Postgraduate Literary Translation Studies (international students)

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“Translation is not a matter of words only: it is a matter of making intelligible a whole culture.” Anthony Burgess

Extend yourself creatively, working in a place where art and scholarship meet.

You’ll learn from and work with prize-winning translators and experts in the latest developments and debates in the translation of literary works of all varieties—fiction, poetry, drama, film, and creative non-fiction.

Studying in the School of Languages and Cultures, you’ll have the chance to delve into the specifics of translation to and from your language of specialisation.

Available qualifications

New Zealand Centre for Literary Translation

You’ll be involved in the New Zealand Centre for Literary Translation. The Centre was set up to support the study of the theory and practice of literary translation and to celebrate the work of both New Zealand and foreign language writers.

It’s an innovative and exciting research hub that hosts literary translators from the School of Languages and Cultures and other language-teaching programmes at the University. It attracts students from all around the world.

You’ll get and give support as translators, help build awareness of the significance of literary translation, promote the translation of New Zealand writers, and collaborate nationally and internationally.

The Centre’s co-directors are Dr Hui Luo and Dr Marco Sonzogni.

Literary translation course for Honours or diploma

If you're doing an Honours degree or Postgraduate Diploma in any language taught at this university, you can take Translating in Aotearoa New Zealand: Theory and Practice (FHSS 402) as one of your courses. You’ll learn about global cross-cultural communication and the way that ideas and meanings are received, explained, and transported around the world.

Master of Arts

Your MA thesis can either follow:

a theoretical stream, where the main body of the thesis is a critical assessment of a particular theory of translation accompanied by a case study, or
a practical stream, where the main body of the thesis is an actual translation, accompanied by a critical component.

PhD

A PhD thesis is a major piece of original research. In Literary Translation Studies, this research can include an actual translation or translations.

My doctoral dissertation combines scholarly research and creative writing.

Francesca Benocci, MA

PhD student in Literary Translation Studies

Full story

Research topics

Research topics reflect the languages and cultures taught in the School and the research profiles of staff.

To get an idea of the kind of topics you might delve into, you can check staff and student research projects and publications.

Careers

Set yourself up for a career as a literary translator or in publishing and the wider cultural sector, here in New Zealand and around the world.

A postgraduate degree in literary translation can open doors to an academic career, or you can choose to branch out into more general translation work.

See what you can do with a career in translation

Community

Postgraduate study at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington will help you build valuable relationships and networks with peers, university staff, and future colleagues.

You’ll get your own working area, giving you easy access to all the people and facilities in the School and the wider University.

You’ll also be able to take part in the Centre’s annual public lecture, along with an array of other seminars, workshops, and social functions. View upcoming School of Languages and Cultures events.

The Postgraduate Students’ Association can give you information on study at the University and provides a voice for you on campus.