MA British Sign Language (Interpreting, Translating and Applied Language Studies)

The MA (Hons) British Sign Language (Interpreting, Translating and Applied Language Studies) programme will prepare you to work as a qualified British Sign Language (BSL)/English interpreter and translator. You’ll also be able to use BSL proficiently in related professional areas.  

This degree is designed to lead you from a beginner level of British Sign Language to achieving professional competence in BSL, facilitating proficiency in navigating interactions between BSL and English.  The degree centres on cultivating practical and applied language skills, particularly in interpreting and translating, supported by communication studies, linguistics, and translation and interpreting studies, all with a crucial underpinning of Deaf studies. 

This programme incorporates multiple work placements spanning all four years. In second year, you’ll engage closely with a local deaf organization for a service-learning project designed to foster your language and cultural development through community engagement. Moving into the third year, you’ll embark on two full-time semester-based placements with a deaf organisation in the UK or one of our international partner universities. This work placement supports you in developing your linguistic skills and cultural understanding and exposes you to a wide range of social and work situations. Throughout this placement, you are fully supported by the Languages and Intercultural Studies department, as you will still engage in learning and teaching interactions and assessments to ensure your placement experience is maximised.  During this placement, many students find lodging with a BSL family to further support their language development.  Finally, in fourth year, students participate in mini placements alongside their coursework with various interpreting agencies and organisations. Here, you will have the opportunity to observe professional interpreters in action and gain hands-on experience as interpreters in a secure and supervised environment. 

Upon graduation, students who have completed all of the coursework and have been able to evidence that they have met the national occupation standards as required by professional accreditation bodies, will be referred by approved staff in the BSL section of the Languages and Intercultural Studies department to register as a fully registered sign language interpreter or a trainee sign language interpreter with NRCPD – the national registration body in the UK for sign language interpreting, and/or with the Scottish Register of Language Professionals with the Deaf Community. 

You’ll benefit from the industry relevance of the programme, which will set you up for life after graduation. Upon completion, you’ll be equipped with various skills that are appropriate for you to embark on professional-level employment in a wide range of careers.