The MA in Language, Literature, and Translation (MALLT) is an interdisciplinary MA degree program focused on global languages, literatures and translation. With over 50 faculty from multiple departments, MALLT offers a highly flexible program of study tailored to your professional goals.
 
Three departments — Global Studies; Ancient and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; and Translation & Interpreting Studies cooperate to offer this interdepartmental, interdisciplinary master’s program designed for the student who wishes to focus on language, literature, and translation on a cross-cultural basis. Students may complete one of the following concentrations: Comparative Literature; French and Francophone Language, Literature, and Culture; German Language, Literature, and Culture, Translation (Professional Track or Research Track), and Interpreting. In addition to these specific concentrations, students may pursue coursework in Classical Greek; Classics; Hebrew Studies, Italian Studies, Latin; and Slavic Languages. MALLT also allows students interested in LinguisticsSpanish; Translation or Interpreting to complete double concentrations, or the joint Master of Library Information Sciences/MALLT coordinated degree.
 
Inquiries concerning this program should be directed to the Coordinator of the Language, Literature, and Translation program. Email the MALLT program for more information.

Admission Requirements  

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Admission

An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus these program requirements to be considered for admission to the program:

  1. Knowledge of a language other than English. Entrance competencies for specific concentrations are as follows:
    • Language concentrations: an undergraduate major in the language, or comparable background, such as coursework, a significant immersion experience, or native fluency combined with appropriate academic training.
    • Translation tracks: competence on a qualifying examination.
    • Comparative Literature concentration: an undergraduate major in comparative literature, including advanced study of a language other than English, or equivalent literary and language preparation.
    • Linguistics concentration: an undergraduate major in linguistics or in a related field, such as English, a foreign language, psychology, philosophy, or anthropology; and at least a basic-level familiarity with a language other than English, as evidenced by coursework, immersion experience or native fluency.
  2. Submission to the MALLT Program of three letters of recommendation, at least two of which should be from instructors acquainted with the student’s academic work.
  3. Submission to the MALLT Program of a well-developed statement of approximately 500 words outlining the applicant’s academic background and interests, reasons for graduate study in the MALLT program, intended concentration and professional goals.

Applicants who meet general Graduate School requirements (an undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.75) and the above program requirements may be admitted in good standing.

Upon recommendation of the Coordinating Committee, an applicant lacking in course background may be admitted with specified deficiencies in the above on the condition that the deficiencies be made up by the end of the first full semester (9-12 credits). Credits earned in making up deficiencies do not count toward the degree. If an applicant furnishes substantial evidence of capacity to do satisfactory graduate work despite a deficiency in GPA on admission, probationary admission may be recommended.

Credits and Courses

No credits carrying a grade below B- may be counted toward meeting the MALLT degree requirement of 30 credits.

The MALLT degree offers two tracks:

  • the Standard Track within which students may complete one of eight concentrations and
  • the Translation Track, which will be designated as a concentration on the student’s transcript.

Students are not obligated to elect a concentration, but many will find it beneficial to do so. They also have the option of completing two concentrations, but, in doing so, students must complete all requirements for each concentration and a minimum of 36 credits for the degree.

Standard Track

Thirty graduate credits are required, 6 of which must be in core seminars in the language, literature, and linguistics areas. The student develops a program of study in consultation with the Major Professor, normally including the following:

Select two core seminars as a foundation in basic aspects of languages, literatures, and linguistics6
Select five to eight courses in a language, literature, or linguistics area to permit concentration in the student’s major area of interest. Select the remaining credits in related areas to give the program breadth.24
Total Credits30

Translation Track: Professional

The Professional track is designed for those considering careers as in-house or freelance translators who are not necessarily interested in further study at the doctoral level.

Students must earn thirty graduate credits, as indicated below; they may not count undergraduate credits earned in the Translation Certificate Program. Admission is based in part on a qualifying examination that consists of a 300-word translation from the source to the target language and one 150-word essay in the target language.

Required
MALLT/TRNSLTN 709Seminar in Literary and Cultural Translation3
TRNSLTN 710Comparative Systems for Translation 13
TRNSLTN 726Computer-Assisted Translation3
TRNSLTN 730Internship in Translation/Interpreting3
TRNSLTN 820Translation Theory3
Language-Specific Concentrations
Select one of the following:6
French to English
Introduction to Translation: French to English
Seminar in Advanced Translation: French to English
German to English
Introduction to German Translation
GERMAN 525
Spanish to English
Introduction to Translation: Spanish to English
Seminar in Advanced Translation: Spanish to English
English to Spanish
Introduction to Translation: English to Spanish
Electives
Select three electives (see below)9
Total Credits30
1

Or, for German concentrators, GERMAN 474.

Work in other languages may be possible with the approval of the coordinator, depending upon the availability of appropriate faculty members for language-specific independent study.

Electives

Select three courses from the following. Additional appropriate courses may be selected with the consent of the program coordinator.

MALLT/Translation Courses
LINGUIS/MALLT 708Proseminar in Linguistics3
MALLT 790Thesis (up to 6 credits)1-6
TRNSLTN 530Business and Professional Aspects of Translation (Previously FLL 525)3
A course in the student’s area of translation specialization3
Translation course(s) in another language3-6
Other Approved Electives
ENGLISH 434Editing and Publishing3
ENGLISH 439Information Design3
ENGLISH 708Advanced Professional Writing3
ENGLISH 709Rhetoric, Writing, and Information Technology3

Translation Track: Research

The Research track is designed for those considering further study at the doctoral level.

Students must earn thirty graduate credits, as indicated below; they may not count undergraduate credits earned in the Translation Certificate Program. Admission is based in part on a qualifying examination that consists of a 300-word translation from the source to the target language and one 150-word essay in the target language.

Required
TRNSLTN 820Translation Theory3
TRNSLTN 710Comparative Systems for Translation3
TRNSLTN 730Internship in Translation/Interpreting3
MALLT/TRNSLTN 799Reading and Research3
Critical Theory 13
Language-Specific Concentrations
Select one of the following:6
French to English
Introduction to Translation: French to English
Seminar in Literary and Cultural Translation
German to English
Introduction to German Translation
Seminar in Literary and Cultural Translation
Spanish to English
Introduction to Translation: Spanish to English
Seminar in Literary and Cultural Translation
English to Spanish
Introduction to Translation: English to Spanish
Seminar in Literary and Cultural Translation
Electives
Select three electives (see below)9
Total Credits30
1

Offered by MALLT, TRNSLTN or another department, with approval of student’s major professor.

Work in other languages may be possible with the approval of the coordinator, depending upon the availability of appropriate faculty members for language-specific independent study.

Electives

Select three courses from the following, in consultation with student’s major professor according to the student’s area of interest. Additional appropriate courses may be selected with the consent of the program coordinator or major professor. The list below is not exhaustive.

A course in Reading Literature in Translation: Case Studies3
A literature course in the student’s source language area3
A translation course(s) in the student’s C language3
A course in translation or other critical theory (including courses offered by other departments and in languages other than English)3
TRNSLTN 726Computer-Assisted Translation3

Thesis

Up to 6 graduate credits may be earned by presentation of a satisfactory thesis. The student’s Major Professor, in consultation with the student, will recommend the names of a Thesis Director and two readers who, upon approval by the Coordinating Committee, will constitute the ad hoc Thesis Committee.

Program Requirements

Comprehensive Examination

The student must pass both written and oral examinations, prepared and administered by an Examining Committee. The composition of the committee is approved by the Coordinating Committee. If the student fails the examination, they may repeat it once, but no sooner than three months from the date of the first examination.

Comparative Literature students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a second language other than English prior to taking their Comprehensive Examinations. Reading knowledge may be demonstrated by coursework in the specific language program or by written examination, to be determined with the Major Professor.

Additional Requirements

Transfer of Credits

Any course submitted for transfer must be no more than five years old at the time of the student’s admission to the MALLT Program, must have been taken at the graduate level in a recognized institution, and must have been completed with a grade of B or better. Since Graduate School regulations allow the transfer of only 12 non-degree graduate credits to a master’s program, students are advised to apply for degree candidacy in the MALLT program before completion of 12 credits of coursework.

Major Professor as Advisor

The student must have a major professor to advise and supervise the student’s studies as specified in Graduate School regulations.

The Coordinating Committee refers each incoming student to a temporary advisor, normally the Graduate Advisor in the student’s chosen concentration, as stated in the application. The Graduate Advisor assists in assessing the student’s competencies, interests, and future academic or professional needs. Normally, the Graduate Advisor recommends a Major Professor after his/her initial meeting with the student.

The Major Professor and the student establish a plan of study by the end of the student’s first semester of graduate work. The plan will be reviewed by the Major Professor and the student after the successful completion of 12 credits and the removal of any deficiencies that may have been assessed at admission. At the time of the review, the student may request another Major Professor in the event that his/her programmatic needs have been modified or altered. Subsequent minor changes must be approved by the Major Professor.

The Major Professor evaluates and updates the student’s progress after completion of every six (6) credits or every semester of subsequent work. The student may not register for any courses without this advisor’s prior approval.

Time Limit

The student must complete all degree requirements within five years of initial enrollment.

Language, Literature, and Translation MA Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from the Language, Literature, and Translation MA (MALLT) program will be able to: 

  • Articulate concentration-specific linguistic, literary, and cultural knowledge about past and contemporary communities within their historical, socio-cultural and global context.
  • Identify, describe and utilize the pertinent critical/theoretical frameworks, methods, and terminology of their field of linguistic, literary, and/or cultural studies.
  • Communicate fluently and clearly in writing and in oral presentations nuanced analysis of linguistic, literary, and cultural works in the target language of their field of study. 
  • Conduct and produce independent research in their field by developing and delimiting a research question; systematically investigating the question; retrieving and synthesizing bibliographical materials; and presenting their research analytically and argumentatively.   
  • Perform professional skills tied to the specific professional area of study such as: utilizing oral and written language skills in professional and academic settings; teaching the target language in first- and second-year language acquisition courses; or translating and interpreting accurately in a wide variety of domains and settings.  
  • Search and apply for professional opportunities or advanced study in/related to the M.A., and participate in professional activities (such as colloquia, conferences, internships, meetings and workshops).