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Qualifying Exam for Translation Applicants
All applicants to the MA or the Graduate Certificate program in Translation must pass a qualifying exam to be considered for admission. Exams are offered three times per year in May, August, and December. Applicants who would like to begin classes in fall are encouraged to take the exam the previous December; applicants who would like to begin classes in spring are encouraged to take the exam the previous August or December.
Candidates must:
- translate a 300-word text from their second language into their first (dictionaries allowed).
- write a 300- to 500-word essay in English on a general topic related to translation.
Exam Format & Sample Texts
The two-hour, computer-based exam is administered remotely using e-mail and MS Word (or a Word-compatible program). Sample texts for translation are available in the language pairs listed below. These practice texts are provided as models of the translation section of the exam only; new texts and essay questions are used for every exam.
Arabic to English | English to Spanish | French to English | German to English | Japanese to English | Spanish to English.
Exam Schedule
Spring 2013 exams will be offered:
- Apr 25 (Th) 9:00 am - 11:00 am (CDT, Central Daylight Time)
- Apr 25 (Th) 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm (CDT)
- May 1 (W) 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (CDT)
- May 1 (W) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm (CDT)
- May 2 (Th) 9:00 am - 11:00 am (CDT)
- May 2 (Th) 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm (CDT)
- May 2 (Th) 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm (CDT)
- May 4 (Sat) 10:00 am - 12:00 pm (CDT)
Candidates register for the exam by completing the online form below. The exam is free, and candidates who do not pass on the first attempt may retake the exam the next time it is offered, or on a subsequent occasion. A positive exam result is valid for two years.
Exam Registration
After submitting the exam registration form below, you will receive a brief confirmation e-mail immediately. You will subsequently receive detailed exam instructions from the coordinator via e-mail.