This paper outlines the results of implementing the additional academic program “Translator in the Field of Professional Communication” providing additional qualification to degree offerings. According to the professional standard, a translator, besides mastering splendid translating and interpreting skills, is supposed to be able to recognize and use some extra-linguistic information as well. The fostering of the competence of a translator is impossible without becoming proficient in a number of theoretical disciplines such as Theoretical grammar, Regional studies, and Insights into the theory of translation. The professors at the Faculty of Modern Languages of ST Petersburg University have developed a set of online courses on all the theoretical disciplines of the program for the language pair Russian-English. The program prepares translators in more than 15 different fields, such as physics, chemistry, geology and law. Surveys of both students and teachers were conducted to assess the results of incorporation of theoretical online courses in the program. An analysis of the results of surveys of both students and teachers of the program “Translator in the Field of Professional Communication” as well as students academic performance allows us to conclude that blended learning approach with the focus on online courses have proved to be quite effective.