M.A. IN SPANISH: OPTION IN TRANSLATION

Purpose: This program provides advanced training for translators who are or will be employed in a variety of fields, with practice in non-literary and literary translation with emphasis on Spanish to English or English to Spanish.

The MA in Spanish (Option in Translation) is considered to be a terminal degree, in that it does not automatically lead to a consideration for the PhD. For the student who wishes to seek admission to the PhD program in literature after having completed the MA (Option in Translation), s/he must apply to the PhD program through the normal application process. If the student wants to switch programs before completing the MA (Option in Translation), s/he must re-apply to the MA/PhD program through the normal application process.

Admission Requirements: Students are admitted on the basis of undergraduate records, letters of recommendation, appropriate score on the Graduate Record Examination (native speakers of English and Spanish) and TOEFL (native Spanish speakers), and demonstrated competency in both English and Spanish. Applicants should have the fluency of an educated native speaker of their first language and a competency approaching near-native in the language from which they will translate. The undergraduate major need not be Spanish (or English, for foreign students from Spanish-speaking countries) but must be related to the intended field of translation. Applicants must submit a personal statement of approximately 500 words in both Spanish and English in which they outline their relevant background and their reasons for pursuing the master option in translation.

Degree Requirements: Students must complete twenty-four credits of course work and an additional six credits of thesis, which will be a translation or the practicum in translation.

Course work may include twelve credits of undergraduate courses numbered no lower than 400 and six credits taken outside the Department, subject to approval by the Graduate Director.


Required Courses:

Translation/Interpretation (minimum of 12 cr.)

01:940:401 Advanced Translation I (3 cr.)
(This course will not be counted in the degree but may be required of some students as a prerequisite.)
01:940:471 Internship in Translation/Interpretation (BA)
(This 1-3 credit option will be required of degree candidates who do not have experience as practicing translators or interpreters.)
*01:940:476 Legal Translation (1.5 cr.)
01:940:477 Court Interpreting (3 cr.)
*01:940:486 Medical/Technical Translation (1.5 cr.)
*01:940:487 Hospital/Community Interpreting (1.5 cr.)
16:940:502 Advanced Translation (3 cr.)
16:940:563 Theory and Practice of Translation (3 cr.)
16:940:575 Interpretation (3 cr.)
16:940:579 Translation Workshop (3 cr.)

*Any combination of two of the 1.5 credit courses may be counted in lieu of a three-credit requirement.

Linguistics/Literary Theory (minimum of 3 cr.)
16:940:584 Spanish Syntax (3 cr.)
or
16:940:612 Literary theory (3 cr.)
or
Other appropriate linguistics/literary theory courses, taught within or outside the Spanish program, are subject to approval by the Graduate Director.

Literature/Culture (minimum of 6 cr.)
All degree candidates must have some study abroad or life experience in both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking countries. For native speakers of English, this requirement may be met through six credits taken in the Department’s Summer Study in Spain Program.

For foreign students coming from Spanish-speaking countries, this requirement may be met through appropriate English-language coursework within Rutgers University. (Possibilities include American Studies as well as offerings in the English Department.)

Degree candidates who have already met the study abroad requirement will fulfill their literature/culture component through graduate courses in Hispanic literature or other relevant program subject to approval by the Graduate Director.

Elective in Field of Specialization (3 cr.)
This is a flexible requirement, depending upon individual student need. The course may be within or outside the Graduate Program in Spanish, subject to approval by the graduate director. For example, for those specializing in legal translation this option can be satisfied by completing 01:940:476 Legal Translation and 01:940:477 Court Interpretation.

Language Requirement: The foreign language requirement may be completed by taking two semesters of an approved foreign language (in addition to the twenty-four credits of required coursework) or by passing a reading examination in the foreign language.

ATA Certification: Degree candidates in the MA option in translation are normally expected to pass one American Translators Association accreditation examination prior to graduation.

Examination: The comprehensive examination for the translation option will be based on coursework and will include translation. The exam must be taken before beginning the thesis. The exam lasts six hours and is administered in two parts on a single day with the following format:
Morning
a. Theory of Translation: Choice of one of two questions.
b. Choice of one of two questions based on coursework.

Afternoon
a. Translation - Literary: Into Language A.
b. Translation - Non-literary: Intro Language B.

Grading Policy: Each question is graded independently by three faculty members appointed by the graduate director. If a faculty member assigns a failing grade (i.e., below 70%) on any question, the faculty member will submit an explanation in writing. All scores are averaged. If any one grade deviates ten points or more from the other three grades on any one question, it will be eliminated.

• In order for the exam to be judged passing, the candidate’s answers must average 80% (i.e., be of B quality) or better.
• If the examination average falls between 75% and 79%, the Graduate Director will call a meeting to discuss the examination and the Graduate Faculty will make a recommendation.
• If the examination average falls below 75%, the examination is considered an automatic failure.

Faculty members will normally grade questions within thirty working days of the completion of the examination. The Graduate Director will then convey the results to the candidate in writing.

In the case of a failure, the candidate may meet with the Director, the Chair, or other appropriate faculty to discuss the examination.

Guidelines for Translation Projects and Thesis: The source text of individual projects will be selected by the student in consultation with the course instructor or thesis director. In general, texts chosen for projects should not be ones previously translated to the target language. (There are bibliographies in the library to assist in verifying what works have previously been translated.)

In the case of the Master’s thesis in translation, the project will include an introduction to the source text. If the text selected is under copyright, the thesis should include written authorization for its translation or evidence of efforts to obtain such authorization. Translation projects should be prepared on a word processor to facilitate revision from first draft through final version. The text of the translation should coincide, page by page, with the source text. Both texts must be submitted for evaluation. Like other Master’s theses, a translation thesis will be evaluated be a faculty committee. Whenever possible, the committee will include someone with particular expertise in the subject of the source text (e.g., a professor of Economics for a text in that field). Informal consultation with colleagues outside the department may also be indicated for specialized translation projects within courses.

Guidlines for Practicum:  Extensive practice in translation under faculty supervision and in consultation with a bilingual expert in the subject area of each translation assignment.  Introduction to the use of lexical management/computer-aided translation tools.  Primary emphasis on medical translations for use in the area hospitals and other health care facilities, but assignments in other subject areas are also possible.

Students receive letter grades for Practicum credits.  That grade is assigned by the faculty member directing the individual work.  In this respect, work in progress is treated as independent study.

Masters candicates who wish to use Practicum credits (minimum of six) in lieu of a thesis, must file the relevant application form in the Department and submit a final project to the Graduate Director.  The project should be reviewed by a reader in addition to the faculty member who directs the work; the reader may be Rutgers faculty or may be a qualified professional from outside the university.  The reader will be invited by the candidate and director to offer suggestions/corrections related to the project and will be asked to submit a signed/dated note for the student's file indicating that he or she has reviewed the work.  No formal defense of the practicum project is required.