Translation and Interpreting
Director: Elizabeth Lowe
4080 Foreign Languages Building
707 South Mathews Avenue
Urbana, IL 61801
Major: Translation and Interpreting
Degrees Offered: M.A.
Online Program: Translation and Interpreting
Degrees Offered: M.A.
Graduate Degree Programs
The Center for Translation Studies in the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Arts in Translation and Interpreting. Candidates for the master’s degree may specialize in Translation for the Professions, Literary and Applied Literary Translation, or Conference and Community Interpreting. Campus-based and online programs are available.
Admission
To be considered for admission to the Master’s Program in Translation and Interpreting, the candidate should have an undergraduate major in languages, linguistics, international studies, area studies, or a related field. Applicants must have command of one or preferably two languages in addition to English and must meet the minimum admissions requirements of the Graduate College.
Language Requirement
Students must have native or near-native proficiency in English and at least one other language supported by the program. Preference will be given to applications with two other languages in addition to English. Language A (native language) should be at ILR5; Language B should be at or above ILR 3-4; language C should be at or above ILR 2-3.
Definitions of ILR levels can be found at: www.govtilr.org
Application Procedure
Applicants should apply online (www.grad.illinois.edu/admissions/apply) and submit:
- Three letters of recommendation.
- Resume or CV.
- Transcripts (with English translations, if applicable) showing all undergraduate and graduate courses taken and grades received. Transcripts received from foreign institutions should be accompanied by a Certificate of Degree or Diploma.
- All applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit the score report of their TOEFL IBT or IELTS as evidence of their English proficiency. Applicants should have ETS send TOEFL score reports to institution code #1836. IELTS score reports can be uploaded directly to the online application. Scores required for admission to this program are at least 103 total on the TOEFL with a speaking sub-section minimum score of 24 or scores greater than 6.5 total and 6 or higher in all sub-sections on the IELTS with a speaking sub-section minimum score of 8. (See www.grad.illinois.edu/Admissions/instructions/04C).
- A 5-7 minute oral statement of purpose (audio-file) in the student’s second language. International students whose primary language is not English should submit two oral statements: one in English and one in the language for which they are applying. (Send an mp3 or wma file-50 mb or smaller-as an email attachment to slclgradservices@illiois.edu.)
- An online test of language and translation proficiency. The test will be administered by the University of Illinois through its Online and Continuing Education Secure Online Testing System. Details will be provided to applicants once their file is complete.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Arts in Translation and Interpreting
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Core requirements: TRST 500 (Translation Methods and Ethics), TRST 410 (Translation Theory & Practice), TRST 407 (Terminology and CAT) | 12 |
Specialization: Students must complete 8 hours in one specialization:
|
8 |
| Elective courses: See Center for Translation Studies webpage for a list of appropriate courses. | 8 |
| Translation Studies Capstone Project (TRST 540) | 4 |
| Total Hours | 32 |
Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall |
12 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Minimum GPA: | 2.75 |
Online Program:
Students working online will take two 4-credit hour courses per semester that will be offered sequentially, for eight weeks each. The courses will be asynchronous. Interaction with the instructor and other students will be required and facilitated through the state-of-the-art course delivery platform. Online students are required to keep pace with the course schedule.
Campus-Based Program:
Students on campus must take a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester (3 courses); 2 of which should be Translation Studies required courses, to maintain full-time status. The required courses must be taken in the order in which they are offered to complete degree requirements. Campus based courses follow the 16-week calendar.
All students must follow a four-semester (Fall and Spring) schedule to complete this program. It is not possible to accelerate the program. Students who request a leave of absence from the program must apply to the department for re-entry.
Financial Aid
Since this is a self-supporting program, no financial aid that provides tuition waivers, such as Assistantships or Fellowships, is available from the Center or the University. Students may seek funding from FAFSA and personal loans, student employment, outside grants, and employers.