BA(Hons) Translating or Modern Language

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Mic1, Apr 7, 2010.

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  1. Mic1

    Mic1 New Member

    Hallo,
    I´m German and would like to study “Translating and Interpreting”, English/Spanish, (Bachelor (Hons)) by distance learning.
    Now I ´m looking for a well-established University with a good reputation in Europe and the USA (with examination center in Germany and the USA), but I didn´t found one yet.
    Can someone please help me?
    Thanks in advance
    Michaela

    P.S. Sorry for my english I´m working on it (-;
     
    Mic1, Apr 7, 2010
    #1
  2. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Kizmet, Apr 7, 2010
    #2
  3. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    That would be nice- I have been looking for one for quite a while, but no decent DL programs in either Translation or Interpreting seem to exist.

    May I suggest you look for degrees in Linguistics or Applied Linguistics? These degrees tend to offer a curriculum that combines the technical, psychological and social aspects of learning, using, and in some cases, teaching languages. Two I know of offered by DL are Applied Linguistics from University of Massachussetts and Ball State University. I can find you more and provide links if this is what you want.
    However, most of these degrees are Master's degrees, whereas it is hard to find DL linguistics courses at the Bachelor's level. You can look up Charter Oak State College, where you can combine credits from an unlimited number of sources to create your own Concentration (in, say, Foreign Language and Linguistics). Another option is to double major in the two languages you want to translate (or at least, in your second language if the other language is native to you). Proficiency examinations make it so that you will not have to take courses for what you already know- but may need to take some courses in specified technical vocabulary and/or literature in the language that you major in.

    If your country is like mine, MUCH more important than the major of your degree would be if you have certification to translate to/from your languages of choice. A Bachelor's degree may be in social sciences, human services, or, frankly, Culinary Arts or Computer Science and it matters not at all here in the USA. Again, if your country is like mine, a major in Sociology and/or Psychology would be a perfect match for an interpreter (and would work just fine for getting into a Master's program in Linguistics).

    Hope this helps a bit, I can do more research for you if you like.
     
    Maniac Craniac, Apr 7, 2010
    #3
  4. Farina

    Farina New Member

    Check these out

    University of Texas at Brownsville
    *Online Graduate Certificate in Translation
    http://www.utb.edu/vpaa/cla/ml/tio/Documents/Translation.pdf

    University of Wisconsin - Madison
    *Online Business Spanish Certificate Program
    http://www.dcs.wisc.edu/lsa/online/spanish/business-certificate.htm

    National Center for Interpretation
    Specializations in Legal, Medical and Immigration Interpretation as well as Professional Translation (avaliable during the summers)
    http://nci.arizona.edu/

    Collegeof Charleston
    MA Legal or Medical Interpreting
    http://lcwa.cofc.edu/legalint/


    New York University
    *Professional Certificate in Translation
    http://www.scps.nyu.edu/areas-of-study/foreign-languages/professional-certificates/translation.html

    Niagara College
    Language Interpreter Certificate
    http://www.niagaracollege.ca/ce/cert_lang_interp/

    http://www.umasstranslation.com/academics/interpreting-certificates/
     
    Farina, Apr 7, 2010
    #4
  5. Mic1

    Mic1 New Member

    Hi,
    thank you for your answers. In any case I´m looking for a Bachelor with English (grammar, linguistics…) and perhaps Spanish to be able to perfectly translate in English-German-((Spanish)). The OU offers "Modern Language Studies". That would be an option. I still wait for the feedback whether I can further study this course also from the USA. Then there is a course offered in Germany called "International Business Communication". It´s a mix of economic science with linguistics (English, translation teachings, interpreting) and cultural sciences, management techniques, intercultural authority and bases of the economical informatics. This Bachelor would be my first choice, but there are too many present-meetings )-:
    Michaela
     
    Mic1, Apr 8, 2010
    #5
  6. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Kizmet, Apr 8, 2010
    #6
  7. Mic1

    Mic1 New Member

    Hi,
    many thanks. The Unisa sounds ok. The University offers the Bachelor “Translation Studies”. I could do examinations in Germany and/or the USA. Is the Bachelor only one year to take? That´s strange. In Germany you´ll need at least 3 years. Has someone already studied Translation at the Unisa?
    Michaela
     
    Mic1, Apr 9, 2010
    #7
  8. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    That is an "Honor's Bachelor." You can not even begin that program until you already have completed a standard Bachelor's degree. That is why it is only for one year. I have heard it being referred to as if it were something in-between an American Bachelor's and and American Master's.
     
    Maniac Craniac, Apr 9, 2010
    #8
  9. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    The standard Bachelors degree in South Africa (and England and Australia) is a three year degree. The Honors degree takes another year. Typically, if you want to go to grad school, you need the Honors degree.
     
    Kizmet, Apr 9, 2010
    #9
  10. Mic1

    Mic1 New Member

    Ah okay I understand. So first I have to do a Bachelor. In Germany one can study "Amerikanistik/Anglisik". Do you know an excellently bu not expensive (US)-University which offers (Bachelor) american-studies (history/culture/language...) by distance-learning? That would be also an option. Or however BA English (NOT Literature!).
     
    Mic1, Apr 13, 2010
    #10
  11. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    TESC has a BA in foreign langauges
    http://www.tesc.edu/3588.php
    One advantage of this school is that you can take classes anywhere in the world as long as the school has regional accreditation (USA) or foreign equivilance.

    You will see that US degree content is different from european degree content. Typically in the US only around 25% to 35%% of the degree is devoted to the major (such as language), the rest is general education.

    The UK University London Birkbeck has this degree in spanish and latin studies:
    http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/prospective_students/undergraduate/birkbeck/sla/structure.shtml
     
    Ian Anderson, Apr 13, 2010
    #11
  12. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Absolutely!

    Empire State College (of the State University of New York, a wonderful college system which carries respectable name recognition in the United States) offers an online BA in Cultural Studies. You can make your concentration in American Studies, or work with your academic advising team to create a concentration that fits your needs EXACTLY.

    They are $207.00/credit with a requirement that you take 32 of your credits with them. The rest can be either transfer credits, proficiency examinations or you can complete a portfolio assessment with them and receive credit for your prior learning.

    Frankly, its almost too good to be true. If they had what I was looking for (or if I change my mind about what I am looking for) I would definitely be pursuing my degree with them.

    http://www.esc.edu/ESConline/ESCdocuments/policies.nsf/allbysubject/Cultural+Studies?opendocument

    http://www.esc.edu/ESConline/Across_ESC/studaccount.nsf/html/undergraduatetuitionandfees.html
     
    Maniac Craniac, Apr 14, 2010
    #12
  13. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Hey, look what else I just happened to come across (thank TimD, he suggested that I look into this school for my own program, and also happens to have what you are looking for):

    Columbia College: BA in American Studies.

    $220/credit. Also a very nice choice.
     
    Maniac Craniac, Apr 14, 2010
    #13
  14. Mic1

    Mic1 New Member

    Hi,
    Thank you. Columbia College sounds interesting. I don´t know if you know http://www.anabin.de
    There I can see whether a degree of a university or college will be accepted in Germany or not. The Columbia College seems to be fine, but there will be a problem with Thomas Edison State College and Empire State College.
    Now I´ve also got the information from the OU that if I plan to continue my studies with The Open University from the USA I only need a forwarding address in Europe/UK because it´s not possible for the University to send course materials to the USA - it would take too long. And I am not sure if there will be a problem because of he language since the OU teaches British English.
     
    Mic1, Apr 14, 2010
    #14
  15. MGrex

    MGrex New Member

    Thomas Edison State College and Empire State College are not accepted (recognized?) in Germany? Why? Both are state colleges with regional accreditation! Is US RA not recognized in Germany?
     
    MGrex, Apr 15, 2010
    #15

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