certificates, diplomas and degrees from a foreign university of their choice. Those international prospective students who are not familiar with the distance-learning programmes in connection with their areas of study are likely to eventually give up the hope to receive quality education from an esteemed foreign university. I, thus, urge the people based outside of the UK – who cannot bear huge expenses incurred while studying on a regular course – to check out the distance learning translation courses offered at the UK universities, and get enrolled if they find a course commensurate with their area of interest and future educational and professional aims.

In my search for distance learning courses on translation and interpreting, I was disappointed to find out that there was a serious dearth of translation courses when it came to the distance learning mode of education. I could locate only four translation courses. According to my findings:

·         No BA Honours course in translation is on offer at the UK universities.

·         Three courses are available at MA level.

·         Only one PhD course is on offer.

The detail is as under.

Note: All the links below are clickable.

PhD Courses:

Aston University: Research Languages (French, German, Spanish) and Translation Studies (by distance learning): http://www1.aston.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/research-programmes/lss/mphil-phd-in-languages-and-translation-studies-by-distance-learning/

Masters Courses:

University of Birmingham: MA in Translation Studies (Distance Learning): http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/students/courses/postgraduate/distance/english/translation-studies.aspx

University of Bristol: MA/Diploma Translation: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sml/courses/postgraduate/ma-translation.html

University of Portsmouth: MA Translation Studies (Distance Learning): http://www.port.ac.uk/courses/coursetypes/postgraduate/MATranslationStudiesDistanceLearning/

It would be beneficial for others if you leave your comments and feedback in the comment box below.

Good luck!