UWM’s Translation and Interpreting Studies program offers programs of study in Research or Professional Translation, in four language pairs (French, German, Russian, and Spanish to English), and/or in Interpreting. TIS offers two coordinated degree programs: a TIS/MLIS degree with the College of Community Engagement & Professions and its School of Information Studies and a TIS/MBA with the Lubar College of Business. TIS also offers coordinated 5-year bachelor’s/master’s programs: BA in French, German, Global Studies, or LACUSL with the MA in Translation & Interpreting Studies.
UWM graduates who earn the MA in Translation and Interpreting Studies in any of the above formats reflect sufficient preparation for gainful post-graduation employment or admission to a Doctor of Philosophy program at a peer or aspirational institutions, and they will:
- Be knowledgeable about the linguistic, literary, and cultural productions of their source and target communities in the past and present; be able to situate them within a historical, cultural and discursive (interdisciplinary and/or cross-cultural) context; be familiar with several major tendencies in critical and theoretical analysis, and be able to apply them to the study of these texts.
- Provide nuanced and sophisticated discussions (in writing and in conversation) of linguistic, literary, and cultural works in English, and when appropriate, in the target language of their field of study. This includes the ability to analyze and to incorporate critical/theoretical frameworks into their written and oral discussions of literary or cultural works.
- Be able to perform professional skills tied to the translation and interpreting field (e.g., translate/interpret accurately in their area of specialization; create and maintain terminology database resources; efficiently and accurately conduct research related to T&I; understand broad aspects of the T&I industry).
- Conduct independent research in Translation and Interpreting Studies. This includes the ability to develop and delimit a research question, to conduct a systematic investigation of the question, and to present or evaluate research according to standard models of analysis and argumentation.
- Be aware of career and post-graduate opportunities that their degree makes possible, which includes knowing how to search and apply for professional opportunities or advanced study related to the MA, and participating in professional activities such as colloquia, conferences, and meetings.
Admission Requirements
Application Deadlines
Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.
Admission
Along with the Graduate School admission requirements, all applicants meet the program admission requirements. Admission is based in part on a reason statement, a qualifying examination that consists of a 200-250-word translation from the source to the target language, and one 300-500-word essay in English.
Beyond the English proficiency required by the Graduate School, the following are required: a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 83; TOEFL CBT score of 220; or IELTS score of 6.5.
Credits and Courses
No credits carrying a grade below B- may be counted toward meeting the Translation and Interpreting Studies degree requirement of 30 credits.
Students choose one of three tracks in the Translation and Interpreting, MA - Professional Translation Track, Research Translation Track, and an Interpreting Track.
Professional Translation Track
The Professional track consists of 30 credits at the graduate level.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Seminars | ||
| TRNSLTN 709 | Seminar in Literary and Cultural Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 820 | Translation Theory | 3 |
| Required Non-Language specific courses | ||
| TRNSLTN 710 | Comparative Systems for Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 726 | Computer-Assisted Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 730 | Internship in Translation/Interpreting | 3 |
| Required Language-specific courses (two courses in same language pair) | 6 | |
| Introduction to Translation: French to English and Seminar in Advanced Translation: French to English | ||
| Introduction to Translation: German to English and Seminar in Advanced German Translation | ||
| Introduction to Translation: Russian to English and Seminar in Advanced Translation: Russian to English | ||
| Introduction to Translation: Spanish to English and Seminar in Advanced Translation: Spanish to English | ||
| Electives | 9 | |
| Business and Professional Aspects of Translation | ||
| Introduction to Interpreting | ||
| Ethics in Translation and Interpreting | ||
| Project Management in Translation | ||
| Editing for Translation | ||
| Advanced Professional Writing | ||
| Rhetoric, Writing, and Information Technology | ||
| Organization of Information | ||
| Information Access and Retrieval | ||
Or other approved elective | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Research Translation Track
The Research track consists of 30 credits at the graduate level.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Seminars | ||
| TRNSLTN 709 | Seminar in Literary and Cultural Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 820 | Translation Theory | 3 |
| Required Non-Language specific courses | ||
| TRNSLTN 710 | Comparative Systems for Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 730 | Internship in Translation/Interpreting | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 790 | Thesis | 3 |
| An approved course in Critical Theory | 3 | |
| Required Language-specific courses (two courses in same language pair) | 6 | |
| Introduction to Translation: French to English and Seminar in Advanced Translation: French to English | ||
| Introduction to Translation: German to English and Seminar in Advanced German Translation | ||
| Introduction to Translation: Russian to English and Seminar in Advanced Translation: Russian to English | ||
| Introduction to Translation: Spanish to English and Seminar in Advanced Translation: Spanish to English | ||
| Electives | 6 | |
| One Translation course in language other than the pair selected above | ||
| One course in the literature of your chosen language pair | ||
| One of the following Interpreting courses: | ||
| Introduction to Interpreting | ||
| Advanced Interpreting | ||
| Community Interpreting and Translation | ||
| One course in Translation or other Critical Theory, such as one of the following: | ||
| Approaches to the Modern II | ||
| Seminar in Theories of Composition and Rhetoric: | ||
| Seminar in Film Studies: | ||
| Or other approved elective | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Interpreting Track
The Interpreting track consists of 30 credits at the graduate level.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Seminars | ||
| TRNSLTN 709 | Seminar in Literary and Cultural Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 820 | Translation Theory | 3 |
| Required Interpreting Courses | ||
| TRNSLTN 700 | Introduction to Interpreting | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 711 | Ethics in Translation and Interpreting | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 722 | Advanced Interpreting | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 750 | Community Interpreting and Translation | 3 |
| Other required courses | ||
| TRNSLTN 710 | Comparative Systems for Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 730 | Internship in Translation/Interpreting | 3 |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Business and Professional Aspects of Translation | ||
| Project Management in Translation | ||
| Editing for Translation | ||
Translation course in a relevant language pair | ||
Approved course in your area of specialization | ||
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Additional Requirements
Comprehensive Examinations
Candidates for graduation in all TIS tracks and concentrations must, under the direction of their major professor and the supervision of their exam committee comprised of relevant graduate faculty, complete and defend comprehensive examinations.
Thesis
Students completing the Research track must also complete and defend a thesis. An acceptable thesis is defined as one that represents an original contribution to the field of Translation and Interpreting Studies, of sufficient caliber for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Time Limit
Full-time students generally take two years to complete the program; part-time students within three to five years. The student must complete all degree requirements within five years of initial enrollment.
Translation and Interpreting Studies Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from Graduate Certificate and Master’s degree programs in Translation & Interpreting Studies (TIS) will meet objectives in five core areas of professional practice.
Knowledge – Students graduating from TIS programs will:
- Produce accurate entry-level translations and/or interpretations between their source and target languages, demonstrating understanding of the linguistic specificities of their languages.
- Integrate significant cultural, ideological, and discursive elements into their translations or interpretations between source and target cultures.
- Articulate how various translation & interpreting theories influence work produced in a range of literary and critical contexts and in the student’s own translation and/or interpreting work.
Critical Thinking – Students graduating from TIS programs will:
- Apply translation & interpreting theory to assess translated texts and interpreting encounters.
- In Translation tracks: Analyze source texts, identify their most salient features, and discuss potential strategies for rendering those features in translation.
- In Interpreting tracks: Analyze cross-cultural communication in interpreted encounters.
Skills – Students graduating from TIS programs will:
- In Translation tracks: Produce literary, specialized, and technical translations that successfully negotiate linguistic, cultural, and technical challenges.
- In Interpreting tracks: Produce interpretations in a variety of cross-cultural communication contexts, successfully negotiating linguistic, cultural, technical, and environmental challenges.
- In the professional track: Apply industry-standard principles and best practices for language services with respect to quality assurance (ISO), entrepreneurship, and project management.
- In the research track: Conduct translation & interpreting studies research, which may include bibliographic research, comparative analyses, literature reviews, literary analyses, scoping reviews, and qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods studies.
- Learn and apply ethical standards of professional practice in translation & interpreting and in the student’s area of specialization.
- Demonstrate readiness to use technology most relevant to the student’s translation and/or interpreting practice and area of specialization.
Research – Students graduating from TIS programs will:
- Produce publishable academic research papers or articles contributing to knowledge or professional development in the language services industry.
Professional Development – Students graduating from TIS programs will:
- In the professional track: Produce a resume and at least two polished translation samples or model interpretations.
- In the professional track: Produce a C.V. and one polished writing sample.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the leading professional organizations/associations in the language services field and in their area of specialization.
Accelerated Program Option
This program is offered as part of an accelerated graduate program. For more information, see Accelerated Graduate Degrees.