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Applied Languages and Translating (French/German)

  • UCAS Code RRC2
  • Duration Up to 4 years
  • Delivery type Full Time
  • Study location
  • Edinburgh
  • Number of places
  • 40 across all programmes

Overview

The Course

ALT and LINT follow the same structure for the first three years with both degrees focusing on practical language skills, communication studies, European Studies and linguistics/translation studies

Two foreign or signed languages are studied to degree level. Level 3 is a compulsory placement year which is spent abroad at two partner institutions, or for British Sign Language (BSL) students, in work placement in the UK signing community for one of the two semesters. Students with only one language at post-Higher/A-Level follow an accelerated intensive language course during Level 1 and join the mainstream language courses from Level 2.

Career Prospects

ALT will equip students for a wide range of careers including translation, interpreting, industry, international business, the media, senior administrative positions in international organisations, educational and academic careers, and public service including the Foreign Office.

For the third year, which is spent abroad, we currently operate student exchange schemes with a number of universities including Paris, Tours, Mulhouse, Angers, Brussels, Mons, Geneva, Heidelberg, Vienna, Innsbruck, Zurich, Madrid, Oviedo, Barcelona, Mexico, Valencia, Alicante and Granada.

Programme content

Level 1

Students take two courses in each of their languages (including translation, spoken classes, aural comprehension and writing in the foreign language); a Modern History and Culture course; a linguistics course and two optional courses. Students doing an intensive course in their second language do not take the optional courses.

Level 2

Language studies in each language (including Translation, Liaison and Conference Interpreting); Society and Institutions in Contemporary Europe; Linguistics and an additional optional subject throughout the year.

Level 3

Students complete two five-month placements, one per language studied, in countries where foreign languages are spoken (France, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Mexico), following courses in university departments of Interpreting and Translating.

Level 4

ALT students study courses in either Applied Linguistics or European Political and Economic Integration. Translation and Spoken in both languages is taken as well as courses in Translation Theory and European Studies.

Emerald Dickson Kirsty Hutton

Emerald Dickson

Degree MA (Hons) LINT (French/German)
Year 2004
Present Job Translator, Brussels
Emerald Dickson

"After graduating from Heriot-Watt, I was recruited by a company in Brussels to translate from French,
German and Spanish (and later Dutch) into English. I was expecting it to be a lot harder to find a job
straight after university but the LINT programme is a very professionally-oriented course which really prepares you for the world of work. In addition to the translation skills which were vital for a job as a translator, the LINT programme also gave me a sound general knowledge and helped me to hone other important skills such as synthesis and public speaking.

"After two years working as a translator I was approached to head the German department of a trademark case law company in Brussels which collects and analyses all the trademark rulings handed down since 2000 in the European Union. This job involves contacting and negotiating with courts in Germany and selling to German law firms and trademark offices. I still do some translation work, but this job is much more varied since in addition, I get to use my languages actively; I speak French, Dutch and English with my colleagues and German with my German contacts and undertake some interpreting.

"The LINT programme was hard work but well worth it. There aren't many language courses that give you as much practical experience and the LINT programme has an excellent reputation, even outside the UK, because of the high standards expected from its students."

Kirsty Hutton

Degree International Management and Languages

"I studied French and Spanish on the degree as I had enjoyed both subjects very much at school and wanted to continue studying them together with management, which I felt might open up more doors to me in the future.

"After graduating, I spent a few months working in Barcelona and on returning to the UK I secured a job with Standard Life.I work in the Group Financial Reporting team supporting the management of various projects run in the department, namely those relating to quarterly reporting and the production of the company's annual report. I am also responsible for reporting the team's compliance to Group policy, as well as other governance activities such as the verification of the financial statements released to the market.

" I enjoy my job, have plenty of responsibility, a sense of contributing effectively to my team, and opportunities for promotion within the company are good.

"The IML degree gave me a great grounding in business and management which has been very useful. Studying languages during my degree gave me a focus on communication, good writing and speaking skills, etc and has certainly helped me to speak and act more confidently and to be more proactive in a work environment".

Entry Requirements

The University offers as its normal entry routes:
- entry at Level 1, mainly for students with Scottish Highers (or similar),
- entry at Level 2, mainly for students with A-levels (or similar).

There is nevertheless considerable flexibility, depending on the level of qualifications, for entrants with A-levels to opt to enter at Level 1 and for Scottish students to enter at Level 2. Direct entry into Level 3 is also possible for students who already have certain HE qualifications.

As our Languages programmes include a compulsory year abroad at Level 3, the normal entry route for all Languages programmes is to Level 1 of a four-year Honours programme. However, candidates with outstanding Advanced Highers or A-Level results may be considered on an individual basis.

Level 1 entry

  • Scottish Highers AAAB
  • GCE A Level BBB
  • Irish Leaving Cert (Higher) AABB including A in two languages
  • SQA Higher National Cert Students who can demonstrate the required language skills will be considered
  • SQA Higher National Dip Students who can demonstrate the required language skills will be considered
  • Int. Baccalaureate 30 points with at least 5 in the language(s) to be studied
  • Additional information Students who are non-native speakers of English will need to achieve either the IELTS test with 7.5 or the Cambridge Proficiency exam with B. The second language may be studied from beginners? level or from a post-Standard/GCSE level. We welcome students with `different? but comparable qualifications and will examine these cases individually.

Level 2 entry

  • Additional information Candidates with outstanding A-Level or Advanced Higher results (ABB) are considered on an individual basis.

Tuition fees

Status* Scotland / EU** England / Northern Ireland / Wales International
Fee Paid by SAAS £9,000 £10,730

* Your residency "status" is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the 3 years before the start of your programme. Find out more about tuition fees.

** European Union countries, not including England, Northern Ireland or Wales.

Scholarships & bursaries

See also

Contact

© Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK EH14 4AS, Tel: +44 (0) 131 449 5111
Scottish registered charity number: SC000278