BSc Translation Studies - French

Key facts

4 years full-time with integrated year abroad

UCAS Code: R110

Typical Offers
A Levels: ABB/ABC/BBB from 3 A-levels, including French Grade B. General Studies accepted. Aston DOES NOT accept the double AS qualification in lieu of 2 AS-levels.

IB: 32-34 points in the IB diploma including TOK/Bonus points. Standard level Maths and English 5 required and 6 in Higher Level French.

Access: Pass Access to HE Diploma with Merit in each module. Humanities or Social Sciences Access course preferred, but other courses considered on an individual basis. A-level grade B in French or equivalent.

BTEC: National Extended Diploma DDD – DDM. A-level grade B in French or equivalent. Mix of Diploma/ Subsidiary Diploma/A-levels acceptable.

We accept a wide range of UK, EU and International qualifications: please contact us for further advice.

Specific subject requirements:
GCSE English Language and Maths Grade C

Applicants receiving offers are invited to an open day.

Tuition fees: £9,000 (£1,000 during placement year) for UK/EU students. (2013). More on fees

Scholarships available for 2013

Key benefits

4th for Languages Graduate Jobs in the Sunday Times 2013
Translation graduates can now receive accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Aston is one of only a few UK universities genuinely specialising in translation and interpreting
Contemporary and applied focus, with a high level of teaching delivered in French

Subject guide and modules

Our Translation Studies programmes combine the study of French with professional and theoretical aspects of translation. The programmes are designed to prepare you for a successful career either in translation or in allied professions.

By the end of the programme your language skills will have reached near-native proficiency and you will also have developed competence in translation and intercultural communication.

The programmes focus on French, culture and society. They develop insights into the wider socio-cultural context of translation.

Josh Benjamin, winner of the LSS Student Video Competition, puts students on the spot and asks them to describe the School of Languages & Social Sciences in one word - 'I feel this shows viewers how the students themselves view the department they study in'.

Sample module options

The following module descriptions are indications only - the modules on offer and the content of the modules is subject to change.

Click on the module titles to find out more.

Year 1

Language and communication determine the way we interact with one another, shape our personal relationships and create an image of ourselves. On a larger scale, language and communication are among the main factors which shape societies and distinct forms of culture. This module offers an introduction to the basic concepts of language and communication. Linguistics, the science of studying language, languages and communication, offers a variety of tools and methods to analyse phenomena such as bilingualism, computer-mediated communication, language and globalization etc.

Assessment method: two hour examination.

This module introduces students to translation as a professional activity. They will be familiarised with key theoretical concepts of translation and their application in practice, so as to develop skills in translating. They will learn to produce translations into English that are appropriate for their specified purpose and readers, and learn to explain their own translation decisions.

Assessment method: group work, coursework and examination.

This module follows on from the Introduction to Translation, putting into practice many of the ideas students encountered there. The module is based on practical sessions that examine a range of language mediation tasks including summary translation, song translation, subtitling, liaison interpreting and translation editing. The class uses various language combinations and involves intensive small-group preparation.

Assessment method: group presentation and individual translation project.

This module is designed to improve your language skills and to develop your fluency and accuracy, in both written and oral production. Key areas of focus include the production of academic texts (summary, essay), the revision and reinforcement of grammar, and the ability to communicate and to argue in a structured and appropriate format.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by coursework and exam.

This module is designed to introduce you to the French press from the outset of your university studies, and to encourage regular reading of both print-based and electronic media sources. We look at the economics and structure of the French press, and the challenges posed by new technologies and the arrival of free newspapers, before discussing the structure of news articles and comparing different press titles.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by presentation and exam.

This module offers an introduction to the study of French history. Starting with the Revolution of 1789, it provides an overview of major events and processes which have shaped the course of modern French history, examining the enduring significance of the past for contemporary France. Key historical events and personalities are considered against a historical backdrop of political turbulence, regime change and the continuous debate over what constitutes the French ‘value system’.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by exam.

This module is a companion module to Reading the French Press. It focuses on how individual press titles deal with specific issues and general subjects, and looks at how media reports are constructed differently across media titles (mainly weekly and daily publications). There is a strong emphasis on independent study.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by critical commentary and portfolio.

The aim of this module is to provide a basic grounding in French culture. Amongst a range of different texts, we focus on contemporary literature (looking at writers such as Camus and Ernaux) and on the cinema of La Nouvelle Vague. Group activities centre on text analysis and discussion, with particular emphasis on the themes of alienation and protest or contestation. Above all, the module aims to provide the tools to analyse, discuss and enjoy aspects of contemporary culture.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by group presentation, exam and essay.

Year 2

This module focuses on traditions of literary translation in Europe. Based on approaches to cultural exchange, students will learn about the history of literary translation in major European countries. Students are introduced to particular historical case studies, in the form of a short formal lecture, a student group presentation, and related discussion exercises, so as to get insight into the wider political, cultural and ethical context of translation.

Assessment method: Method of assessment: one-hour class test and 1500-word essay in English.

This module introduces a selection of electronic tools that assist the professional translator. They will carry out practical translation exercises using translation memory systems, machine translation, terminology databases, subtitle editors and localisation tools. The knowledge gained in this module will be particularly useful for potential work placements with translation companies during the year abroad.

Assessment method: portfolio and oral.

This module highlights the significance of intercultural and textual competence. Students will learn to identify and evaluate potential problems in crosscultural communication. By means of a variety of cross-cultural analyses of communicative settings and textual genres they will be familiarised with communicative conventions in English, German, French and Spanish. With special relevance to translation, the module will thus develop an insight into the significance of these conventions for effective (written and oral) communication.

Assessment method: A 2000-word project in the target language (100%).

Building on the skills acquired in the first year, the second year language skills module prepares you for the year abroad. We concentrate on sophisticated sentence construction, and analyse the construction of high register texts. Key areas of focus include the production of syntheses of dossiers, and analyses of adverts or marketing reports. These activities are underpinned by ongoing grammar learning.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by grammar tests and exams.

This module aims to develop your proficiency in spoken French to a standard which enables you to communicate effectively and confidently with French native speakers and sustain a work or study placement in a French-speaking country, as well as to broaden your knowledge of contemporary French society and culture.

Assessment method: coursework.

This module aims to develop your awareness of translation problems and your research skills, focusing on the translation process from English to French. Texts for preparation, analysis and translation are distributed weekly, from a range of text types of immediate topical, or contemporary, interest. We take a functionalist approach as our basic framework of analysis.

Assessment method: Assessment is by take-away paper and dossier.

This module aims to develop your awareness of translation problems and your research skills, focusing on the translation process from French to English. Texts for preparation, analysis and translation are distributed weekly, from a range of text types of immediate topical, or contemporary, interest. We take a functionalist approach as our basic framework of analysis. We also encourage the study of comparable texts in the source language and parallel texts in the target language, regardless of topic, so as to refine the language and style of any given translation.

Assessment method: take-away paper.

This module aims at furthering students’ understanding of the origins, evolution and development of French in its social context. It shows how extra-linguistic factors have an impact on the dynamics of variation and change. Lessons are a mixture of lecture, discussion of readings and in-class activities.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by an essay on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the tutor, based both on academic reading and on the analysis of authentic language data.

This module examines social conflicts and issues that have been critical in the making of contemporary France. It considers how such conflicts and issues have changed with the evolution of French society, from those that defined France in the post-war years (economic modernisation, demographic change, new employment patterns, the ‘rural exodus’ etc) to those that define France today (national identity, immigration, religion, the banlieues, law and order, unemployment, gender etc). The module looks closely at a number of fault lines and fractures in French society and seeks to assess how social ‘conflict’ and ‘consensus’ are negotiated in France today.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by exam.

This module considers French cinema’s responses to market globalisation, focusing on public film policy, the film industry, and individual films. We discuss the critical features of French cinema – its relationship to national identity, the importance of state funding, debates around Americanisation – before analysing a number of recent mass market popular films and some less commercially-oriented fiction and documentary films. The latter provide an opportunity to explore how cinema has become an important medium for political resistance to economic globalisation.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by essay and exam.

This module examines French political society in the aftermath of World War 2. We focus on the Fifth Republic, discussing its beginnings out of the post-war settlement, the Fourth Republic, and de Gaulle’s return to power in 1958, before examining politics and society from the perspective of its six Presidents to date. We also concentrate on the relationship between the presidential system and the evolution and fortunes of the political parties and the party system.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by essay and exam.

Year 3 - Year Abroad

Final Year

This module will further consolidate students’ understanding of translation as a complex activity within a wider context. They will acquire knowledge of contemporary translation theories and cover topics such as children’s literature in translation, gender and translation, and the translation process. The seminars are based on discussion exercises, presentations, and a variety of practical case studies.

Assessment method: 3000-word essay in English.

In this module, students consolidate and extend their skill in French-English translation at a professional level. Classes are held in English, in a workshop format based on individual preparation of high-level texts from a range of genres, such as tourist leaflets, business texts and comics. Particular attention is paid to research skills and awareness of professional issues.

Assessment method: a take-away translation and annotations.

In this module students will be introduced to the different types of interpreting and will learn how to mediate between speakers of French and English. They will practice unilateral and bilateral liaison interpreting, learn note-taking techniques, and cover a wide range of topics and contexts, such as conference interpreting and public service interpreting.

Assessment method: examination of interpreting skills. (2 practice tests and an exam)

This module aims to consolidate awareness of contemporary translation theories and to apply these to practical work, with a focus on features of specialised translation including the role of corpora. After being introduced to basic concepts and techniques of LSP Translation, each student chooses a domain for study and collects a corpus of texts in English and German/French/Spanish (depending on language combination). This corpus will provide the basis researching he text conventions, lexical and grammatical features, content and intercultural issues that must be considered when translating a text from that domain.

Assessment method: A research report (50%) and a translation (50%)

Building on the year abroad, the module is designed to further improve students’ productive language skills. We focus on a range of current issues and controversies in French politics and society, and classes encourage development of increasingly sophisticated written and oral skills and increased fluency, accuracy and comprehension. These activities are underpinned by ongoing grammar learning.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by exam and group presentation.

This module explores key aspects of the French media in the context of increasing globalisation. Discussion focuses on current themes such as freedom of information; rights and responsibilities; regulation and cultural values; the decline of print, the power of the image and new media; media and democracy; political influence and market forces; pluralism, diversity and balance.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by oral presentation and essay.

This module presents the French language through its use in authentic documents, as opposed to representations in grammars. More specifically, it focuses on how particular linguistic forms lose or develop functions over time. The module is split between presentation of areas of contemporary language variation and change and a group research project.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment includes seminar work (including a critical transcription) and writing a research report.

This is an independent study module, for which you devise, research and write a dissertation on a topic of your choice, related to France or another Francophone country. The module develops your analytical and evaluative skills as well as your linguistic fluency and accuracy. Independent study is supplemented by small group classes and/or one-to-one consultations with your dissertation supervisor, enabling you to develop your presentational and communication skills.

Assessment method: written dissertation and viva.

This module analyses the French overseas territories, and critically situates their role and status with respect to France and, more widely, the international system. We analyse the different geopolitical contexts in which the territories operate, and discuss their social, cultural, political, economic and strategic identities and relationships with France.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by essay and presentation.

This module examines the Vichy regime of 1940-44, when France was occupied and collaborated with Nazi Germany. It shows how the liberal, democratic, assimilationist model of French Republicanism was abolished by an authoritarian, repressive, ultra-nationalist regime. It explores the historical and political background to Vichy, its policies and personalities, its progressive radicalisation, the tensions between state collaboration and pro-Nazi ‘collaborationism’, and the difficulty of defining Vichy as a political regime. It also considers the aftermath of Vichy and the legacy of this brief regime within the Republican culture of contemporary France.

Assessment method: The module is taught in French and assessment is by exam.

Year Abroad

Campus accommodation guaranteed for first year and final year students returning from year abroad.

The Third Year of your course is spent abroad in a French speaking country - increasing your fluency, enhancing your cultural awareness and adding value to your degree. The year abroad is an integral and assessed part of language studies at Aston University, fully supported by us, and of direct relevance to your degree.

A distinctive feature of our year abroad is the flexibility that we offer. You will be able to choose between undertaking a paid work-experience placement with a company, working as a teaching assistant in a school or studying at one of our partner universities.

We are extremely proud of the high level of preparation, orientation and support that we provide before and during your year abroad. We have a full-time Placements Team who will give you plenty of individual help and advice, and even come and visit you during your time away.

Find out more about the Year Abroad.

Learning, teaching and assessment

You will take part in interactive seminars, presentations and group work as well as
attending lectures and tutorials. There are also opportunities for individual research and guided study. We teach much of the course in French which means that our students are at a real advantage when it comes to gaining maximum benefit and experience from the year abroad.

You will be allocated a personal tutor who you can provide help and advice.

Assessment is through a combination of written and oral exams, course work, essays, presentations and an extended dissertation during your final year.

For further information, see the programme specification (PDF).

Career prospects

Languages at Aston is ranked 5th best in the UK for Unemployment proportions in the 2013 Sunday Times.

Our graduates are in demand from a wide range of employers who value their understanding of different cultures and societies, their communication skills and motivation for team work. Destinations for Language and Translation Studies graduates over the past three years include:

British Council Language Assistants
Deutsche Bank - Proxy Event Management
Marriott Hotels and Resorts - Sales and Marketing Coordinator
PricewaterhouseCoopers – Graduate Associate
Ernst & Young – Graduate Associate
Sainsbury’s – Graduate Buyer
Santander - Graduate Trainee
TK Maxx - Graduate Scheme Buyer
Boots - Graduate Trainee Manager
KPMG - Graduate Trainee Accountant
Harrods - Graduate Management Scheme
Acco - Marketing Executive
Teach First - Trainee Teachers
L’Oreal - Development Assistant
Nestle - Trade Marketing Executive
LIDL - PR Graduate Scheme
Wokana and associates - Translator/Proof-reader/Interpreter

Facilities & equipment

The School of Languages and Social Sciences has a dedicated Learning Support Team and excellent facilities including:

70 computers in 4 rooms
Streamed satellite television (French, German, Spanish)
TRADOS and memoQ Translation Software
Free DVD library (French, Spanish, German, English)
Audio and video-editing tools

Teaching staff

Read what the Translation Studies and French staff have to say about their course:

Dr Nathalie Mrgudović - Lecturer in French

'In choosing to study French at Aston, students will experience a unique teaching approach where language and content are taught together. They will learn mostly contemporary issues in an engaging, interactive, dynamic and very friendly way. They will also have the opportunity, during their year abroad, to go to places as exciting as New Caledonia in the South Pacific, or attend one of the famous "Science Po" schools in France. They can expect to leave Aston with a true understanding of what constitutes the French and French-speaking cultures, as well as with a very high level of French.''

Professor Christina Schäffner - Professor of Translation Studies

''Our programmes prepare you well for a professional career in translation or interpreting. You are taught by academics who are well known in the international community and by professional translators. One translation company sponsors an annual prize for the best final year translation student. In our modules, you get to sample a variety of translation tasks (e.g. subtitling, editing) and you have the opportunity to get TRADOS certification (a translation memory system) in the 2nd year. Final year students can gain certification from the Chartered Institute of Linguistsfor a high quality translation.''

Contact us

School of Languages and Social Sciences Undergraduate Admissions
Tel: 0121 204 3700
Email: lss_ugadmissions@aston.ac.uk

Student Profile

Ria Bush

BSc Translation Studies - French

You become friends with your lecturers: the French department is so close-knit. There is no doubt that the lecturers at Aston are the best in their field and it is really shown through their teaching and lessons.

Related courses

BSc French

BSc French and English Language

BSc Translation Studies - French and German

Fees & funding

Find out about tuition fees & student loans, and the bursaries and scholariships available.

Accommodation

All our accommodation is based on campus and over 80% of our rooms are ensuite. We offer a guarenteed place scheme for first years.

Student life

Our city centre location gives you the best of both worlds: a welcoming, lively campus community, in the heart of a vibrant city.

Student support - we're with you all the way

We offer a range of support services to ensure your time here is a success in academic, social and personal terms.

Outstanding graduate career prospects

Aston is ranked 5th in the UK, and the best outside London, for the percentage of graduates entering employment who achieve graduate level jobs (Sunday Times University Guide 2012)

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Graduate Profile

Hannah Burgess

2011 Graduate - BSc Translation Studies: German

I aspired to become an in-house translator when I was studying at Aston. During my placement year, I worked as a translation and proof-reader for Wohanka. When I graduated they offered me a job - I now work full time as an in-house translator, prooreader and interpreter for Wohanka & Associates Ltd in Sheffield.

Birmingham - home to 65,000 students!

With fantastic nightlife, great restaurants, beautiful parks, superb shopping and much more, Birmingham is a true student city.

International students

Aston offers a world-class education and is home to students from over 120 countries.

Learn a language alongside your course

Whatever course you are studying, you can choose to study a language whilst you are at Aston. Improving your cultural awareness and career prospects.

BSc Translation Studies - French

Key facts

Key benefits

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Sample module options

Dr Nathalie Mrgudović - Lecturer in French

Professor Christina Schäffner - Professor of Translation Studies

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