General information

Full official name of a higher education institution

Sumy State University

Full name of a structural unit

Faculty of Foreign Philology and Social Communications

Department of Germanic Philology

Higher education degree and title of qualification

Master of Philology in Germanic Languages and Literatures (including Translation)

Translator, Teacher of English and German

Official title of the study programme

035.041 Germanic Languages and Literatures (including Translation)

Type of degree award and credit value

Master’s Diploma, single, 90 ECTS credits, period of study – 1 year and four months

Availability of programme accreditation

July 1, 2025

Cycle/level of higher education

The second level of higher education, NQF -the 7^th level, QF-LLL – the 7^th level, FQ-EHEA – the second cycle

Preconditions

Diploma of Bachelor 

Language(s) of instruction

Ukrainian, English, German Languages

Time frames of the study programme

2017-2019

Internet address with the permanent location of the study programme description

Sumy State University; 2, Rymsky-Korsakov St., 40007 Sumy, Ukraine; tel. +38-0542-33-40-58; fax. +38-0542-33-40-58;

Aims of the study programme

The programme is worked out according to the mission and strategy of Sumy State University, it is aimed at students’ acquiring the advanced theoretical knowledge and practical skills and competence that refer to linguistics, pedagogy and translatology. It will enable them to effectively perform innovative tasks of a certain level of professional activity oriented at researches and solution of complex translation problems to meet the requirements of customers from science, business and enterprises in different spheres. The aim of study is in acquiring academic and professional qualification to carry out the professional activity connected with analysis, creation, transformation and assessment of oral and written texts of different genres and styles (both with the scientific-and-research, critical-and-analytical and applied purpose), organizing successful communication in different languages.

Description of the study programme

Subject area of the study programme

The Humanities: philology, Germanic languages and literatures (including translation).

Germanic languages and literatures – 39%, translation – 33%, pedagogy – 8%, scientific-research work – 20%/

Orientation of the study programme

Educational and professional.

Focused on the analysis of the application of translation norms in oral and written translations, in building the target text; the use of relevant business communication strategies at international meetings, presentations, negotiations, business sessions, conferences, etc.; orientation in the glossary and basic applied trends of the modern translatology; emphasis on teaching foreign languages and translation in educational establishments  

The main focus of the study programme and its majors

General education in linguistics, translation studies and teaching foreign languages and translation.  The programme is based on the well-known results in translatology and methodology of teaching with regard to the modern state of linguistics, target at topical specializations within the framework of which further professional and scientific career of a philologist, a translator is possible: status of translation units, metasigns of translation studies

Key words: philology, English, German, translation, methodology of teaching translation, methodology of teaching foreign languages

Peculiarities of the study programme

The programme can be suggested in English

Graduate ability for employment and further education

Employability

Students are well-equipped to begin work as freelancers or as language service providers at international organizations, government bodies, universities, schools and private companies.

Master in Philology can work in scientific, literary-publishing, educational spheres; he can take teaching, scientific-research and administrative places in educational establishments of the 1-4^th accreditation levels (when the curriculum includes pedagogical and methodological disciplines and presupposes the corresponding practices); in printed and electronic media, PR-technologies, different founds, associations, humanitarian foundations, museums, artistic and cultural centres, etc.

Educational and professional programme “Germanic languages and literatures (including translation)” is aimed at training specialists in such professions as (according to the current edition of the National Classifier of Ukraine: Classifier of Professions SK003:2010 (further – CP)):

• “Translator”, code of CP 2444.2;
• “Foreign language teacher at a higher educational establishment”, code of CP 2310.2;
• “Teacher at a secondary educational establishment”, code of CP 2320, 2331;
• “Philologist-researcher”, code of CP 2444.1;
• “Tour guide”, code of CP 3414;
• “Manager of public activities”, code of CP 3439;
• “Organizing secretary (of an organization, union, federation)”, code of CP 3431

Further education

The programme offers the possibility to study at the third level of education in Germanic languages, in interdisciplinary programmes close to humanities and philology (linguistics, translation studies, pedagogy, etc.)

Teaching and assessment

Teaching and learning 

Student-centred learning, problem-oriented learning, electronic learning in OCW system of SumSU, self-learning, learning through laboratory practice, research-based learning. Teaching is conducted in the form of lectures, multimedia lectures, interactive lectures, practical and laboratory classes. The independent work is also presupposed that combines consultations with the lecturer, e-learning in some educational components, individual classes and group project work.

Assessment

The programme presupposes formative and summative assessment.

Programme competencies

Integral competence

The ability to solve complex problems and issues in linguistics, literary criticism, folklore studies, translation, methodology of teaching in the course of professional activities or study that involves the research and is characterized by uncertainty of conditions and requirements.

General competencies

General competence (GC) 1. The ability to communicate in the state language, both orally and in writing.

GC 2. The ability to be critical and self-critical.

GC 3. The ability to search for, process and analyse information from a variety of sources.

GC 4. The ability to identify, formulate and solve problems.

GC 5. The ability to work in a team and autonomously.

GC 6. The ability to communicate in a foreign language.

GC 7. The ability to appreciate and respect diversity and multiculturalism.

GC 8. The ability for abstract thinking, analysis and synthesis.

GC 9. Skills in using information and communication technologies.

GC 10. Adaptive capacity and actions in a new situation.

GC 11. The ability to communicate with others. The ability to interact with representatives of other professional groups of different levels (with experts from other fields of expertise/types of economic activities).

GC 12. The ability to undertake research at an appropriate level.

Subject specific competences

SSC 1. The ability to orient freely in various linguistic schools and domains.

SSC 2. The ability to comprehend the art of speech as a system of systems, to understand the evolutionary path of development of national and world literature.

SSC 3. The ability to think critically about the historical achievements and the latest achievements in linguistics.

SSC 4. The mastery of methods of scientific analysis and structuring of linguistic and literary material, considering classical and contemporary methodological principles.

SSC 5. Awareness of the methodological, organizational and legal basis necessary for the implementation of professional research work, its presentation to the scientific community and the protection of intellectual property rights.

SSC 6. The ability to apply professionally in-depth knowledge in chosen linguistic specialization: linguistics, literary studies, folklore studies, translation studies, applied linguistics, literary criticism etc.

SSC 7. The ability to use freely special terminology in the chosen area of philological research.

SSC 8. The ability to articulate the point of view clearly and distinctly; to use knowledge of elocution: correct breathing, voice training, clear articulation, standard orthoepy.

SSC 9. Possessing expressive, emotional, logical means of speech and the ability to use them to achieve planned pragmatic result.

SSC 10. The ability to plan, organize, implement and present the acquired knowledge to perform professional tasks, i.e. interpreting, translating, teaching.

SSC 11. The ability to effectively and competently participate in a variety of forms of scientific communication (conferences, round tables, debates, scientific publications) in the field of philology.

SSC 12. The ability to generate new knowledge, ideas, concepts in the field of philology.

Programme learning outcomes

PLOs 1. To assess their own teaching and professional activity, to build and implement an effective strategy of self-development and professional improvement.

PLOs 2. To demonstrate proficiency in state and foreign languages in written and oral communication during professional and scientific communication; to present the results of the research in official and foreign languages.

PLOs 3. To apply modern techniques and technologies, in particular, information technologies, for successful and effective implementation of professional activities and quality assurance of a scientific research in a specific linguistic area.

PLOs 4. To appreciate the diversity and multiculturalism of the world and be guided by the modern principles of tolerance, dialogue and cooperation.

PLOs 5. To evaluate and critically analyse social, personal and professionally significant issues and offer solutions, presenting personal point of view.

PLOs 6. To find the best ways of effective interaction with professional staff and with representatives of other professional groups of different levels.

PLOs 7. To apply knowledge of expressive, emotional, logical means of speech and elocution to achieve planned pragmatic results and successful communication.

PLOs 8. To analyse, compare and categorize various directions of research and schools in linguistics and literary criticism.

PLOs 9. To evaluate the historical achievements and the latest achievements in linguistics.

PLOs 10. To describe the theoretical and practical aspects of a specific linguistic domain.

PLOs 11. To demonstrate in-depth knowledge in chosen linguistic specialization.

PLOs 12. To carry out scientific analysis of the linguistic and literary material, to interpret and to structure it on the basis of classical and contemporary methodological principles, to formulate generalizations based on independently processed data.

PLOs 13. To observe the rules of academic integrity.

PLOs 14. To explain lucidly and in a well-argued manner the specific nature of philological issues and a personal point of view for both specialists and the public at large.

PLOs 15. To carry out literary editing of texts of different styles and genres.

PLOs 16. To choose the optimal research approaches and methods to analyse specific linguistic or literary material.

PLOs 17. To plan, organize, implement and present the acquired knowledge to perform professional tasks, i.e. interpreting, translating, teaching.

PLOs 18. To participate in specialized philological seminars, conferences, scientific circles, discussions.

PLOs 19. To formulate and substantiate new ideas, concepts, theories in a specific linguistic area.

Resources available for the study programme implementation

Human resources 

Teaching staff that provides studying process for the Master Degree are Professors, Associate Professors, Lecturers of the Department of Germanic Philology of the Faculty of Foreign Philology and Social Communications. Subjects aimed at developing general competences are taught by the teaching staff of other Departments within the Faculty of Foreign Philology and Social Communications.

Teaching staff training students for the Master Degree at the Department of Germanic Philology is presented by the lecturers who are pro-active recognized in Ukraine and abroad researchers. They have many publications in Ukrainian and foreign scientific magazines, take part in the research work of the Department, Faculty and University, are the members of national and international professional associations (Association of Ukrainian German Language researchers, Association of Ukrainian Higher School German Language researchers, Ukrainian Association of Cognitive Linguistics and Poetics, Ukrainian Association of Interpreting / Translation Teachers). They have corresponding experience in the sphere of teaching at higher educational establishments, professional competences. Practically oriented character of the study programme dictates participation of students in the teaching process, those who are competent experts in the field. All that stimulates synergetic bond between theoretical and practical aspects of Master teaching.

Prof. Svitlana Shvachko (the leader of the project group) together with the teaching staff of the Department meets the demands prescribed by the conditions of licensing of educational establishments for further education work.

Material and technical support

Master Degree students have at their disposal two computer classes, a simultaneous translation laboratory, a methodological centre, equipped with licensed Microsoft operation systems and packages of applied software Microsoft, Autodesk, Intel, Delcam, Siemens. Educational process is carried out in the lecture-rooms equipped with fixed and portable optical projectors which are within the property of the Department of Germanic Philology and the property of the whole University.

Thus, at their disposal students have:

• use of specialist software such as SDL Trados Studio 2014 and MemoQ for technical translation, Avidanet Live and Black Box for Interpreting, and WinCaps Qu4ntum for Subtitling;
• use of own professional recording studios (2 computer classes) to video record a small audience for presentations, internet-conferences, teaching purposes to estimate own oratorical speech and self-control;
• information-base of Multilingual interpreting conferences, field trips and workshops led by internationally renowned experts from the industry;
• the base of lecture and practical materials on the study programme presented on the OCW platform for distant learning.

There is material and technical support of the organizations and entities which keep tight contacts with the Department within the questions of professional student practice and their further professional realization

Information, learning and methodic provisions 

The system of e-learning provides access to different Ukrainian, Russian, English and German electronic educational resources, namely program-methodical complexes for the effective organization of personality-oriented teaching: personality-oriented approach, personality-oriented teaching, personality-oriented education technologies etc. They include virtual exercisers, interactive demonstrations, tests, video-materials, texts of lectures etc.

For distant learning there is a program-methodical complex of materials based on OCW platform of Sumy State University. The platform makes it possible to unite materials on distant learning, Lectur`ED constructor, materials of university electronic library catalogue, repository with such an opportunity to work collectively.

Master Degree students of Philology and Translation / Interpretation can use outer data-base: Coursera, Scopus, Web of Science. At university there is high-technical informational library-system that comprises above 3.1 mln. books in more than 300 thousand subjects written in 28 languages. E-library includes more than 90 thousand full text materials. Reading rooms of the library include 1350 people. There are virtual reading halls. E-repository of Sumy State University comprises more than 70 thousand documents.

Academic mobility

Internal academic mobility

For the practical implementation of the concept of training for translators / interpreters in conditions of higher educational institutions of Ukraine there has been reached an agreement with V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University on cooperation. According to this agreement certain development, experimental verification and publication of methodological and reference materials can be fulfilled on the basis of inter-university cooperation and mutual support. Thus, there has been created educational-methodical complex for the training of interpreters / translators of Ukraine.

Meanwhile there have been signed agreements on cooperation with Zaporizhzhya State University, Izmail Institute of Water Transport, University of Volyn, Zhytomyr Pedagogical Institute – which will bring new opportunities for student and teachers exchange programmes leading to constant modification and improvement of the very educational process and higher education at all.

International academic mobility

A variety of educational opportunities for students is given by International academic mobility, work directed to enhance University's strategy of internationalization and to promote global cooperation

The international exchange programmes (Erasmus), summer schools (Erasmus, DAAD) and academies (Baltic International Academy, British Council, Goethe Institute), places of internship and summer job opportunities (Work and Travel, ZAV) for our students:

• organization of presentations and meetings to inform you about opportunities of studying, trainings and internships abroad
• promotion of international scholarship programmes
• assistance in preparing documents for travelling abroad
• local coordination of the EU grant mobility programmes

The results are visible today: winners of Erasmus Programmes (lecturers visiting Polish, Spanish, Bulgarian, Chinese universities; students visiting Estonian, Chinese, Polish universities), winners of DAAD programmes (students and teachers visiting Berlin, Munich, Aahen, Yena, Dresden, Frankfurt on Oder, Chemnitz), actual participance in conferences and Work-Shops abroad (Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, L .N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, University of Warsaw).

Coming soon agreement with Poland (University College of Social Sciences) is giving an opportunity of double diplomas for Ukrainian Masters.