The UNSW Master of Translation is a 1.7 year full-time postgraduate degree that prepares you for a successful career as a certified translator, both in Australia and overseas. Choose from a variety of languages and industry specialisations. You'll learn current theory and critical skills from leading interpreting and linguistics practitioners and researchers, while gaining practical experience in professional settings.
Graduate with two master’s degrees by combining this program with another eligible Arts, Design & Architecture master’s degree in the Master of Arts and Social Sciences (Combined).
Language variety You can combine English with Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Cantonese), French, Greek, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Portuguese, Serbian, Spanish or Turkish (subject to student demand).
Recognition of prior learning Fast track your degree with the option to graduate in as little as one year with recognition of your previous studies and experience.
Career skills Get practical professional experience and desirable career skills in critical analysis, project management, teamwork, independent research and preparation.
Specialist topics Build legal, medical, welfare, business, community and conference interpreting knowledge.
Learn from the best The program is led by leading researchers and practitioners in the field of translation, interpreting and linguistics. Our programs are taught by experienced, NAATI accredited/certified practitioners. Our teachers are internationally recognised in legal and community interpreting, translation pedagogy and translation technologies.
Links with industry UNSW is an affiliate of AUSIT, the national professional association for interpreters and translators. You’ll have opportunities to gain real-world experience through translation work or observe experienced translators working in different professional settings such as Agreement for the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR).
There are two different streams of the Master of Translation. The stream you apply for will depend on the depth of your prior academic and/or professional experience, and how closely it relates to translation.
You may be eligible to have your study recognised via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). If your work experience or prior study is recognised, credit points can be counted towards the degree, and you would then be able to complete the coursework undertaking fewer subjects.
You will need to meet the following admission requirements to be considered for entry into the program:
1.7 year (72 UOC) program (Stream B)
1 year (48 UOC) program (Stream A)
Related fields: Interpreting and Translation, Linguistics, Languages.
Applicants should provide evidence of proficiency in the nominated language through prior study or NAATI certification/accreditation. Alternatively, upon submitting an application, applicants may be prompted to undertake a proficiency test.
Applicants with a degree in a discipline not listed here but who wish to make a case for its academic relevance may apply and will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Apply for this degree through the UNSW Applicant Portal . We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term. Some high-demand programs and faculties with limited places may have earlier application deadlines or commencement dates.
Application closing dates vary by program and intake. Please refer to our application closing dates page for current deadlines and program-specific information before submitting your application.