Programme details

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• Admission requirements
• Programme Content
• ​Why choose this degree? 
• ​How to apply

Admission requirements

• A minimum 2.1 honours class degree from an Irish university or its international equivalent. 
• ​A demonstrable working knowledge of two or more languages
• For candidates who are not native English speakers and have not completed a degree through the medium of English, a minimum IELTS score of at least 7 in each category or its equivalent. 

​International degree equivalents 

​A 2.1 honours class degree from an Irish university or its international equivalent is the minimum qualification required for admittance on this course. This table provides some international equivalents to a 2.1 honours degree. The table is drawn from data provided by Quality Qualifications Ireland. It is provided only as a frame of reference. It is your responsibility to verify that your degree corresponds to at least the minimum required by the course: 

​English language proficiency

​All candidates who are not native English speakers and have not completed a degree through the medium of English are required to prove their proficiency with the language. Trinity prefers the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), but will accept alternative tests provided by international organisations, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This table provides the minimum score for IELTS and some alternatives: 

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Programme content

​The MPhil in Literary Translation at Trinity College Dublin offers a comprehensive curriculum that balances practical translation work with in-depth theoretical exploration. The programme includes: 

• ​Core Modules: Six core modules (three per term) covering essential aspects of translation theory and practice, with equal emphasis on both areas. These modules run for two hours per week and ensure students develop a strong foundation in translation studies. 

• ​Option Modules: Students choose two option modules (two hours per week each), allowing them to tailor their learning to their specific interests and language combinations. 

• ​Translation Portfolio: Under the guidance of academic mentors, students curate a portfolio of translations. They select texts, define their target audiences, and apply tailored translation strategies, building a body of work that reflects their creative and professional development. 

• ​Dissertation: The dissertation can be either a theoretical essay exploring translation concepts or a translation accompanied by a critical commentary. Both options provide six hours of supervision and encourage students to engage deeply with translation as both practice and research. 

​The programme is delivered by Trinity’s academic staff, experienced translators, editors, and publishers, all of whom maintain strong ties with the translation industry. Most of the teaching takes place at the Trinity Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation, where students work alongside professionals in the field. 

​Why Choose This Degree?

The MPhil in Literary Translation stands out for its rare combination of creative, practical training and rigorous theoretical engagement. Key reasons to choose this programme include: 

• ​Broad Definition of Literature: The programme embraces a wide range of creative texts, including subtitles, computer games, songs, drama, speeches, comics, poetry, and novels. This expansive approach enables students to develop a diverse set of translation skills relevant to various creative industries. 

• ​Customised Learning Experience: With flexible portfolio and dissertation options, students are empowered to shape their own learning journeys, selecting texts and audiences that align with their interests and career goals. 

• ​Expert Teaching and Industry Access: The programme’s faculty members are practicing translators and scholars with extensive professional networks. Students benefit from regular events, talks, and conferences that provide direct connections to both the academic world and the translation industry. 

• ​Ideal Preparation for Professional and Academic Careers: Graduates frequently go on to publish their translations, work in publishing or media, or pursue further research at the PhD level.​ 

How to apply

You may apply at any point between the applications being opened in the autumn, and the closing date of 30 June. However, the course is popular, and applications are handled on a first-come first-served basis. So, you are strongly advised to apply early in order to avoid disappointment. 

We do our best to provide applicants with an answer within 3 weeks of receiving their full applications. Partial applications that are missing any of the materials listed below cannot be considered until they are completed. 

​Before making your application, please contact the School's Postgraduate office to check that your working languages can be accommodated. 

​Required application materials

​For this programme, you will need to prepare these materials to apply: 

​Stage 1 Application Form

​Download the Stage 1 application form. It includes sections on the languages you intend to work with, a personal statement, and a sample translation. Please complete it in full. 

​When we assess your application, we would like to know: 

• ​that you are able to pick up on and reproduce the idiosyncrasies of a literary text in another language 

• ​that you have a broad lexical resource 

• ​that you can create a translation with a high degree of cohesion 

• ​that you can understand and use a large number of grammatical structures accurately 

• ​what experience, understanding and skills you can bring to the programme 

• ​why you would like to study literary translation at the postgraduate level 

• ​why you would like to study literary translation at Trinity 

• ​how your personal, academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme 

• ​what you would like to do with your degree 

​The personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme delivers. 

​Sample of academic writing

​You will require a sample of no more than 2,500 words of your best academic writing in English. 
When we assess your application, we would like to know: 

• ​that you are able to build an academic argument 

• ​that you are able to create a logical structure to your argument 

• ​that you can critically analyse others' options and the evidence you see 

• ​that you have a good understanding of the apparatus of academic writing, including referencing, quoting, signposting, avoiding plagiarism* and other forms of academic misconduct, and using a bibliography 

• ​that your command of academic English is strong 

​We make use of Turnitin and other software to check for plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct in the samples submitted. An application may be rejected if samples of work submitted are found to include instances of such misconduct.

​English language qualifications

​Unless you have completed a degree through the medium of English or are a native speaker, you are required to prove your proficiency with the language. Trinity prefers IELTS, but will accept alternative tests run by international organisations, such as TOEFL (please see table above for further details). 

​Degree certificate(s)

​You will require the certificates that prove you have completed all of the degrees you mention in your application. If you haven’t yet completed your degree, you can still apply and supply these when you have them. 

​Degree transcripts 

​You will need official transcripts showing all of the components you have completed as part of your degree(s). 

​Two reference letters

​You should ask two people who are not related to you to write letters of reference, recommending you for this course and laying out why you would be a good candidate.

​Online application form

​Once you have all of these materials, fill out the online application form in full and upload the materials as attachments.

Programme contacts

Interested candidates are welcome to contact the School's Postgraduate Office for further information, or ​​James Hadley, Programme Director, M.Phil. in Literary Translation.