BA in Chinese/MFA in Literary Translation

The BA in Chinese/MFA in Literary Translation gives high-performing undergraduate students the opportunity to earn a graduate degree during their time at Boston University. Many students find the MFA an asset in their post-graduation career plans. Students receive training in Chinese language and literature and, simultaneously, in the history, theory, and practice of literary translation. In addition to developing their skills as translators from Chinese, students will acquire the methods and strategies needed to read translations critically. The degree is designed for students who hope to pursue a PhD in translation, in Chinese literature or in 13 comparative literature, to move into cognate humanistic fields, or to pursue employment in fields where knowledge of language and literary translation is valuable, such as translation, teaching, publishing, and media.

Learning Outcomes

BA in Chinese:

• Linguistic proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing Mandarin at the intermediate-high level as measured by ACTFL guidelines.
• Understanding of Chinese literature from an East Asian and world literary perspective.
• Solid knowledge of China’s classical literary, and philosophical traditions as well as contemporary cinema, visual arts, and new media.
• Critical thinking, communication, and writing skills within areas of content and cultural knowledge.
• Familiarity with fundamental research skills for Chinese studies, including use of traditional and electronic sources.

MFA in Literary Translation:

• A broad knowledge of the history of translation and translation studies as a discipline, and of the main ideas and debates in the field, from antiquity to the present.
• An advanced ability to translate texts of different genres and levels of difficulty.
• The ability to evaluate translations critically and to pinpoint the methods and strategies used by a translator in order to achieve different effects (e.g., domestication, foreignization, rusticization, archaism, etc.).

Requirements

Bachelor’s-to-master’s programs are linked bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in which the two degrees are conferred sequentially. This bachelor’s-to-master’s program allows students to apply a maximum of 8 units from their undergraduate degree toward the associated master’s degree. The units applied toward the master’s degree must be at the 500 level or above. During the last year of the BA study in this bachelor’s-to-master’s program, students may take two of the required MFA courses chosen from CAS TL 500, TL 541, TL 551, or one literature elective at the 500+ level, which may be counted towards the requirements for the MFA.

Students must apply to bachelor’s-to-master’s programs before the conferral of the bachelor’s degree. Typically, students apply to the BA in Chinese/MFA in Literary Translation program in their junior year. Students in the BA in Chinese/MFA in Literary Translation program must complete at least 24 units while enrolled as a graduate student. Students should consult with the Financial Assistance office to learn how entrance into the bachelor’s-to-master’s program might impact their financial aid.

The requirements for the BA in Chinese/MFA in Literary Translation are:

• the completion of at least 152 units of coursework
• the completion of all the requirements for the College of Arts & Sciences BA in Chinese Language & Literature
  • These requirements include requirements for the major, college-level requirements (i.e., Second Language Requirement and Natural Science Lab requirement), and the BU Hub.
• the completion of all the requirements for the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GRS) MFA in Literary Translation

Students who are interested in the BA/MFA program are encouraged to pursue study abroad opportunities in China early in their studies at Boston University, and to consult frequently with their faculty advisor.

Application Process

Students should apply to the MFA by February 15 of the student’s junior year. The applicant must include the BU transcript, two faculty recommendation letters, a sample of critical writing (8–12 double-spaced pages, usually drawn from previous coursework), a translation sample with the original text (8–12 double-spaced pages of prose or 80–100 lines of poetry), a plan of study, and a personal statement describing the applicant’s interest in the program.

For more information about the application process, please see the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences’ PhD and MFA Program Admissions page.

Please refer to the Bulletin for additional general information, including the application procedure, or consult the Director of the Literary Translation MFA in the Department of World Languages & Literatures with any specific questions. Information about placement tests, requirements for the undergraduate major in Chinese Language & Literature, and other questions can be found on the departmental website, or in the appropriate section of this Bulletin.