Diploma in Translation Exam Preparation Courses

Course summary

Our Diploma in Translation (DipTrans) exam preparation courses support you in preparing for the Diploma in Translation exam.

Our Diploma in Translation (DipTrans) preparation course aims to support students in working towards the IoL Educational Trust (IoLET) Diploma in Translation exam. The course is delivered in ‘blended learning’ mode and comprises a series of Saturday workshops throughout the year as well as regular online translation assignments.

Who are these courses for?

Our DipTrans preparation courses are for you if you:

• are a native speaker of the translation target language (the language you will be translating into in the exam)
• have degree-level (or equivalent) proficiency in the source language (the language you are translating from in the exam)
• want to gain a professional qualification to embark on a career in translation

International students – please note this is not a course that will allow international students to come to the UK and study on a Student Visa.

About the DipTrans qualification

The DipTrans is the oldest professional qualification of its kind, widely recognised by employers in the UK and around the world, and intended for working translators and for those who wish to embark on a career in professional translation. It is a postgraduate-level professional qualification offered by the IoL Educational Trust (IoLET).

Dip Trans Exam

The DipTrans exam takes place every January and the University of Westminster is one of several exam centres for the Diploma in Translation. It is important that you are aware that the DipTrans exam fee is not included in the preparation course fee. You will need to register for the DipTrans exam independently of taking the course. You can also register for the Diploma in Translation exam without having taken a preparatory course.

See more information on taking the DipTrans exam at Westminster.

Cancellations

Please also note that all classes are subject to sufficient enrolment. Each course needs to recruit a minimum number of students in order to run. In the event of a class cancellation due to insufficient numbers of students registering, you will be informed in advance and you will receive a full refund of the fees paid for the course.

Course structure

Our Diploma in Translation preparation course runs for one calendar year and gradually builds your translation competence to exam level. From January to May and again from September to December, you will be attending monthly on-campus workshops, which will cover, in mixed language groups, important translation and exam basics as well as topics such as effective subject research and terminology management, text analysis for translation purposes, translation and revision strategies and, towards the end of the year, targeted exam skills training. Each of these topical sessions will be followed by language-specific sessions with your translation tutor.* In addition, you will, throughout the year, complete a monthly translation assignment online and will receive tailored feedback on your translations from your designated translation tutor.

*Languages subject to annual confirmation

You will learn to:

• analyse and assess a variety of texts or text types in your source and target languages
• apply practical translation skills to the standard required of a newly qualified translator
• explain and justify translation solutions
• carry out cultural and lexical research relevant to a variety of topics

Teaching methods

The course is taught through a combination of on-site workshops and online translation assignment, on which you will receive individual written feedback. Our lecturers use a variety of both face-to-face and distance learning methods to equip you with the skills needed to further your translation skills, such as:

• sight translation
• group translation
• text analysis for translation purposes
• strategy building
• individual written feedback on translation assignments
• research methods for translation purposes
• glossary building and editing
• analysis of past exam papers and reports

Before enrolling on the course, all candidates are required to pass an admissions test. 

The DipTrans exam is a demanding examination, and it is important to note that you will, in addition to the scheduled workshops and assignments, need to set aside regular independent study time throughout the year to consolidate your learning on the course.

You should, for example, thoroughly review the feedback you receive on your monthly translation assignments and practise the skills introduced in the workshops on independently selected texts. You should also prepare yourself for the time-constraints you will encounter in the exam by regularly completing practice translations of your own choosing within decreasing time-limits.