UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE
PROPOSAL FOR CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS OF LESS THAN 24 HOURS
OF UNIVERSITY CREDIT [NOT REQUIRING COUNCIL ON
POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION (CPE) APPROVAL]
Graduate Certificate in Translation (English/Spanish - Spanish/English)
Title of Certificate
College of Arts and Sciences
Unit Submitting Proposal
Classical & Modern Languages Spanish
Department Academic Major
Fall 2011 Clare E. Sullivan
Proposed Starting Date Certificate Program Coordinator
Approved by Board of Trustees on Date_________________________
President:
Signature: __________________________ Date: ______________________
1
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES FOR CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS OF LESS THAN 24 HOURS OF UNIVERSITY CREDIT [NOT REQUIRING COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION (CPE) APPROVAL]
The following guidelines have been established to assist those individuals developing certificate programs and those charged with reviewing and approving them in order to promote program quality and to assure an effective relationship between the certificate programs and the resource and academic mission of the sponsoring unit. Such programs should complement existing programs in a way that will make the University a center of lifelong learning for the University community. Non-academic credit programs are not included.
Introduction: What is Translation?
Developments in globalization, international competition, worldwide communications and technology have dramatically increased the demand for qualified and well-trained translators and interpreters in all realms, especially in business, technology, communication, government, medicine and law. The current demand for these professionals far outweighs the supply available.
Translators work with a text, transferring the content from one language to another. Interpreters deal with the spoken word (and occasionally written texts) and render it into another language in oral form. These two professions require vastly different skill sets, training, and experience. Thus, the U of L’s Translation Certificate will begin as a training ground only for translators.
Translating well requires not only knowledge of both languages but also understanding of the source and target cultures. It is an exacting art that demands creative expression, philological precision, minute knowledge of historical and cultural contexts, and a nuanced sense of style in both the source and target languages. In order to make the that knowledge base more manageable to begin with, the certificate will concentrate on the language combinations of Spanish-English and English-Spanish.
Students who wish to study translation must demonstrate advanced proficiency in both languages. This knowledge can, of course, be fine-tuned by the study of comparative stylistics and applied linguistics. In addition, a prospective translator must possess advanced research skills and the ability to work with relevant technology.
Most of the work of the translator falls into five major categories: economic and financial, legal, literary, medical, and scientific and technical. Therefore, students must also acquire experience and knowledge in a subject-area specialty.
The Translation Certificate is intended for students who would like to specialize in the application of inter-linguistic skills for professional purposes. The certificate program provides the rigorous academic training necessary for the professionalization of the prospective translator. The goal of the Certificate is to help those interested in pursuing graduate translation study work toward national accreditation through the American Translators Association.
I. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND RATIONALE
1.1 Program Objectives
a. Define the program objectives
We propose the creation of a Graduate Certificate in Translation (English/Spanish - Spanish/English).
According to the American Translator’s Association:
The increasing diversity of the U.S. population, the growth in international trade, and the Internet have created a strong demand for professional translators and interpreters.
Translators work with the written word, transferring text from a source language
into a target language. This is far more than replacing one word with another. The translator must also convey the style, tone, and intent of the text. The finished document should read as if it had originally been written in the target language for the target audience. (http://www.atanet.org/careers/index.php)
In response to this need for professional translators, our program will train students to translate from English>Spanish and Spanish>English, equipping them with a knowledge of translation theory and practice. It will provide students who are already highly proficient in both languages the background in theory, technical resources, and research skills necessary to translate effectively.
With the establishment of this certificate, U of L will provide graduate students, post-baccalaureate students, and members of the community seeking professional development and additional credentials the opportunity to acquire:
· an introduction to theories in the field of translation
· specific skills in various fields
· hands-on professional experience
The Graduate Certificate in Translation (English/Spanish - Spanish/English) will require the completion of 21 hours of approved coursework, some of which could be incorporated into existing graduate programs. It may be completed as a “stand alone” program or in conjunction with other graduate programs. Students will have the option to complete the certificate with a medical concentration in 22 hours.
At the present moment, only three of the University of Louisville’s benchmark institutions offer a graduate work in translation. They are:
University of California – San Diego
University of Iowa
University of Pittsburgh.
Almost fifty universities in the United States now offer graduate programs in Spanish translation. (Schools marked with an asterisk offer doctorates in the field. The others offer graduate certificates or master’s degrees):
American University
Arizona State University
Bellevue College
Binghamton University *
Brandeis University
California State University – Long Beach
California State University – Northridge
City College of San Francisco
College of Charleston
Florida A & M University
Florida International University
Georgia State University
Howard University
Hunter College – CUNY
Indiana University-Purdue University – Indianapolis
Kent State University *
La Salle University
Marygrove College
Miami-Dade College
Montclair State University
Monterey Institute of International Studies
New Mexico State University
New York University
Northern Illinois University
Penn State University
Queens College – CUNY
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
Shenandoah University
Southwest Texas State University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Massachusetts -
Amherst
University of Minnesota – Rochester
University of Nebraska – Kearney
University of North Carolina –
Charlotte
University of Texas – El Paso
University of Wisconsin –
Milwaukee
Wake Forest University
Their programs provide a combination of theoretical background, pertinent skills and hands-on training. In addition, many of them offer the chance to specialize in a particular field of translation such as medical or legal documents. The increasing need for translators means that these programs are thriving and new programs are constantly being created.
b. Provide a rationale for this program
The Department of Classical & Modern Languages receives an average of ten requests per month from community organizations, businesses and individuals for the translation of documents from English into Spanish and vice versa. This reflects both a great need for translation services and a misunderstanding of the translation process by the general public. As the ATA stated above, translation requires far more than a rudimentary knowledge of two languages. A professional translator must be trained to deal with the many linguistic, cultural and semiotic factors that arise during the process.
The need for translation services has grown in correlation to the growth of the Spanish-speaking immigrant population here in Louisville and around the country.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 26,000 Latin American immigrants lived in Kentucky in 2003. Their estimate for the Spanish-speaking population in the country at large at that time was over 17,000,000. The Census Bureau’s 2005 American Community Survey showed that more than 23% of the households in Jefferson County were Spanish-speaking. Our country is trying to cope with the demands of this growing population. Therefore, numerous opportunities exist for careers in translation both regionally and nationally.
A Certificate in Translation (English/Spanish - Spanish/English) would educate a student about the many technical, cultural and ethical issue that arise when documents are translated from one language to another. It would prepare a student to begin to work for an agency or as an independent contractor. Such a program could serve as a gateway to specialized translation studies in legal, medical, and technical translation.
Student demand for translation education already exists here at the University of Louisville. In the past five years, 7 of our Spanish MA students (almost 15% ) has written their theses on translation. Many more have requested further education in the field.
1.2 Internal/External Influences
a. Relevance to the University mission, goals and objectives (strategic plan, CPE, community, etc.)
A Certificate in Translation (English/Spanish - Spanish/English) would fulfill some important goals relevant to the University mission. In particular the A& S Scorecard, Goal #4: Partnerships and collaboration. This goal charges the University to “create partnerships that support community-based organizations and health-care organizations”. Through required internships, certificate students would be paired with many such organizations. During their course of service students would provide said organizations with quality translations for the benefit of the Louisville community.
Students in the Certificate Program would also benefit from their exchange with the greater Louisville community. The ‘Strategic Plan 2020’states that the University should “use civic engagement and partnerships to: provide job-related experience useful for future employment.” This goal of Community Engagement allows students to receive necessary professional training that will allow them to secure gainful employment. In addition, such an experience makes students aware of their role as responsible and engaged members of the Louisville community.
b. Briefly describe demand for program (local, state, regional, national).
U of L’s Certificate in Spanish Translation would be the only program of its kind in Kentucky. The Tennessee Foreign Language Institute has a Certificate in Interpretation but not in translation. The closest comparable program would be the Certificate Programs in Translation and Interpretation at Georgia State University.
We have contacted local community organizations, including Kentucky Refugee Ministries, the Center for Women and Families, Americana Community Center, the Louisville Free Public Library (Iroquois Branch), Catholic Charities, the Speed Art Museum and the Klein Family Learning Center. Sites that provide health and legal services (Family Health Services, The Kentucky Racing Health Services Center, CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates, Just Solutions Mediation Services) have also said that they will benefit from trained translators. We also polled civic and business organizations such as the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, In Every Language, Cardinal Translation Services, Languages Unlimited, and Adhawks Advertising and Public Relations. They all state that they cannot possibly meet their demand for qualified translation services between English and Spanish.
The following chart provides a conservative estimate for student numbers for the first five years:
c. Describe employment prospects for students.
Following an analysis of economic trends that are expected to impact job growth, the U.S. Department of Labor stated, "Employment of interpreters and translators is projected to increase 24 percent over the 2006-16 decade, much faster than the average for all occupations." It went on to add: “Demand will remain strong for translators of the languages referred to as “PFIGS”—Portuguese, French, Italian, German, and Spanish.”
The report also noted that the higher demand for translators and interpreters results directly from the broadening of international ties, the increase in the number of foreign language speakers in the United States, and a growing need in health care settings. All of these trends are expected to continue, contributing to relatively rapid growth in the number of jobs for interpreters and translators.
The employability of translators is increased by the fact that they can work directly for a Language Service Provider or an employer in fields such as health, law and social services. In addition, translators can seek work as an independent contractor on a national or international level.
d. Describe any unusual or special faculty/student needs to which the program would be responsive.
Due to the dearth of similar programs in the region as noted above, a Graduate Certificate in Translation (English/Spanish - Spanish/English) could potentially attract students from all over the state and region.
Such a program might convince our growing population of undergraduate Spanish majors to pursue graduate studies. From 2005 to 2009 our Capstone Course for Spanish Majors has been taught as an “Introduction to Translation”. Many students have demonstrated exceptional aptitude for translation and all have expressed a desire for more training and preparation for careers in translation. It is likely that we could have lured our best students back after they completed Fulbrights and other opportunities. Erin McCoy (B.A. 2007) and Selene Black (B.A. 2009), both students who exceeded expectations for undergraduates and expressed desire for further training in translation, are currently Fulbright Scholars).
We currently offer a graduate translation seminar every other year and it is always full. At the graduate level, many students from Spanish 638 (Translation: Theory and Practice) have stood out for their potential and desire to pursue a career in translation. For example, Zahir Mumin (M.A., 2007) is enrolled in a translation program at SUNY. Roberta Kern (M.A., 2006) is enrolled for an upcoming program at UNC. These students would have continued at the University of Louisville if such a program had been available here. We are losing valuable and talented human resources.
The Department of Classical & Modern Languages has two full-time faculty members (one tenured and one tenure-track) whose major field of expertise is translation. Dr. Clare Sullivan completed her Ph.D. in Spanish at New York University with a concentration in translation. She has translated two books in translation and written several articles on translation theory. Dr. Bonnie Fonseca-Greber studied at the illustrious Monterey Institute of International Studies where she received training in translation techniques and technology.
In addition, three members of the CML faculty have significant experience in translation. Dr. Rhonda Buchanan has published literary translations and received the prestigious NEA Translation Fellowship in 2006 for her work with Mexican writer Alberto Ruy-Sánchez. Dr. Mary Makris has taught translation seminars and translated for local organizations. Dr. Aristófanes Cedeño translates psychological articles regularly for the Infant Mental Health Journal. Dr. Cedeño also works as an interpreter for local agencies in health and legal sectors.
e. Describe the impact the certificate program will have on other programs within the University.
The Latin American and Latino Studies Program educates students about the complex issues and realities of the diverse peoples and cultures of Latin America and the United States. For students graduating with a certificate from LALS, a translation certificate would be a natural next step toward a productive career in the field.