Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do MA & MAFLL stand for?
A: MA is Master of Arts and MAFLL is the name of the graduate program in which one earns an MA in a language at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). It stands for Master of Arts in Foreign Language and Literature. Our Graduate Certificate Program-Translation Track MA is one of the options in the MAFLL Program (www4.uwm.edu/letsci/mafll/)
Q: Is the GRE (Graduate Record Exam) necessary for admission to the Translation Program?
A: No.
Q: What is covered in the Translation Program Qualifying Exam and how is it assessed?
A: The Qualifying Exam is written. There is no oral component, since translators (unlike interpreters) do not have to speak the language they translate. The 2-hour exam is two-part: 1) is a 250-300 word text to translate from candidates' B (source, or second) language into their A (target, or native) language, with dictionaries; 2) is a 150-word essay written in the candidate's A language.
The exam is evaluated by the translation specialist in the language pair to assess whether candidates know their B language well enough to translate accurately, and whether they write well enough in their A language to make translation a viable career option.
Q: Is the certificate program recognized by any translation associations or organizations?
A: There is no translation organization that officially accredits or recognizes translation programs. We're listed on the American Translators Association (ATA) web site. Several of our translation faculty are members of the ATA. The ATA confers the most widely-recognized credential in the translation profession on translators who pass its rigorous certification exam. You can read about this exam in detail on the ATA web site (www.atanet.org).
Q: How long does it take to earn the certificate? How long does it take to earn the MA?
A: Both the 24-credit certificate and the 30-credit MA can be earned in two academic years by taking 2 courses per semester for the certificate, and 3 courses during two of the semesters for the MA.
Q: Are any classes offered at night or on the weekends?
A: We offer some courses online; please see http://www4.uwm.edu/schedule/ for current listings. We try to offer all of our courses at 4:00 pm or later. Some meet twice a week for 75 minutes per session and others once a week for 2 1/2 hours. Occasionally a course may be offered on weekends.
Q: What type of jobs have past students gotten? Have they been hired strictly as translators, or also in other areas, such as customer service or sales?
A: Approximately 40 students have graduated with either a Certificate or an MA. Several have found employment as project managers in translation companies, and have been promoted. Some have gone to companies doing business internationally, some are employed as medical or court intepreters, or as bilingual staff with financial institutions. A number of our graduates have launched free-lance translation careers either full time or along with other employment. Others have gone to international organizations as interns while still others have gone into PhD programs in second-language acquisition, literature and translation.
Q: As far as future employment goes, is there an advantage to earning an MA rather than a Graduate Certificate?
A: It is difficult to generalize as the answer depends on the prospective students' experience. Translation is an increasingly competitive field and it is no longer easy to break into it without a solid background. If candidates are continuing their education after a BA or BS degree, or after a short time on the job market, an MA is most often the better option. If candidates have extensive experience in a field (i.e., finance, law, medicine), and are looking for a career change, or if candidates are looking to add a credential to an already substantial academic background, the Certificate is most often the way to go. However, it depends on what candidates intend to do with the certificate or degree when they have completed it, and individualized advising is the best way to discover which option suits your experience.
Q: About how much does tuition cost for this program?
A: At current resident tuition rates, the certificate program can be done for approximately $10,300 and the MA program for approximately $18,120. The rates vary depending on if courses are taken one at a time or two or more per semester. The lower cost of the certificate program is because 2 fewer courses are required and 12 of the 24 credits can be done at undergraduate rates as a University Special Student. The non-resident tuition rate is three times that for residents. For exact rates, please visit http://www.bfs.uwm.edu/fees/.
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