ELIT303 Translation Theory and Practice
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Oct 10, 2025
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English Language and Literature
Vesna Suljić
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
The aim of the course is to introduce students to different translation theories and practices to prepare them for work in the translation industry. The course objectives also include developing different competencies necessary for the translation profession, including linguistic, subject-related, intercultural, transfer and communicative competence. The course will also raise the students' awareness of the importance of ethics and adherence to the standards and norms of professional translators.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
The Oxford Handbook of Translation Studies (Ed. By Kirsten Malmkjaer and Kevin Windle). Oxford Handbooks Online. 2012; Companion to Translation Studies by Jeremy Munday. Routledge, 2009;
Additional Literature
other materials as applicableTeaching Methods
Weekly lectures; in-class discussions and group work; close reading
Individual work; student self-assessment and peer evaluation;
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to the course; issues in translation studies; modes of translations; types of texts; translator strategies | Companion to Translation Studies by J. Munday pp. 1-19 |
| 2 | The linguistic and communicative stages in translation theory; Sight translation | pp. 20-35 |
| 3 | Translating text in context; practice; Translating as a cognitive activity; Meaning and translation; practice | pp. 36-53; pp. 54-73 |
| 4 | Transfer of meaning and translation as intercultural communication; practice | pp. 74-92 |
| 5 | Ethics in translation. Translator challenges and strategies; | |
| 6 | Public service translation (PTS); Practice, Assessment 1: Quiz; | pp. 106-127 |
| 7 | translator challenges and strategies; practice | The Oxford Handbook of Translation Studies, pp. 152-160 |
| 8 | MID-TERM EXAM | |
| 9 | Scientific, technical and medical translation; practice | pp. 170-181 |
| 10 | Legal and business documentation; practice; Assessment 2 (peer revision or editing a text with errors); | samples/models |
| 11 | Advertising and localization; practice;Technology and translation; Machine translation - history, development and limitations; | pp. 182-188, 284-292, |
| 12 | Electronic tools and resources for translators: practice | pp. 293-301;302-312 |
| 13 | Literary translation / prose, Assessment 3 (peer revision and feedback); | samples/models |
| 14 | Literary translation / poetry | samples / models |
| 15 | Revision and reflections. |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELIT303.1 | Course | Monday 09:00 - 11:50 | A F1.23 | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 13:00 - 16:00 | B F2.22 | |
| Wednesday | 09:00 - 12:00 | B F2.22 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 4 5
In-class activity, participation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4
In-term exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2
Assignment / translation practice
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 3 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Home study
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Quiz
2 hours ⏳ (1 week × 2 h)
Assignment
10 hours ⏳ (2 week × 5 h)
in-term study
24 hours ⏳ (3 week × 8 h)
Final study
30 hours ⏳ (3 week × 10 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ELIT303] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Oct 10, 2025 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| ELIT303 | Translation Theory and Practice | 2 | 1 | 6 | Monday 9.00 - 11.50 | |||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Vesna Suljić | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Tuesday: 13:00-16:00 Wednesday: 9:00-12:00 |
|||||||
| vsuljic@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | The aim of the course is to introduce students to different translation theories and practices to prepare them for work in the translation industry. The course objectives also include developing different competencies necessary for the translation profession, including linguistic, subject-related, intercultural, transfer and communicative competence. The course will also raise the students' awareness of the importance of ethics and adherence to the standards and norms of professional translators. | |||||||||
| Textbook | The Oxford Handbook of Translation Studies (Ed. By Kirsten Malmkjaer and Kevin Windle). Oxford Handbooks Online. 2012; Companion to Translation Studies by Jeremy Munday. Routledge, 2009; | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Weekly lectures; in-class discussions and group work; close reading, individual work; student self-assessment and peer evaluation; | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction to the course; issues in translation studies; modes of translations; types of texts; translator strategies | Companion to Translation Studies by J. Munday pp. 1-19 | ||||||||
| Week 2 | The linguistic and communicative stages in translation theory; Sight translation | pp. 20-35 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Translating text in context; practice; Translating as a cognitive activity; Meaning and translation; practice | pp. 36-53; pp. 54-73 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Transfer of meaning and translation as intercultural communication; practice | pp. 74-92 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Ethics in translation. Translator challenges and strategies; | |||||||||
| Week 6 | Public service translation (PTS); Practice, Assessment 1: Quiz; | pp. 106-127 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | translator challenges and strategies; practice | The Oxford Handbook of Translation Studies, pp. 152-160 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MID-TERM EXAM | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Scientific, technical and medical translation; practice | pp. 170-181 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Legal and business documentation; practice; Assessment 2 (peer revision or editing a text with errors); | samples/models | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Advertising and localization; practice;Technology and translation; Machine translation - history, development and limitations; | pp. 182-188, 284-292, | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Electronic tools and resources for translators: practice | pp. 293-301;302-312 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Literary translation / prose, Assessment 3 (peer revision and feedback); | samples/models | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Literary translation / poetry | samples / models | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Revision and reflections. | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 30 | 4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| In-class activity, participation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| In-term exam | 1 | 30 | 3,4 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz | 1 | 10 | 1,2 | Not Allowed | |
| Assignment / translation practice | 2 | 20 | 3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 3 | 14 | 42 | Home study | 3 | 14 | 42 | |||
| Quiz | 2 | 1 | 2 | Assignment | 5 | 2 | 10 | |||
| in-term study | 8 | 3 | 24 | Final study | 10 | 3 | 30 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 150 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 20/10/2025 | |||||||||