8 May 201812 February 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

To freelance or not to freelance? That is the question SUFT helps you answer

Although an MA in Translation Studies can be a springboard to many avenues (such as a PhD), I was keen to pursue translation itself and make a healthy contribution to the industry. I am also nowhere near clever enough for a doctorate and my parents would be less than enamoured about me sponging off them for the next three years.

Therefore, although interested in securing a full time in-house translation position or internship, I read an advert about the SUFT (Setting Up as a Freelance Translator) course in the January/February ITI Bulletin. The course sounded particularly interesting and had positive reviews by previous students. I was after a realistic, “warts ‘n’ all” insight into what running a freelance translation business is like and it would also keep my options open. I duly applied on the closing day for applications (I like to live dangerously) and was kindly accepted. Being an ITI member, payment was £349, but £499 for non-members (excellent value at either fee as it turned out).

6 April 201815 April 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Translation begins at 40 after MA from Sheffield

After being made redundant in the summer of 2016 from a non-language-based role with the Home Office, I decided that I finally wanted to return to using my languages regularly, rather than merely on holiday or for the occasional rendition. Translation, in particular, had always held an attraction and not just involving Modern Languages, as my Latin A level testifies. Translation had seemed a dream job and more realistic than my other illusion of becoming a professional snooker player.

Having been based in Sheffield since 2002, I was fortunate that there were still vacancies on the popular MA in Translation Studies (worth 180 credits) in the University’s School of Languages and Cultures and I was duly accepted. I was also confident that my languages were still pretty good and my 2.1 from Bradford undoubtedly helped.

18 March 201815 May 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Review of MA Translation Theory & Practice at University College London (2014–2016, taught part-time)

The Careers in Translation and Interpreting Conference in May 2013 at Aston University in Birmingham organised by Routes into Languages inspired me to apply for the MA Translation Theory & Practice at UCL as part of a career change. The application process was straightforward: BA (Hon) results of at least 2:1, IELTS (Academic) result of at least 7.6 and a written personal statement.

19 December 201715 April 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Review of MA in Conference Interpreting at London Metropolitan University

What made you choose London Met?

I studied a BA in Translation and Interpreting in Spain and I loved interpreting. However, after university, I got a full-time job and never worked as an interpreter. A few years later I still wanted to give it a go and become a professional interpreter so I decided to move to the UK to brush up on my English. I worked in PR for two years and then I started looking for MAs in Conference Interpreting. I was already living in London and the MA at London Metropolitan University offered the possibility to work into your B language, which caught my attention. Not all MAs offer this option and I thought working into a B language would be crucial for the private market.

10 December 201727 April 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Books on My Shelves – Don’t Trust Your Spell Check

According to the back cover of Don’t Trust Your Spell Check, “Everybody makes mistakes”. Unfortunately, its author, Dean Evans, is no exception. In a book that promises “pro proofreading tactics and tests to eliminate embarrassing writing errors”, nothing could me more disappointing than finding some of the latter in the body of the text and the tests. Given that this is an independently published book, I guess there was no money for a copy editor and/or proofreader, which is a shame.

Having said that, as an experienced editor and content writer, Evans describes strategies and gives explanations that are well worth noting. And the many tests in the second half of the book are extremely helpful as a training exercise. Although it would be more useful to discuss differences of opinion in person with an experienced tutor, tackling the tests is far better than doing no practice at all.

14 November 201715 April 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Review of the Distance-learning MA in Translation at the University of Bristol

Flexibility

This is the Bristol MA’s USP. For a start, it’s entirely based on distance learning. All teaching is on-line: there’s never any need to visit the campus. This is of course invaluable for anyone who has other commitments to juggle, as I did at the time (I graduated in 2015). What’s more, the course can be completed either in one year full-time, or over two to three years part-time, starting in either September or January.

2 November 201715 April 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

M.A. in Translation from Kent State University

I received my M.A. in Translation (Spanish concentration) from Kent State University’s Institute for Applied Linguistics in 2013, and I have been working as a freelance translator and editor since graduation. I entered the master’s program directly from my undergraduate studies with significant interest in translation but very little knowledge of the industry, and right away I recognized that the program was exactly what I was looking for. I was selected for a graduate assistantship, which involves teaching undergraduate language or translation-related courses. I taught two undergraduate Spanish courses per semester my first year, and I taught a hybrid Spanish course and worked in the language lab my second year. Since I did not have another job while being enrolled in the program, this allowed me to pay for my degree, and it also created opportunities for teaching after graduation.

6 October 201715 April 2021 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

How the MAAVTS at Leeds Changed My Retirement

Today’s MA course review has been written by my fellow ITI Wessex member Sue Fortescue. For more information on MA courses and links to other reviews, see the European MA and the non-European MA pages on this blog.

Please get in touch if you completed your MA recently and would like to take part in this series. You’ll find more information about writing for this blog here.

If you would like to help with me this MA review project, please read this post.

Introduction

I came to translation quite late in life, and was 67 when I started the MA. I spent the first part of my career as an English Language teacher (in Italy, Nepal and the UK) and the second part as an IT Manager (in Belgium and the US). My first degree was in Italian & French, and I also have an MA in Linguistics & English Language Teaching (from the University of Leeds) and an MSc in Knowledge-Based Systems from Heriot-Watt University.

24 August 201716 December 2022 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

Three Students Review their MA in Conference Interpreting and Translation Studies (MACITS) at the University of Leeds

This guest post has been written by three former MACITS students at the University of Leeds and it forms part of the ongoing MA review series on this blog. If you would like to write a review of your MA, you’ll find more information and a complete list of all past guest posts here. This list includes two other reviews of MAs at Leeds.

Eleanor Regin, Lara Fasoli and Miruna Georgescu met during their MA course in Conference Interpreting and Translation Studies (MACITS) at the University of Leeds (2015–2016). Eleanor was enrolled on the ACC course (French and Italian into English), while Miruna and Lara were enrolled on the Bidirectional course (Italian-English). After graduating, we started freelancing and decided to start co-writing a blog (Apertis Verbis). Miruna is currently a translation trainee at the Council of the European Union, and both Eleanor and Lara are working as freelancers. The trio share their thoughts on the MA at the University of Leeds and discuss some of the main features of the course.

17 July 20173 February 2023 Nikki Graham - Tranix Translation & Proof-Editing Services

MA in Specialised Translation: my experience at Roehampton University (2014/2015)

This MA course review has been written by Alejandra J. Garcia Romero and edited by Deepti Limaye. For more information on MA courses and links to other reviews, see the European MA and the non-European MA pages on this blog.

Please get in touch if you completed your MA recently and would like to take part in this series. You’ll find more information about writing for this blog here.

If you would like to help with me this MA review project, please read this post.

First of all, I would like to thank Nikki for inviting me to review the MA in Specialised Translation that I took at Roehampton in 2014/2015. As I don’t think anyone has reviewed this postgraduate course yet, I want to share my experience and impressions for anyone interested in taking it.