Undergraduate Programs
Certificate Programs
Translation Studies
- Director and Advising Professor Enrica J. Ardemagni CA539D, 274-8957, eardema@iupui.edu
- Assistant Professor Benjamin Van Wyke
Program Description
The Department of World Languages and Cultures offers an undergraduate Certificate in Translation Studies with an emphasis in French, German, or Spanish. The certificate requires completion of 27 credit hours focusing on grammar, professional writing skills, culture, translation history and theory, nonliterary translation from English to French/German/Spanish and French/German/Spanish to English, terminology management, and knowledge of computer applications to translation. A minimum of 15 credit hours toward the certificate must be completed at IUPUI, and no courses may be taken with the Pass/Fail option.
The Certificate program is intended for advanced undergraduates or students holding or completing a bachelor's degree who would like to enhance their language expertise. As an undergraduate certificate program, the course work prepares students for further study in translation at the graduate level or for practical work, as well as develops basic competence for further work as professional translators. However, successful completion of the program does not indicate that a student is a "certified" translator.
It is highly recommended that students who wish to be accredited as a certified translator complete advanced-level course work in translation and seek certification through the American Translators Association. The Certificate will be awarded after a student has completed the minimum of a B.A. or B.S. degree; however, students who are not enrolled in the Certificate program may take the course work. It is recommended to make an appointment with the director of the Certificate program as soon as possible to see if prior course work can be counted towards credit as well as receive information about courses taught on a rotational basis.
Admission Requirements
Certificate candidates must possess fluency in their language pair. To be admitted to the Certificate program, students must have sophomore standing and meet the following three criteria:
- Academic Readiness: Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and 3.3 in their major.
- Writing Proficiency: Students must have completed W131 and W132 or their equivalents with a grade of B or higher prior to admission, as well as a 300-level composition class in French, German, or Spanish with a grade of B or higher.
- Translation Readiness: Prior to admission into the Certificate program, students are required to demonstrate a minimum level of bilingual ability to be successful in the course work required for the certificate. Students will be admitted to the certificate after receiving a B or higher in their first translation course.
Completion Requirements
Students must complete certificate-related courses with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher before qualifying for the internship or directed study. A grade of C in more than one course will make candidates ineligible for completion of the certificate.
Translation Competence
Upon completion of the course work for the certificate, students must demonstrate translation competence through one of two options: (1) completion of an internship in the target language, which includes a minimum of 20 pages of translated text. The student's academic language advisor will be responsible for recommending placement and mentoring in the internship program; or (2) completion of an independent translation project in the target language, which includes a minimum of 20 pages of translated text. The student's academic language advisor will be responsible for mentoring the student through this translation project. Mentors use a set of rubrics for scoring the final translation or internship project.
Course Requirements
Because sequencing of courses is important, students should consult with the director prior to admission into the program.
1. Core Courses (9 cr.)
a. Advanced Professional Writing (English) (3 cr.)
- W331 Business and Administrative Writing
- W365 Theories and Practices of Editing
b. Advanced Grammar (3 cr.)
- F402 Introduction to Linguistics or F421 Fourth-Year French
- G445 Advanced Grammar
- S421 Advanced Spanish Grammar or S426 Introduction to Linguistics
c. Culture Course (3 cr.)
- F461 La France contemporaine
- G365 Deutsche Kultur Heute
- S411 Culture and Civilization of Spain or S412 Culture and Civilization of Latin America
2. Courses in Translation (15 cr.)
a. History and Theory of Translation (3 cr.)
- FLAC F350 Introduction to Translation Studies and Interpreting
b. Translation Practice (6 cr.)
- F330 Introduction to Translating French and English
- F423 The Craft of Translation
- G333 German Translation Practice
- G423 The Craft of Translation
- S323 Introduction to Translating Spanish and English
- S423 The Craft of Translation
c. Computers in Translation (3 cr.)
- FLAC F450 Computers in Translation
d. Terminology Studies (3 cr.)
- F326 French in the Business World
- G331 Business German I or G431 Advanced Business German
- S315 Spanish in the Business World or S319 Spanish for Health Care Personnel or S419 Spanish for Law Enforcement or S429 Medical Interpreting or
- S430 Legal Spanish
3. Internship or Directed Study (3 cr.)
a. Internship
- F493 Internship Program in French
- G493 Internship Program in German
- S493 Internship Program in Spanish
b. Directed Study
- F495 Individual Readings in French
- G498 Individual Studies in German
- S494 Individual Readings in Hispanic Studies
For complete information and application, go to liberalarts.iupui.edu/wlac/undergraduate/translation_studies.