BA in Multilingual Communication

Starting in the 2026–27 winter semester, we will offer a new BA programme in Multilingual Communication. This will replace our existing BA programme in Translation Studies, which is being phased out.

In our bachelor’s degree programme Multilingual Communication, students acquire both fundamental academic knowledge and the practical skills required for oral and written communication between people of different languages and cultures.

Upon completion of this programme, students will hold a university degree with a fundamental professional qualification in monolingual, multilingual and accessible communication.

Transfer from the BA programme in Translation Studies to the BA programme in Multilingual Communication
Students who are currently studying for a BA in Translation Studies and wish to switch to another study programme must contact the Student Affairs Office in person or by email between the 13th of July and the 31st of October to notify them of their intention to switch. The Student Affairs Office will then process this request.

Overview of our BA degree programme in Multilingual Communication

Our new BA degree programme in Multilingual Communication is divided into the following modules:

SteOP (Introductory and Orientation Phase): 8 ECTS credits

  • Language and Linguistic Description
  • Spoken vs. Written Language
  • Culture and Communication
  • Careers in the Language Industry

Language Proficiency in the First and Second Additional Languages (English, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish and German as an additional language): 24 ECTS credits each

  • Level I (target level B2+ for English and German as an additional language; B1+ for French, Italian, Russian and Spanish):
    • Language Proficiency: Listening and Speaking
    • Language Proficiency: Reading and Writing
    • Grammar I
  • Level II (target level C1 for English and German as an additional language; B2 for French, Italian, Russian and Spanish):
    • Communication Skills: Listening and Speaking
    • Communication Skills: Reading and Writing
    • Grammar II
  • Level III (target level C1+ for English and German as an additional language; C1 for French, Italian, Russian and Spanish):
    • Communication Skills: Listening and Speaking – Contrastive
    • Communication Skills: Reading and Writing – Contrastive

German Language Proficiency: 6 ECTS credits

  • Translation-Orientated Text Analysis and Composition in German I
  • Translation-Orientated Text Analysis and Composition in German II

Regional and Cultural Studies (First and Second Additional Languages): 24 ECTS credits

  • Regional Studies and Cultural Studies (both additional languages)
  • Languages and Cultures (both additional languages)
  • Cultural Studies (one additional language of your choice)
  • Media and Texts in Cultural Context (first additional language)

Language Technologies: 12 ECTS credits

  • Artificial Intelligence, Language Technology and Digitalisation
  • Applied Digital Tools
  • Translation Technologies

Linguistics and Translation Studies: 15.5 ECTS credits

  • Linguistics / Text Studies
  • Translation Studies
  • Multilingualism

Translation: 9 ECTS credits (further translation courses available as electives)

  • Translating from a First Additional Language into a First Language
  • Translating from a Second Additional Language into German
  • Translating Using CAT Tools: First or Second Additional Language

Interpreting: 9 ECTS credits

  • Basics of Interpreting
  • Introduction to Conference Interpreting (First Additional Language)
  • Introduction to Consecutive Interpreting (First Additional Language)

Accessible Communication: 5 ECTS credits

  • Oral and Written Communication and Communication Barriers
  • Strategies for Overcoming Communication Barriers

Academic Research Skills: 17.5 ECTS credits

  • Academic Research Skills
  • Bachelor’s Degree Thesis

Elective modules: 27 ECTS credits

  • Further Translation Courses
  • Introduction to Literary Translation
  • Intercultural Pragmatics
  • Advanced Regional and Cultural Studies
  • Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian
  • Russian
  • Non-School Languages (Portuguese, Swedish)
  • Easy Language
  • Text Production
  • Gender Studies: Gender in the Field of Translation
  • Development of Further Professional Skills in Translation
  • Practical training
  • Individual elective module

The following applies to first-year students who are regular students at the University of Innsbruck and are not exchange students:
In order to be eligible to attend language courses at the Department of Translation Studies, the required entry level must be assessed by means of a placement test or by submitting a relevant language level certificate.

Dates of placement tests in the winter semester 2026/27:

Italian:
1st of October, 2026, 8.30am – 10am

French:
1st of October, 2026, 10.15am – 11.45am

Spanish:
1st of October, 2026, 12.pm – 1.30 pm

English:
1st of October, 2026, 1.45pm – 3.15pm

German as an Additional Language:
1st of October, 2026, 3.30pm – 5pm

Location: INTRAWI-library, Herzog-Siegmund-Ufer 15, fourth floor

NOTE: The deadline to register for the placement test is the 29th of September, 2026, 12pm (noon).

Registration for the language level placement test:
To register for the placement test, send an e-mail to intrawi@uibk.ac.at with the following information:

  • Matriculation number
  • Surname, first name
  • Native language or language of education, first and second (and third if applicable) additional language
  • Optional: A scan of a relevant language level certificate for a possible exemption from the placement test (upon review of your documents)

Coordinators for the language teams:

  • German as an Additional Language (DaF): Claudia Moser
  • English: Katharina Walter
  • Italian: Saverio Carpentieri
  • French: Daria Fuchshuber-Weber
  • Spanish: Annette Wußler
  • Russian: Anna Bailesteanu

Exemption from the placement test
Students who provide a certificate of the required language level (in one or all of the languages they have chosen) can be exempted from the placement test after their documents have been reviewed by our administrator. Once your application has been processed, you will be informed in writing whether you can be exempted from the placement test.

Certificates that can be accepted for exemption from the placement test:

  • The Austrian school-leaving certificate (Matura)
    stating the level of language proficiency not older than one (academic) year.
    In the case of Austrian school-leaving certificates (Matura), only written examinations in the relevant languages can be accepted as verification of exemption from the placement test. Oral examinations cannot be accepted for exemption.
  • An internationally recognised language certificate
    not older than 2 (academic) years.
    Note: Certificates from the Language Centre (ISI) at the University of Innsbruck cannot be accepted for exemption from the placement test.
  • Language certificates for exemption from the placement test for German as an additional language:
    Supplementary examination in German (Austrian universities)
  • Austrian Language Diploma: B2 Intermediate German (MD)
    Goethe Institute: Goethe Certificate B2
    Innovation Centre University of Vienna GmbH: Intermediate level 3
    German language examination for university admission for foreign applicants (DSH II)
    German Language Diploma of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs: Level II (DSD II)
    Test of German as an Additional Language (Test DaF): at least level 4 in all parts
  • Language certificates for exemption from the placement test for English:
    Cambridge First, Cambridge Advanced and Cambridge Proficiency: from level B2 upwards
    TOEFL: from level B2 (from 87 points) upwards
  • Language certificates for exemption from the placement test for Italian:
    CELI, CILS, PLIDA from level B1
  • Language certificates for exemption from the placement test for French:
    DALF and DELF from level B1
  • Language certificates for exemption from the placement test for Spanish:
    DELE from level B1

Required language level for language module 1 courses

  • B1 for French, Italian, Spanish
    In order to be eligible to attend language module 1 courses in French, Italian or Spanish, the required entry level of B1 must be assessed by means of a language level placement test or submission of a relevant language level certificate.
  • B2 for German as an Additional Language and English
    In order to be eligible to attend language module 1 courses in German as an Additional Language or English, the required entry level of B2 must be assessed by means of a language placement test or submission of a relevant language level certificate.

Placement in language module 2 courses
In order to be eligible to attend language module 2 courses, the required entry level of C1 must be assessed by means of a language level placement test or submission of a relevant language certificate.

If a higher level than the required entry level of the respective language is shown on the certificate submitted, this does not automatically mean placement in language module 2 courses but entitles the holder to attend language module 1 courses without undertaking the placement test.

In such a case (e.g., Cambridge Certificate C1), you are entitled to either be exempted from the placement test and attend language module 1 courses or to undertake a placement test for possible higher placement in language module 2 courses. After successfully completing the placement test for module 2, you can attend module 2 courses and module 1 courses will be credited.

All information about the placement interviews for incoming students of all exchange programmes can be found here.

Enrolment for courses

The deadline for enrolment for all courses (with a continuous assessment element):
Summer semester: 1st – 21st of February
Winter semester: 1st – 21st of September

The deadline for enrolment for all lectures (with a non-continuous assessment element):
Summer semester: 1st of February until the end of the semester or until the end of the respective lecture
Winter semester: 1st of September until the end of the semester or until the end of the respective lecture

Enrolment for the remaining courses after the end of the enrolment period takes place by email via the course instructors. For courses where the maximum number of participants has already been reached by the end of the enrolment period, no further participants can be accepted.

Start of the courses

see Course catalogue

Information for BA students whose mother tongue or language of education is NOT German
(= for students studying German as an Additional Language):

If German is not your native language or language of education, you must select German as your first additional language. The language of education must always be a language offered at our department (English, French, Italian, Spanish or Russian).

Information for students with no prior knowledge of Russian

Students who have selected Russian as an additional language and have no prior knowledge must begin with elective module 7 (Bosnian/Croatian/Montenegrin/Serbian or Russian). The relevant Russian courses are always offered in the winter semester at the Department of Slavic Studies and they are entitled UE Russian 1a and UE Russian 1b. In winter semester 2026-27, the corresponding course numbers for these courses are 612009, 612010 and 612011. In summer semester 2027, students can continue their Russian studies with compulsory module 2 or 3 (Language Proficiency 1) at the Department of Translation Studies.

Information for students with prior knowledge of Russian

Students who have selected Russian as an additional language and already have prior knowledge of the language will be placed in the appropriate language course by means of a placement interview.

Placement by: Anna Bailesteanu
Date, time slot: Upon request
Room: Upon request

Prerequisites

The formal requirement for admission to the bachelor's degree programme is the school-leaving examination (Latin is not required) or an equivalent school-leaving qualification. This BA degree programme is suitable for students with a very good level of their native language (German) and a very good level of their chosen first additional language. Subsequently, our BA programme in Multilingual Communication leads to the acquisition of an initial professional university degree qualification in Multilingual Communication in the languages offered at the Department of Translation Studies.

Admission to the BA programme

The Admissions Office of the University of Innsbruck is exclusively responsible for admission to the BA degree programme, registration of additional studies, changes in the combination of languages selected, etc. Please note that there is a compulsory online application process for first-year students.

Scope and duration of the programme

The bachelor's degree programme in Multilingual Communication comprises 180 ECTS credits. Accordingly, the duration of the BA programme comprises approximately six semesters, whereby courses completed in an academic year generally correspond to 60 ECTS credits and those of a semester to 30 ECTS credits.

Language programme

The BA degree programme must be completed in two additional languages. The following languages offered at our department can be selected: German as an additional language, English, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian.

The curriculum is based on the assumption that students have good prior knowledge of their chosen additional languages - with the exception of Russian, which is not a school language - or very good prior knowledge of a first additional language. The level of language proficiency in the two additional languages is determined by a language level assessment (placement test) at the beginning of your studies. Students who possess the required level of language proficiency by means of an Austrian central school-leaving certificate (not older than one academic year) or other relevant certification (not older than two academic years) will be exempted from the placement test after the documents submitted have been processed.

Students whose native language is not included in our teaching programme at the Department of Translation Studies must select a language of education from the languages offered at the department. All students whose native language or language of education is not German must take German as their first additional language. A very good knowledge of German is a prerequisite for the BA programme.

Studying abroad

A period of studies abroad comprising at least one semester in the countries of the chosen foreign languages is strongly recommended. The aim of a period of studies abroad is to expand language and cultural competence in the chosen additional languages. In the International relations section of our website, you can find out all about our international networks, mobility programmes and internships. You will also find numerous reports of experiences studying abroad there.

Structure of the BA degree programme (in accordance with the revised curriculum for 2026, effective from the 1st of October 2026) and recommended study plan

Detailed information on the structure and content of our degree programme can be found here (in German).

Please note that some courses are only offered annually (either in the winter semester or summer semester).

CM = compulsory module
EM = elective module

First semester (29 ECTS credits)

  • CM 1: Language and Language Use (8 ECTS credits)
  • CM 2: Language Proficiency I – First Language and German (12 ECTS credits)
  • CM 3: Language Proficiency I – Second Language (9 ECTS credits)

Second semester (31 ECTS credits)

  • CM 4: Language Proficiency II – First Language and German (12 ECTS credits)
  • CM 5: Language Proficiency II – Second Language (9 ECTS credits)
  • CM 8: Language and Media (5 ECTS credits)
  • EM amounting to 5 ECTS credits

Third semester (30.5 ECTS credits)

  • CM 6: Language Proficiency III – First Language (6 ECTS credits)
  • CM 7: Language Proficiency III – Second Language (6 ECTS credits)
  • CM 9: Academic Fundamentals I (6.5 ECTS credits)
  • CM 12: Languages and Cultures in Comparison (6 ECTS credits)
  • EM amounting to 6 ECTS credits

Fourth semester (29.5 ECTS credits)

  • CM 11: Academic Fundamentals II (8.5 ECTS credits)
  • CM 13: Regional Studies and Cultural Studies (16 ECTS credits)
  • EM amounting to 5 ECTS credits

Fifth semester (32 ECTS credits)

  • CM 10: Language Data and Digital Tools (8 ECTS credits)
  • CM 14: Accessible Communication (5 ECTS credits)
  • CM 15: Interpreting (8 ECTS credits)
  • CM 16: Translating From an Additional Language I (6 ECTS credits)
  • EM amounting to 5 ECTS credits

Sixth semester (28 ECTS credits)

  • CM 17: Translation and Technologies (7 ECTS credits)
  • CM 18: Reflection on the BA Thesis and BA Thesis (2.5 + 12.5 ECTS credits)
  • EM amounting to 6 ECTS credits
Use of the Internet, machine translation (MT) and generative AI in the translation courses of the Multilingual Communication BA programme

  1. The use of Internet resources, with the exception of applications based on MT and generative AI (Google Translate, DeepL, ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) is permitted for all face-to-face examinations and graded assignments.

  2. Applications based on MT and generative AI are not permitted for any translations to be completed by the student. Any undeclared use will result in a negative assessment due to the use of unauthorised resources.

  3. A deviation from point 2 can ensue at the discretion of the lecturer in specially designed tasks (e.g. as part of the postediting pilot project in the BA programme).

The use of applications based on MT and generative AI in class and for assignments must always be agreed upon with the lecturer concerned.

In progress

Information on writing a bachelor’s degree thesis at the Department of Translation Studies

A bachelor’s degree thesis worth 12.5 ECTS credits must be completed. The thesis must be written in the student’s first language or in one of the additional languages chosen and must ensue in consultation with the thesis supervisor.

Further details to follow.

In progress

In progress

In progress

Click here to access the curriculum (in German).

General information:

The coordinator of studies is the responsible person for the recognition of examinations.

If you would like to have courses recognised, you will need to complete the form for application for recognition of examinations. Please also enclose the confirmation of studies sheet valid for the current semester and copies of the certificates submitted. Please appear in person for the oral announcement of the decision by the coordinator of studies, Astrid Schmidhofer (Department of Translation Studies, Herzog-Siegmund-Ufer 15, third floor, room 314). It is necessary to make an appointment in advance.

Relevant forms:

Application for recognition of exams (BA) and supplementary sheet for the application (BA).

Taster week

All BA students who are faced with the decision of what to do after their BA are invited to get a taste of our MA courses at the Department of Translation Studies. This will give you an impression of the content of our three MA specialisations, which in turn will help you decide on what to do after your BA. With a master's degree, you are better qualified and usually have better chances on the job market. So, come and see us, our lecturers look forward to meeting you!

23rd–27th of November, 2026
Course schedule (details to follow)

Take a look at our course schedule to see which courses you are interested in and can find the relevant seminar room in good time for the start of a course. Registration for these courses is not necessary. All our BA course lecturers are well-informed, and they will make sure that you do not miss anything in your regular courses in this week.

To confirm which MA courses you attended during the taster week (in order to be excused from your regular BA courses), have the MA course lecturers verify your attendance with a signature for each lecture you attend. To do this, either use this printout (template) or informally list the above information (course title, date, time slot, course lecturer) on a piece of paper and have it signed by the respective lecturer.

Note: This information applies to students of the BA programme in Translation Studies and BA programme in Multicultural Communication. Students of other degree programmes must clarify their absence from regular classes as a result of attending the MA courses at the Department of Translation Studies in advance with their respective course lecturers.

If you require any assistance during our taster week, please contact our student representatives (StV). Current information can also be found on Instagram StV and Instagram INTRAWI.

Dated: 28th of September, 2026

Nach oben scrollen