ABOUT THIS PROGRAM
UMass Boston’s Spanish-English Translation Certificate program is designed to meet the increasing local, national, and international demand for professionals, educators, and students interested in meeting the challenges of modern multicultural and multilingual societies.
This 9-month-long program is intended for bilingual (English-Spanish) speakers who wish to learn, improve, or expand their knowledge and skills in written translation, and add a certification to their résumé.
During the program, you’ll explore the principles, theory, and practice of written translation. You’ll practice the techniques of legal, medical, technical, and literary translation and learn to work with a wide variety of online dictionaries, reference materials, and other tools and resources used by professional translators. You will also improve your knowledge of English and Spanish syntaxes, morphologies, and semantic systems.
CURRICULUM
Over two intensive semesters, students in our translation program learn the theoretical foundation and practical skills all effective translators possess. Here is the thematic focus of each semester:
SPAN 408
Advanced Techniques
and Skills for Translation
SPAN 409
Advanced Practice
of Translation
SPAN 580
Translation in Media
LEARNING & CAREER OUTCOMES
Upon successfully completing this two-semester program, you’ll be awarded a Certificate in Spanish-English Translation. Successful completion of the Spanish-English Translation Certificate program includes a minimum combined grade average of 80/100 and demonstration of excellence by successfully completing a comprehensive certification examination. The Certificate will demonstrate your expertise in the field on your résumé, as well as in interviews and workplace evaluations.
YOUR FUTURE IN TRANSLATION
Students will be much better prepared to be professional translators when they finish the program, but employability will depend on several factors: developed professional contacts, advertising / self-promotion, and successful applicability of skills learned in the Translation Program. In addition to offering continuous preparation for the translation certificate exam, our program is designed to guide students through the steps to successfully present at a professional translation conference and create their own website to showcase their work and attract and communicate with potential clients.
The program can help improve the skills of the interpreter because it strengthens technical skills of grammar, vocabulary, idioms, etc. The program does not grant certificates for interpretation, however due to the similarities between these two professional activities, interpreters and future interpreters benefit greatly from the Translation Program.
There are several benefits you can get. Formalize the acquired knowledge with formal education in translation, improve the creativity to see translation problems from different angles. Work with a group of advanced translation students, professionals from different cultures who are (or are close to being) bilingual who have translation or interpretation experience, generating really valuable networking and collaboration opportunities.
7,500
About 7,500 openings for interpreters and translators are projected each year, on average, over the current decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
AI
"Computer tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), have made the work of translators and localization specialists more efficient. [...] these jobs cannot be entirely automated because computers cannot yet produce work comparable to what human translators do in most cases." (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
The number of students enrolling in our program has doubled since 2018
57,090
2023 Median Pay: $57,090 per year
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
To be admitted to the program, applicants must pass a proficiency test that can be followed by an online interview. To apply for the Spanish-English Translation Certificate program, complete the application form below. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for fall admission.
Tuition
- This program consists of two 6-credit courses, or 12 credits.
- Total estimated cost to complete this program is $6,200, including all fees, materials, and exams.
- Estimate is based on completing program by minimum duration. Other fees may apply.
- There is a monthly payment plan option (an interest-free way of paying tuition in equal monthly payments with a one-time non-refundable enrollment fee per semester). Please contact the Bursar's Office if you have any other financial questions.