Best options for an American newbie seeking MA? Thread poster: sarahng (X)
|
|---|
sarahng (X)
Local time: 08:53
I'm an American recent college grad (psychology degree) interested in pursing French translation, localization, or some other field involving linguistics and foreign language. I'm an excellent researcher (I have a full-time job doing online research right now), a strong writer, good with languages, prefer solitary work, and love the idea of being self-employed. I also have good technical skills and picked up programming very easily in college. Ideally I would like to become a translator speci... See more I'm an American recent college grad (psychology degree) interested in pursing French translation, localization, or some other field involving linguistics and foreign language. I'm an excellent researcher (I have a full-time job doing online research right now), a strong writer, good with languages, prefer solitary work, and love the idea of being self-employed. I also have good technical skills and picked up programming very easily in college. Ideally I would like to become a translator specializing in technical or scientific materials, but I'm also open to other fields like localization or even positions in computational lingustics that incorporate foreign language somehow. I'm taking the next several months to study French intensively and hope to apply to grad school this fall (I do speak French at an advanced level and I have lived in France, I just want to perfect my skills before applying to a program). Here are a couple of questions that have been on my mind.
Question 1: What is the best way for me to obtain an education in translation? I'm having trouble finding programs in my country that seem to be a good fit. I want an emphasis on professional translation, courses that will be beneficial to finding jobs like technical translation and CAT tools, and a traditional university program with study abroad, research, and internship opportunities rather than an all-online or extended studies program. I'm running into the issues that the majority of the very few American programs are in comparative literature departments and focus on literary translation, all of the French programs I have looked at require two foreign languages (I speak a little Spanish but nowhere near the C1 level) or explicitly state that they give priority to French applicants with language degrees, and university in the UK is very expensive for foreign students. So far I have the Monterey Institute of International Studies, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the University of Geneva as potential fits. Anyone know of French degree programs that would be open to a native speaker of American English that doesn't speak a third language fluently or have a language degree? Should I start looking at other types of degrees, like linguistics degrees that offer a focus on French/Romance linguistics or linguistics degrees in France?
Question 2: Are the employment and pay prospects enough to justify the cost of education? There are many, many people my age out there who have bachelor's or master's degrees from good schools but don't even qualify for any jobs that pay well enough to cover student loans and living expenses. I would most likely have to take out debt and I don't want to wind up in the same position. I know it takes a long time to build up enough freelance work to support yourself. Could I expect to be able to get a job at an agency or company that pays reasonably well right away (assuming I make good grades and do an internship)? Or would I have a hard time finding employment as a FR>EN translator with no EU passport? Would the prospects be any better if I specialize in localization and improve my programming skills? I do want to translate but I don't want to ruin my finances. If I'm likely to be unemployed or underemployed for awhile, it might be better to study something related to French and linguistics but richer in job prospects then work on building up a freelance business later.
Thanks for any advice that you guys can give. I'm sure that my questions will sound a little dumb to some of you It's probably premature for me to be on a translation forum but I want to make smart career decisions. ▲ Collapse
| | | |
Hi,
I recently completed the Certificate (French to English) program at UWM (2/3 of the course load of the MA course). I chose UWM because at that time there were required on-campus classes - as you know, it is now all on-line.
The instructors are all amazing - plenty of support. They will help you find an internship to fit your specific goals. I feel that the connections I made while I was enrolled have opened the door to many opportunities. To compensate for the la... See more Hi,
I recently completed the Certificate (French to English) program at UWM (2/3 of the course load of the MA course). I chose UWM because at that time there were required on-campus classes - as you know, it is now all on-line.
The instructors are all amazing - plenty of support. They will help you find an internship to fit your specific goals. I feel that the connections I made while I was enrolled have opened the door to many opportunities. To compensate for the lack of face-to-face contact, there is an on-line student lounge where all translation students can go to chat.
If you have more specific questions, such as about the courses or the instructors, please send me a message.
Sarah ▲ Collapse
| | | | The Misha
Local time: 00:53
Russian to English
+ ...
| Don't waste your time - or money on a translation degree | May 6, 2012 |
The last thing you want to do in this economy is to spend good money on yet another worthless advanced decree. Instead, ask yourself if your French (and English, of course) is really as good as you describe and if you are really as good a writer. If you are, just go for it. French-English is a major pair, and there's plenty of work. Plus, in this blessed country of ours no one gives a rat's batootie if you have a degree or not. What everyone wants to know is whether you can really do the job. Le... See more The last thing you want to do in this economy is to spend good money on yet another worthless advanced decree. Instead, ask yourself if your French (and English, of course) is really as good as you describe and if you are really as good a writer. If you are, just go for it. French-English is a major pair, and there's plenty of work. Plus, in this blessed country of ours no one gives a rat's batootie if you have a degree or not. What everyone wants to know is whether you can really do the job. Learn by doing and approach this as you would any other business, because that's what it is. In this country, very few companies hire in-house translators. You'll be fine as long as you have a different way of supporting yourself for the first 6-8 months that it will take you to build a client base.
Specialization is key. If you really want an edge, go and learn something else, such as law, finance or this being French, maybe the cosmetics or fashion business.
Never mind all that translation theory, much of which is sheer nonsense and nothing more than a way for the academics who can't or wouldn't translate to support themselves.
A disclaimer: I do have a BA in English (or rather, EFL) and an advanced degree in finance. Back at the place where I started in this business over 20 years ago, translation was almost a four letter word, and there were no "translation degrees". You did your best to learn your language and picked up the rest by doing. There's nothing wrong with that, and it still works. Good luck to you. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Teresa Reinhardt 
United States
Local time: 21:53
Member (2002)
German to English
+ ...
| Work on your skills | May 7, 2012 |
Despite the fact that I spent 21 years in school myself and another 25+ teaching/being an administrator in academe, I would tend to agree with "The Misha" - especially if you are going to have your business in the US. Here's what I would do if I were starting out now:
1. Get a job (almost any job) that pays the bills. If at all possible, in a company in one of your areas of specialization (technical/scientific) so that you can acquire all the knowledge you can while there (even if your job... See more Despite the fact that I spent 21 years in school myself and another 25+ teaching/being an administrator in academe, I would tend to agree with "The Misha" - especially if you are going to have your business in the US. Here's what I would do if I were starting out now:
1. Get a job (almost any job) that pays the bills. If at all possible, in a company in one of your areas of specialization (technical/scientific) so that you can acquire all the knowledge you can while there (even if your job is not directly related). Take all the Cont. Ed. offerings and internal training you can get. 2. Work on your French and English; read as much as you can in Contrastive Linguistics. Join STC; their translation info is better for tech/sci translators than ATA's. Esp. if you are interested in IT in translation. 3. Start translating now. It would also be great if you could find a mentor (maybe at ProZ, or go to an ATA conference and network the heck out of it. Remember, any meeting in a hallway over coffee may be more useful than presentations.) And/or try and find someone in the city/area where you live. I would kill for a person that would be willing to do some office work in exchange for some advice/info/training (sorry, wrong language combination!)
Another option is teaching the language; nothing like it in terms of eye-opening insights (talk about contrastive...). Of course, you would have to have near-native skills.
You should be able to do almost everything theoretical by yourself (instead of paying faculty who haven't translated a word, and the admin overhead).
For practicing, countries I would recommend are Canada, Switzerland, France, Belgium and possibly, francophone Africa. And yes, for working in the EU you will need a passport (if you are of Anglo extraction, you might be able to get a UK passport.)
Now, if you want to do computational linguistics in academe, you will need not only a Master's, but also a Ph.D. But remember that the times of tenure and life-long sinecures in academe are over. And there's nothing that will stop you from doing that after you have started your translation business...
If you do decide to go to school, I would give Canada preference over the US. Good value at universities, and French speakers...
Good luck!
Teresa ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
Robert Forstag
United States
Local time: 00:53
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Consider pursuing translation part-time for the first 3-5 years (and other tips) | May 8, 2012 |
While I agree with Misha as regards the questionable worth of translation degrees and the importance of specializing, I think that "6-8 months to build a client base" that can sustain you as a full-time translator is overly optimistic. If your current qualifications allow you to get a well-paid job in one of the technical/scientific areas in which you plan to specialize as a translator, do that. Alternatively, think about pursuing an MA (or perhaps even a doctoral) degree that will make you mark... See more While I agree with Misha as regards the questionable worth of translation degrees and the importance of specializing, I think that "6-8 months to build a client base" that can sustain you as a full-time translator is overly optimistic. If your current qualifications allow you to get a well-paid job in one of the technical/scientific areas in which you plan to specialize as a translator, do that. Alternatively, think about pursuing an MA (or perhaps even a doctoral) degree that will make you marketable for a job that pays well. And while you are doing one of these things, you can also do translations on a part-time basis and slowly build up your client base. This seems a more sound plan of attack than thrusting yourself into the market immediately as a full-time freelancer.
Other thoughts:
1.
"Networking at conferences" sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. In a best case, it can repay your investment many times over. In a worst case, you can find yourself throwing hundreds of dollars down the drain for conference fees, air fares, fancy hotel rooms, and overpriced meals for what in the end amounts to presentations of middling value, dozens of superficial exchanges that never result in paid work, and a stack of business cards from people who you won't even remember (and who likely won't remember you) six months after the event. The feasability of this approach also is highly related to your personality and how you tend to come across to others. Some people are good at this and others are not. So be judicious in evaluating the viability of this tactic for yourself.
2.
Be willing to take lower-paid and less desirable work at first to get your foot in the door of agencies (or with direct clients). The flip side of French-to-English being a popular pair is that there is a lot of competition, including a lot of people with more experience and higher competence than you in your specialty areas. Never underestimate the importance of this reality. Making yourself available for jobs that other professionals in your pair tend to shun (e.g., proofreading/editing, lower-paid work, rush/weekend work) is one way to gain experience as you acquire the skills needed to compete for better-paid and more desirable jobs within your pair.
3.
Learn to be ruthlessly self-critical. The translation field (and this site) is filled with individuals who laud their skills as if they were incarnations of St. Jerome himself. The truth is that some translators are good, some are mediocre, and some are downright awful. No one expects you to bare your soul in a public forum, but you should get in the habit of rigorously evaluating your own strengths and weaknesses as a translator. Seek role models within your pair with better skills than you, ask yourself what you need to do to become more like them, and then go for it.
4.
Related to the above point, make sure that everything you write that appears online (including in these forums) is as impeccable as possible. All of these postings get permanently attached to your name, and constitute a representation of you as a self-identified language professional.
5.
Strongly consider joining ATA and obtaining certification in your pair. This certification is meaningful within the translation industry, and is something that will help set you apart from the vast multitude offering the same services as you who do not have this credential. (But if you join ATA, make sure you get the certification within a reasonable time, because being a non-certified member specializing in French-to-English--and especially if this continues over a period of several years--may raise the question as to why you don't have the certification.)
In any event, obtaining ATA Certification should prove a lot less onerous and expensive, and could prove to be professionally more valuable, than an MA in Translation Studies.
I hope that at least some of what I've offered here is helpful. It all represents the hard-earned experience of someone who has attained at least moderate success as a freelance translator within another highly competitive pair.
Good luck!
[Edited at 2012-05-08 15:18 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | | Rolf Kern
Switzerland
Local time: 06:53
English to German
+ ...
In memoriam | With The Misha | May 8, 2012 |
There is no such thing like translation education, just laguage education. You understand one language and a second language (mother tongue) even better. Then you are in principle fit to translate into this second language. Knowledge and experience in special fields like Technology, Engineering, Science, Business etc. is another requirement, that you cannot learn in any school, just in practice.
Beste regards
Rolf Kern, MSc.
| | | | | Same boat as you 2 years ago | Aug 28, 2012 |
I had just returned to the US after teaching English in Germany on an exchange program during which time I decided that I wanted to get into translating. However, I didn't want to be a 100% freelancer. I don't like the extra work such as figuring out taxes, accounting, marketing, figuring out health insurance, etc. I like steady work. At the same time, I returned to the US right after the housing market crashed and there were literally no jobs for someone who had graduated from college a year pr... See more I had just returned to the US after teaching English in Germany on an exchange program during which time I decided that I wanted to get into translating. However, I didn't want to be a 100% freelancer. I don't like the extra work such as figuring out taxes, accounting, marketing, figuring out health insurance, etc. I like steady work. At the same time, I returned to the US right after the housing market crashed and there were literally no jobs for someone who had graduated from college a year prior.
There are very few MA programs in the US that offer French, let alone that offer both French and German as are my combinations. I want to Swansea University in Wales. They have a MA in Translation with Language Technology program and an outstanding French department. The German department was a disappointment. However, I learned so much about the tools and technology that is used in translation today.
I don't know what it costs today, but for 2010-2011 international postgraduate student in the humanities, the tuition was 9500 GBP, plus 800 GBP flight, 3,000 GBP housing, and I estimate roughly 2500 GBP food and other expenses. My entire education cost roughly 15,500 GBP or at the time roughly 23,500 USD. It was a one year program. I won two scholarships - 3,000 GBP and later 2,500 GBP. I also worked two side jobs - one a notetaker for a visually impaired student and at the university library. I learned a lot and had a fantastic experience. I sincerely believe my degree helped me get my job within the translation industry.
Try looking at Canada as well or go the route some of the others have suggested and not get a translation degree. ▲ Collapse
| | | | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Best options for an American newbie seeking MA? | Anycount & Translation Office 3000 | Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.
More info » |
| | Wordfast Pro | Translation Memory Software for Any Platform
Exclusive discount for ProZ.com users!
Save over 13% when purchasing Wordfast Pro through ProZ.com. Wordfast is the world's #1 provider of platform-independent Translation Memory software. Consistently ranked the most user-friendly and highest value
Buy now! » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
Translation news
