Western Oregon U MA in Interpreting Studies

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Jonathan Whatley, Mar 8, 2015.

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  1. Jonathan Whatley

    Jonathan Whatley Well-Known Member

    Master of Arts in Interpreting Studies (Western Oregon University)

    MC, any thoughts?
     
    Jonathan Whatley, Mar 8, 2015
    #1
  2. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Hi Jonathan - MC is kinda on vacation and so it might be better to send him a pm. This thread will soon be lost under the waves and so unlikely to be seen by him on his return.
     
    Kizmet, Mar 10, 2015
    #2
  3. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Not really on vacation, just having an absolutely miserable past few months in my personal life and finding a few new soft addictions that have taken up space that DegreeInfo would normally occupy :D. I'll have to look over the program details and get back to you later. My first thoughts are

    1) I would never do such a program in a million years.

    2) I'm curious about the kind of people that WOULD do this in a million years.

    Stay tuned for more details :D
     
    Maniac Craniac, Mar 23, 2015
    #3
  4. DxD=D^2

    DxD=D^2 Member

    I agree with MC. This program is for a very specific, small set of people. It is not interesting, at least not to me.
     
    DxD=D^2, Mar 24, 2015
    #4
  5. NWLearner

    NWLearner Member

    I have hired and worked with hundreds of translators and interpreters over the last half decade, and whether they have a master's degree in translation/interpretation was never a deciding factor. Experience, portfolios, and samples are what counts most in my experience. A language-related degree is important, too, but I am equally impressed by a degree in linguistics, language teaching, etc.
     
    NWLearner, Mar 25, 2015
    #5
  6. emorydively

    emorydively New Member

    WOU's Interpreting MA is very good. But, note, it is specifically for ASL interpreters. It is a very unique program (Also available at University of N. Fla), and it's very good at what is does. If you are looking for something more general, I would recommend Gonzaga's Communication MA or a Linguistics MA program.
     
    emorydively, Mar 25, 2015
    #6
  7. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Alright, I apologize for how long it's taken me to come up with an informative response to this thread. You know, life stuff and whatever.

    After having seen the prerequisites for the program as well as the course listing, it's clear to me that this is not a degree program geared toward those who want to practice interpreting, but those who want to teach, mentor, lead, or present workshops in the interpreting field. In my experience, such people almost always have a Masters degree in something, but is not always interpreting related. This degree, however, looks like it may be a good option for someone who is looking to follow that route.

    For someone who works as an interpreter and does not aim to educate or lead (like me), the degree will likely not better prepare you for the field of interpreting nor help you land jobs that you otherwise could not have been able. It might look impressive on a resume, though, for what it's worth.
     
    Maniac Craniac, Jun 26, 2015
    #7

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