Professional Translation Practice - LAN00118M
Module summary
This module builds on the content introduced in Translation Theory and Practice. Having acquired core transferable skills in the previous semester, you will be presented with a wide range of new challenges arising from the translation of specialised texts. Moreover, you will have opportunities to enhance your translation research skills and further develop your use of new technologies and incorporate them seamlessly into your workflow.
Related modules
Pre-requisite modules
Additional information
Prerequisite module: Translation theory and practice.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2026-27 |
Module aims
This module is aimed at those of you interested in further developing and consolidating your translation skills. Through a series of theory-based, profession-oriented lectures, seminars and language-specific workshops, you will translate texts from specialised domains such as law, medicine, science and technology. Much of this course will also be devoted to working with terminology (via our collaboration with the World Intellectual Property Organisation, WIPO), glossaries and localisation tools.
Module learning outcomes
After completing this module, you should be able to:
- produce high-quality translations of texts from specialised domains,
- analyse genre-specific translation challenges,
- make research-informed translation decisions that respond to professional practice,
- apply translation technologies in line with professional and ethical standards,
- demonstrate an understanding of professional translation workflows across businesses and institutions.
Module content
Below is an indicative list of topics:
- Terminology Management (WIPO Pearl)
- Technical translation
- Academic translation
- Medical translation
- Legal and institutional translation
- Translation and politics
- Translating for museums and heritage sites
- Audiovisual translation
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) | 60.0 |
| Essay/coursework | 40.0 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100.0 |
Module feedback
Assessment 1: You will receive formative feedback from your language-specific lecturers.
Assessment 2: You will receive formative and summative feedback from WIPO terminologists and the course unit convenor, who will assess your report.
Assessment 3: You will receive formative and summative feedback from your language-specific lecturers.
Indicative reading
Alcaraz, E., Hughes, B., & Pym, A. (2014). Legal Translation Explained. Taylor & Francis Group.
Díaz Cintas, J. (2014). Audiovisual Translation: Subtitling. Routledge.
Góngora-Goloubintseff, J.G. & Terribile, S. (2025). Translation Technology and Human-Machine Interaction. In Baumgarten, S. & Tieber, M. The Routledge Handbook of Translation Technology and Society. Routledge.
Góngora-Goloubintseff, J. G. (2026).Technology-drivenchanges in the UK legal translation market: a practice-based study of NMT and its impact on freelance translators’ workflow. Perspectives: Studies in Translation Theory and Practice, 1-18. Taylor & Francis.
Montalt, V., & Gonzalez Davies, M. (2007). Medical Translation Step by Step: Learning by Drafting. Routledge.
Neather, R. (2024). Translating for Museums, Galleries and Heritage Sites. Routledge.
Olohan, M. (2016). Scientific and Technical Translation. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Penet, J. C. (2024). Working as a Professional Translator. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Pym, A. (2025). Risk Management in Translation. Cambridge University Press.