• Offered for Year: 2025/26

• Module Leader(s): Professor Jens R Hentschke

• Owning School: Modern Languages
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

- To foster independent thinking and research through a series of structured assignments conceived by the student and developed in close consultation with a supervisor
- To introduce students to a range of research methodologies appropriate to their interests and previous experience
- To enable students to organise and plan their research and to produce coherent analyses, in written or other appropriate form, of the topic(s) studied
- To prepare students for doctoral research where appropriate

Applicable only to students who are taking Translation or Interpreting Studies:
- To encourage a clear understanding of the complementary roles of practical insights (product evaluation, professional/educational issues, etc.) and a coherent theory/research-corpus framework in translation and interpreting research.

Outline Of Syllabus

The MLitt is a flexible, individually-tailored research programme. In consultation with the primary supervisor, students must write between 2-4 essays, with various word counts and credit balances.
The maximum word limits for essays is as follows: for 20 credit assignments, 4000 words; for 30 credit assignments 6000 words; for 40 credit assignments 8000 words.
The combined length of the Research Assignments is between 16,000 and 24,000 words.

The subject matter for the research assignments, the scope of the assignments and appropriate research methodologies and approaches will be determined in consultation between the student, the PGR Director and any other member(s) of academic staff who may undertake supervision of the assignments.

The assignments chosen will take into account the interests and previous experience of the student, including any plans they may have for future PhD study, the academic traditions of the subject, and opportunities for cross-disciplinary work where appropriate.

Applicable only to students who are taking Translation or Interpreting Studies:
If desired, and if there is supervisor and external (or second internal) examiner expertise available in the language pair in question, one or more assignments may involve a reflective practice element (i.e. producing and commenting on one’s own translating/interpreting work).

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Preparation for the assignments will normally include supervision by one or more members of staff, guided reading and private study. The teaching methods closely resemble those at doctoral level, effectively preparing students for PhD study. There may also be a considerable amount of fieldwork, but the amount will depend on the nature of the assignments (i.e. to what extent they involve text study vs. gathering data from human subjects).

The balance between tutorial and private-study time reflects the stress on guidance towards independent research that underlies this module, though the exact ratio will be a matter for negotiation between the student and the PGR Director, and will depend upon the nature of the assignment.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

This module shall be assessed by two, three or four essays (each of between 20 and 40 credits), consisting of research work to a total value of 80 credits.
The number of essays, title, and their credit valency shall be negotiated between the student and the supervisor as part of the agreement of the programme of study. The details of each assignment, its title, credit valency will be approved by the PGR Director. These details may be modified by mutual agreement in the course of the degree programme. Maximum word limits for essays: for 20 credit assignments, 4000 words; for 30 credit assignments 6000 words; for 40 credit assignments 8000 words.

Applicable only to students who are taking Translation or Interpreting Studies:
Students can choose to undertake any of the following modes, which will represent 100% of the formal assessment:
- An assessed essay
- A reflective practice assignment (translation/interpreting work plus commentary, with t/i work gaining up to 50% of marks awarded)
- A case-study involving one or several subjects

Reading Lists

• SML9001's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• SML9001's Timetable