The certificate in Spanish/English Translation is designed to respond to the increasing local, national, and international demand for professionals, educators, and students interested in meeting the challenges of an increasingly multicultural and multilingual society.

This three-course non-credit professional development certificate program is designed to train entry-level translators in Spanish to meet the needs of doctors' offices, hospitals, public health settings, courts, legal offices, schools, etc. 

Who should take Spanish/English Translation?

It is intended for bilingual (English-Spanish) speakers with no formal training in translation who wish to improve or expand their knowledge and skills in written translation.

The online format is ideal for professionals who, due to career and family obligations, cannot attend face-to-face classes.

Upon completion of the program, students will have attained the following:

• Practice translating medical, legal, and business content from English to Spanish and Spanish to English
• Knowledge of English/Spanish health, legal and business terminology and of how to expand on it
• Knowledge of how to make translation decisions on the basis of the translation requirements
• Training in cultural competency
• Preparation to work in health and legal settings

A University of Arizona non-credit Certificate in Translation is awarded upon successful completion of the program (three courses). 

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Courses

Each course is usually 16 weeks long and offered 1-2 times per year. Courses start in January, May and September.

Courses are self-paced, with weekly deadlines for activities such as reading, translation assignments and exams.

The focus of the Translation Certificate courses is not on theoretical content. These are skills-based courses, whose goal is to facilitate acquisition of translation competence, more specifically the transfer component of competence. Given the short duration of the program (each course is only 16 weeks), we focus on core skills, which require rich feedback (from instructors and peers) and guided practice.

Unlike transfer competence, content (terminology, field specific knowledge) can be learned independently and through intensive specialized webinars, widely available in the field. Certificate courses teach content and terminology in the context of translation tasks (rather than as separate discrete units) and aim to teach students how to identify and remedy knowledge gaps (something they will have to do throughout their careers as translators).

The Translation Certificate courses are practical, workshop-style courses, as indicated on the syllabus. The assignments provide opportunities to learn (with purposely selected texts and guided activities to help students learn translation skills). Exams do not test content, but skills and thus, no preparatory materials are needed. Students prepare for exams throughout the entire course (through guided practice and feedback).

For more training opportunities in translation and interpretation, please visit the University of Arizona National Center for Interpretation.

Awards

The University of Arizona Spanish/English Translation Certificate Program was the recipient of the 2021 University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) West Region Outstanding Non-Credit Program Award.

Application and Registration

To apply, you will need to complete and submit a background information form and a written entrance exam to test your proficiency in English and Spanish. Applying to the program is free, and you can apply any time. Please allow 2 weeks before contacting us about the results of your application.

If you are accepted into the program, you will be notified when classes open for registration.

A payment plan is available for students registering for this program. Discounts are available for University of Arizona employees and military, as well as early registration (1 month before course start). Only one discount can be used per registration.

For more information, please call 520-626-3343 or see our FAQ section.