Master of Arts in Translation (English/Arabic/English) (MATRA)
The Master of Arts in Translation (English/Arabic/English) (MATRA) is a rigorous and forward-looking degree program offered by the Department of Arabic and Translation Studies.
Designed for a rapidly evolving global language industry, MATRA prepares students to work at the intersection of translation, localization, artificial intelligence (AI), language technology and intercultural communication.
Combining academic excellence with practical relevance, the program develops advanced competencies in translation between English and Arabic while preparing students to navigate the technologies transforming the profession. Students develop expertise in areas including machine translation, generative AI, terminology management, localization, audiovisual and media translation, corpus-based translation and translation quality assessment.
MATRA prepares graduates to apply their bilingual and technological expertise across diverse professional environments, including government, diplomacy, media, digital content, business, law, international organizations and the language-services industry.
Why Pursue the MATRA Degree?
- Develop advanced professional translation skills in Arabic and English.
- Learn to work effectively with generative AI, machine translation and emerging language technologies.
- Develop expertise in localization and adapting content for Arabic-speaking markets and audiences.
- Build skills in audiovisual, media and digital-content translation.
- Develop specialized translation expertise for business, law, media, science, journalism and international affairs.
- Learn to evaluate AI-generated and machine-translated content for accuracy, quality, cultural appropriateness and professional use.
- Strengthen knowledge of terminology management, corpus-based approaches and contemporary translation workflows.
- Develop advanced research, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills relevant to the evolving language industry.
Where Can MATRA Take You?
MATRA prepares bilingual professionals for careers extending beyond the traditional role of translator. Depending on professional experience, interests and specialization, career pathways can include:
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AI and Language Technology
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AI Language Specialist • Machine Translation Specialist • Language Quality Specialist • AI Translation Evaluator • Language Data Specialist
Work at the intersection of human language expertise and emerging AI technologies, helping organizations evaluate, improve and manage multilingual AI-generated content.
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Localization and Global Digital Content
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Localization Specialist • Localization Project Manager • Arabic Content Specialist • Multilingual Content Manager • Language Services Project Manager
Help organizations adapt websites, apps, software, digital products and content for Arabic-speaking markets and culturally diverse audiences.
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Media and Creative Industries
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Audiovisual Translation Specialist • Subtitling Specialist • Media Localization Specialist • Arabic Digital Content Specialist • Multilingual Content Producer
Apply Arabic-English expertise across broadcasting, streaming, film, digital media, advertising and online content.
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Government, Diplomacy and International Affairs
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Government Language Specialist • Diplomatic Language Professional • International Communications Specialist • Institutional Translator • Multilingual Communications Specialist
Support communication across government entities, embassies, international organizations and institutions operating across languages and cultures.
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Legal and Corporate Communication
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Legal Translation Specialist • Corporate Language Specialist • Multilingual Communications Specialist • Terminology Specialist • Language Services Manager
Support organizations requiring precise bilingual communication across legal, corporate and specialist professional environments.
- Translation and Language Services
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Professional Translator • Translation Project Manager • Terminology Specialist • Translation Quality Specialist • Language Services Consultant
Build a professional career in the evolving translation and language-services industry, combining advanced linguistic expertise with contemporary translation technologies.
Translation in the Age of AI
Artificial intelligence is transforming how multilingual content is produced, but organizations still require professionals who understand language, culture, context, quality and technology. MATRA prepares graduates not simply to translate, but to critically use, evaluate and manage AI-enabled translation and language technologies while applying the human linguistic and cultural expertise required for high-quality Arabic-English communication.
A Program for the Digital Language Economy
MATRA brings together Arabic-English expertise, translation, localization, AI and language technology, preparing graduates for a profession that is increasingly digital, technology-enabled and globally connected.
Graduates of the MATRA program will be prepared to:
- exhibit proficiency in translating between Arabic and English
- critically engage with and apply translation theories to effectively produce and evaluate translation work
- utilize their linguistic knowledge of Arabic and English to enhance translation accuracy and quality
- integrate relevant technologies such as GAI tools seamlessly into their translation practice
- demonstrate expertise in translating specialized content across fields such as business, media, science, international relations, law and journalism
- implement appropriate research methodologies in accordance with academic writing standards in the field of translation studies
Applicants are required to fulfill the university’s general requirements for graduate admission. Applicants must additionally demonstrate high proficiency in Arabic appropriate for a graduate-level translation program. Unless waived, the assessment of Arabic proficiency will be conducted through an interview. No BA degree in Arabic is required.
Applicants with a minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.50 (or its equivalent) and a GPA of 2.50 (or its equivalent) in 300- and 400-level courses related to the program, along with at least three years of relevant practical experience in translation and/or interpreting, may be considered for conditional admission.
For details, refer to the AUS Graduate Catalog.
AUS undergraduate students may pursue a MATRA degree simultaneously by registering for a maximum of six credit hours of MATRA courses. The master’s level courses may be counted towards meeting the graduation requirements for both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
For more details, refer to the Accelerated Master’s Program in the Academic Policies and Regulations section of the AUS Undergraduate Catalog.
Students in the MATRA degree program are offered two options: a thesis option and a course option. To graduate with the MATRA degree, students must successfully complete a minimum of 30 credit hours inclusive of a research thesis (for students pursuing the thesis option), with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 as follows:
Thesis Option
- 12 credit hours of required courses
- a minimum of 12 credit hours of elective courses
- six credit hours of Master’s Thesis
Course Option
- 12 credit hours of required courses
- a minimum of 18 credit hours of elective courses
Students must successfully complete the degree requirements within five years from the time of initial enrollment in the program.
For details, refer to the AUS Graduate Catalog.
(12 credit hours)
- TRA 500 Principles and Strategies of Translation (3 credits)
- TRA 510 Research Methods and Academic Writing (3 credits)
- TRA 520 Translating for the Media (3 credits)
- TRA 570 AI and Translation Quality Assessment (3 credits)
- TRA 630 Practicum (0 credits)*
- TRA 699 Master’s Thesis (3 credits) (only for students in the thesis option)
*Note: The practicum requirement (TRA 630) can be waived for students with relevant and documented professional experience in translation and/or interpreting, subject to the approval.
(12–18 credit hours)
Students in the thesis option must successfully complete a minimum of four elective courses totaling a minimum of 12 credit hours whereas, those pursuing the course option must successfully complete a minimum of six elective courses for a minimum of 18 credit hours from the following list of courses:
- TRA 503 Theoretical Models of Translation
- TRA 512 Terminology, Arabicization and the Translator
- TRA 530 Mediation for the Community
- TRA 540 Technology and Localization in Translation
- TRA 550 Corpus Linguistics and Translation
- TRA 557 Translation of Administrative and Legal documents
- TRA 558 Contrastive Linguistics and Translation
- TRA 560 Audiovisual Translation
- TRA 580 Translating Quranic Pragmatics
- TRA 594/596 Special Topic courses in translation
- TRA 610 Intercultural Communication and Translation
Additionally, students may take up to two elective courses from other relevant programs that contribute to the program learning outcomes.
For more information, please refer to the AUS Graduate Catalog.
The master’s thesis must be prepared under the close supervision of the thesis faculty supervisor on a topic within translation/interpreting studies or an extended translation and a commentary, chosen in consultation with the faculty supervisor.
For more information on the master’s thesis and registration details, please refer to Master’s Thesis, Professional Project and Dissertation under the Academic Policies and Regulations section of the AUS Graduate Catalog.
AUS offers competitive graduate assistantships and work-study opportunities to qualified students for up to four semesters. This offers not only financial assistance but also hands-on experience in teaching and research helpful to students interested in pursuing a career in academia.
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For more detailed information on the program curriculum, course offerings and class timings, please email [email protected].
