TRANSLATION DEGREE: DO YOU NEED ONE?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ต.ค. 2024
- In this week's video, I'm adressing a controversial topic: do you need a translation degree to become a translator? Views are split on this one. Let me know in the comments what you think.
Video by Adrian Probst
Turkish subtitles: Irem Kiper
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I still have one semester left, and I can see how being a translator brings you multiple chances of success. The great thing about studying it in university is that you work more on your skills than your studies. I am currently working as a freelance subtitler and let me tell you, I've never thought ever in my life that I'd be one. It is an amazing job, kinda stressful, but which job isn't. Translation does bring you a lot of money and exciting experiences.
100% :)
Hii girl ur Arab aren’t u? Im a beginner it’s my first year as an English studies student and im planing to be a translator as well but i wanna continue my master in USA and i don’t know were can u pliz help hh btw English/arabic
That’s awesome! Could you share more about what are you studying and where? I’m starting my journey and I’d trying to learn all I can to make the best decision 😊.
Hi! How are you doing?
I have recently failed the entrance exam for an English Translation degree. Actually, I didn't failed and even did pretty well, but couldn't make it to get a vacant as my mark was just below the last person to get one, literally. I was really disappointed about this, and then anger and frustration also took over me. As the time passed, I began to doubt myself and my career choice.
However, I made some research as I wanted to translate and make a living out of it anyway, and then I found your channel. Honestly, I don't think I have ever seen such valuable content for those who want to become translators. Despite of that, that's not the most important point to me.
In this video you have made me realize that I shouldn't neglect the career and instead I should push harder and try again next time to enter the language school. Your advice to the young people has been so helpful and inspiring to me. And for that, my friend, I'm very thankful.
Thank you for making my faith come back,
Greetings from Argentina :)
Hi Juan, wow, what a comment! :) thanks so much for your words! Sorry to hear about the exam. But as you say, it's not the end of the word at all. Imagine if you manage to do some volunteering work, work on a kick-ass online presence, get your first small projects in etc... man you will be so far ahead of that guy who got the spot before you :D he will be studying while you'll be making money. Everything happens for a reason, just don't stick your head in the sand. You can make it work in many different ways, school is not the only way. Keep it up.
@@Freelanceverse Thank you again! I'm going to put that work in :)
@@Freelanceverse , you are the greatest cheerleader for translators Adrian and that is so much needed because there are so many obstacles, self doubts, difficult circumstances in general we have to be prepared to take hits from Translation Agencies, from other translators who instead of building you up want to tear you down. I had a bad experience applying for the first time to one Translation Agency in Bulgaria 🇧🇬. They were very blunt about my abilities to translate because I did mentioned that I have done a machine translation as a skeleton on which I have build my translation on. They also were not happy that I went a little carried away adding some words or phrases here and there...
:D thanks so much, Marieta! Great to hear!
I was of the incredibly naive mindset that simply being fluent in multiple languages would qualify someone to be a translator/interpreter. Having done a fair amount of research, I now see that this isn't really the case. I'm more interested in learning languages because I want to be able to connect with more people from around the world. Being an interpreter was something I was considering because I thought it would be nice to be able to make some money from it as well. But since it doesn't seem to be that straight forward I'll just stick to learning languages for fun.
Glad the video could clarify things a bit more :)
I am a student, studying specialized translation in university. My answer to this question is that a degree is a great option if you specialize in certain fields. Also, my university teaches us how to translate, use the computering tools, how to revise, post-edit, how to do terminological research, project management and how to work accordingly to the provincial order, mine being OTTIAQ ( Ordre des traducteurs, terminologues et interprètes agréés du Québec). Here, you don't get a title as a professional translator if you don't have a degree. You don't need one to be a translator, but it can benefit you alot, as someone who doesn't have one might do things differently, and not know certain skills that a degree could have taught them. 💜📚
thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! :)
@@Freelanceverse No problem. Keep in mind though, our markets are different. In Canada, we are protected and have to mert certain expectations that might differ from other countries.
Let me know whether you got a translation degree in the comments :)
Hello Adrian, this was a great video. Personally, I think having a degree in translation is always better than not having anything to back up your knowledge. Here in the U.S., you can obtain a BA or a certificate in translation at the university level. You can start working and build a career and reputation with these two degrees. However, certifications are usually required when applying for some specific jobs such as "medical translator or interpreter" or "legal translator or interpreter" which basically means another investment in money and time to take the course to pass those exams.
I am about to graduate this coming May as an English to Spanish Translator and Interpreter. It has been a hell of hard work. Yet since I am interested in the medical field, I will have to become a medical interpreter translator certification to find a job.
Here in the U.S. there are a lot of people who "say they are translators or interpreters" just because they know the language, but the truth is that knowing a language doesn't make you a translator. It is these kinds of people who are taking assignments for very little pay, and with that agencies look down on professional interpreters who went to college for their degrees and offer them a ridiculous amount of money for their assignments. It is quite disappointing!
Hi bro
I'm soooo glad that i found your chanel
You are the best in your work bro
Thaaaank you so much for your kind words and a lot of knowledge ❤️🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks so much ♥️
My choice was having courses in English and Turkish to C2 level,still studying, and thanks to you l will apply for jobs even if I am not finished ,lam a pharmacist so that will help me in the medical field l hope, I want you to know that I consider you as my mentor, thank you 😊
Great videos! Currently deciding whether to do translations. I do have several degrees in marketing and work experience in marketing but no degree or work experience in translations. Thanks 👍
Hi Eva, you definitely have a chance to work as a marketing translator with your background. Have you seen my Specialized video on marketing translation? :)
Hello, I have an Italian degree in Biotechnology and a British MSc degree in Sustainability, and since I could not really see myself doing such a job, I decided to become a freelance translator. However, I understand I have no education as a translator. I would like to study all I need to become a good translator but I can not afford another 3 years degree. You mentioned there is a way to learn online or become a certified translator. I was wondering how this could be done. Thank you!
I'm thinking of doing a translation degree after I've finished my current degree (I study French, Spanish and Italian with International politics). Unfortunately, all master courses I've checked (in the UK where I live) only let you do one language pair. I would love to study both Italian to English and Spanish to English as I'm close to fluent in Italian and my Spanish is not far behind. I just don't want to do a degree with one language and then be denied any jobs with the Other language.
Hi Laura, really?? I'm surprised to hear that. Usually you can do 2-3 language pairs at unis that I know of. Maybe that's a UK specific thing. But even so, you can still offer services in other language pairs after you have a translation degree. The language most likely won't be on your degree, right. As long as you have a title that says something like MA or BA in Translation, you can offer all the pairs you'd like to.
Bath offers two, one of the best in the UK and also Bangor, just off the top of my head
I do like your balanced viewpoint on this controversial topic and the clever way you expose pros and cons. I personally found your talk informative and it may help a bunch of candidates out there making the right decision for themselves.
Thanks so much Franck! Appreciate it :)
Greetings from the United States!
I am 14 and only knows one language. I was wondering what university/college you went to and if I am able to learn a language or if I already have to know one. I would love for the opportunity to become a translator, so I am doing whatever it takes to become one. I don't know if I should begin learning due to my age, or if it's too late to begin a career off of it.
Many thanks :)
Wow you are only 14 and already thinking about this? That is brilliant :) You should definitely already know a language if you want to go into university for becoming a translator. I'd suggest you decide on one now and then start learning it and when you're old enough to go to uni to study translation, you will already have your source language. Good luck!
Thanks for this video! It's absolutely helpful! I did study 2 years of medicine in my native country (Venezuela) and i would like to become a medical interpreter here in US, i'm thinking about just get a certification from San Diego University online which is the most accesible for me right now. I also like medical interpretation, and i did work as it over the phone
that sounds like a great plan Sthefany! Have you seen my Specialized episode on Medical translation? Might be interesting for you too :)
@@Freelanceverse sure! I will watch it
I'm 22 years old because of Covid i didn't do online learning well, a learning Norwegian and wants to go back to school and get a certification/degree for it. So I can get a better job down the road.
Thank you for this informative video :D Although, can I please ask for some advice...?
I'm currently 15 years old, and my mother tongue is Spanish (because I'm Argentinian). I'm able to understand advanced English and I've been studying Korean for the past 2 years (almost up to a pre-intermediate level). Now, I want to try learning the basics of Russian..
I really enjoy learning about other people's culture and their history through their language, but I have many doubts... after I finish highschool, do I have to get a certificate for all 3 languages separately? Or should I go straight for the translating degree? And how do I start preparing for this type of field if I wish to travel by working as a translator?
Sorry for the long text, I'll be grateful if you can answer 'em, you gained another suscriber!! ^.^
Thank you so much for subscribing and I'm glad you enjoy the content :) I would not advise to get degrees solely in languages. They generally prepare you to become a language teacher or a historian or something. If you really want to go into language services, I advise to go straight into a translation degree or applied linguistics or something similar. This is where you learn the foundations of the job and the industry. How to best prepare is practice, practice, practice :) maybe check out my video on the Permission Paradox. This is where I explain how you can prepare yourself and build a portfolio without having actual clients yet. You have very exciting language combinations, so I think there is a lot of potential! Let's also connect on LinkedIn if you haven't already. If you can already make connections in the industry at your young age, you will be miles ahead of competition :)
We need Video ( how to be certified translator)
good idea :)
My 2 cents: you don't need a degree to get started, but you should build solid credentials over time, be it recognized publications or great TH-cam content to get your name out.
Because you don't want to translate forever, you might want to at least try related jobs like PM, vendor manager, tech writer or even CEO. Furthermore, I've never regretted going in-house. Because freelancers only get paid if they find work. One piece of paper that I think says a lot about translation ability (but not suitability as a freelance translator) is the German state exam (which isn't a university degree). The failure rate, at least for European language combinations, is very high. You need to have years of experience just to get admitted.
💯💯💯
Thank you for this video! Very helpful!
Thanks Camilla :)
Hey there! Thanks for this video.
I am struggling with my choice of masters. I have a BA in Chinese language, have some sporadic experience of translation in various fields, as well as 9 years experience in elementary education in China. I've lately been giving serious thought to a career in translation, as I have always had a passion.
I feel that doing an MA/PGdip in translation, combined with my prior translation experience, would give me an edge and legitimacy in the industry, but after watching your video, my concern that the translation degree at a masters level would do only that. However, as my translation experience is so broad, I'm still not sure in exactly which field I would like to specialise. I wonder if a degree would help me decide?
Hi David, thanks for the comment. That's a difficult choice to make. I think with or without Masters you could make it work with your profile. I'd tend towards no Masters if I were you, but I also really like the uni experience, so if that's something you value, then go for a Masters :D In terms of finding your specialization, yes, that's definitely something you would do in your Masters degree. Professors are usually good in helping you guide towards a specific spec. But as I said, with a language BA and 9 years of experience in education + some translation experience, I would personally just go for a freelance career as a translator specialising in education. Eitherway, make sure to not do only studying should you decide to go for a Masters. The Master is also the time to build the foundation for your freelance career afterwards, make sure to spend 30-40% of your time on building that, so when you're done with the Master you can go straight into full-time freelancing.
@@Freelanceverse Wow, such a detailed and insightful response, thank you! I should definitely make sure I hit the ground running with this one. Education is my speciality, I suppose, and I could use that as my edge in becoming a freelancer. Thanks so much for your input!
Good luck, and keep me updated from time to time how it's going :) happy to help where I can.
also study a humanities class in your target language country- german in germany austria, italian italy, portuguese brazil pirtugal, polish poland, czech in czechia, Romanian in romania moldova,
Wir haben ja das selbe studiert (zumindest der BA) und ich muss sagen, dass die Bachelorstufe der ZHAW einen etwas zu wenig auf das "Leben danach" vorbereitet. Dafür, dass man in der MMK-Vertiefung wie du erwähnt hast sehr viel übersetzt, wird einem so gut wie nichts über die Arbeit als Freelancer beigebracht. Auch die Job-Möglichkeit als Projektleiter beim LSP hat sich mir erst an einem Infoabend des BIZ Winterthur offenbart. Zugegebenermassen etwas uninformiert von mir aber ich würde mir doch wünschen, dass das im Studiengang selber stärker thematisiert wird. Wie hast du das wahrgenommen?
Naja, hab's ja dann herausgefunden ;) und bin froh darüber! Aber wenn man mir damals einen Zugang ins Übersetzerleben aufgezeigt hätte, wäre ich jetzt vielleicht woanders.
Und zu der Kernfrage des Videos: Ja, ich sehe das ähnlich wie du. Wenn man jung ist, braucht man auf jeden Fall das Studium. Aus Agentursicht noch unbedingter, da das Diplom aufgrund ISO-Zertifizierung ein Aufnahmekriterium ist (mit ein paar Schlupflöchern). Wenn man etablierter ist, geht es wohl auch ohne aber dürfte nicht immer so einfach sein, je nachdem was man vorher gemacht hat.
Danke für deinen ausführlichen Kommentar, Bastian :) Ja, der BA an der ZHAW bereitet einen leider wirklich nur mangelhaft aufs Übersetzerleben vor. Das ist wahrscheinlich ein Grund, warum es den Studiengang so nicht mehr gibt. Nennt sich ja jetzt angewandte Sprache, was wohl eher zutrifft. An der Uni Genf gibt es anscheinend tatsächlich diese Kurse für nach dem Studium. Die sind in dieser Hinsicht wohl etwas besser ausgerüstet. Ich hatte das Glück, in einem Kurs von einem Freelancer unterrichtet zu werden. Von ihm konnten wir viel lernen, konnten ihm Fragen stellen ... das hat mir wirklich zum ersten Mal aufgezeigt, dass man als Freelancer erfolgreich sein kann. Genau aus diesem Grund mach ich diese Videos :) vielleicht hilft es genau diesen Leuten, die dasselbe fühlen wie wir damals. Sehr guter Punkt mit der ISO-Zertifizierung, vielen Dank für den Hinweis!
Hello. Should a freelance translator learn about translation theories? If so, in how much depth? Thanks.
I don't think you know you're missing it until you have it kind of thing :) you can perfectly go without knowing about it, but I'd recommend to spend maybe a week of indulging into the subject and see if it's of any interest to you. If so, go deeper, otherwise move on! -Adrian
Some good tips. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Hi! Thanks for the video.
I have a certificate in translation from the University of Massachusetts, Boston and I would like to specialize in legal and medical translation. Do you think that would be enough to be a freelance translator, or should I try to get a degree or a master? Thanks again, your videos are so helpful!!
Thats certainly enough if you have a certification in translation :)
Hi, thanks for this really helpful video. I have a quick question. How are degrees viewed in languages, which include courses on translation among other things?
Hi Neil, thanks for the question! If you can show in the transcript of records that you had translation courses, it's definitely valid for agencies. Probably not literature degrees, but general language degrees are usually no problem. It's also a matter of framing it right. Just tell them confidently that you covered translation in the degree :)
Thank you for sharing your sincere thoughts. Which online or in-person schools can one attend to get a certificate as a French to English translator/interpreter?
Hello! After you mentioned in your video that besides a translation degree, I should get another one and I've been thinking about what different area of study I should do. My problem being that I'm not really interested in medical, engineering, or law. While I do have a passing interest in bio/chem, I don't know if I wanna focus a whole degree on it just to stand out. Do you think literature is a good option? Or is there other alternatives you would recommend?
Hi there, I'd probably not go into literature to be honest, unless you want to become a literary translator. Otherwise it will be a lot of the same that you already did in the translation degree. Pick something that truly interests you and that you could also imagine working in after your time as a translator potentially.
french in france quebec , spanish in spain south central america
Thanks so much for the video it’s really useful! I just finished my BA in German and am now struggling to decide whether or not to do a masters in translation. I wanted to pick up some freelance work in the meantime before I would apply for my masters so I have some experience but I don’t know how to be taken seriously by companies. Please could you clarify what you mean by ‚online presence‘ and ‚portfolio‘? So with the portfolio would i just include random translations I’ve done or what they need to be somewhat professional i.e translated for company purposes and accredited by the company?
Hi Suzannah, thanks a lot for the comment :) I would definitely focus on work experiences equally as much as on a Masters. Best would be to do both at the same time so that you are ready to go at the end of the Masters. By online presence I mean your LinkedIn profile, build a profile a Proz.com on Translatorscafe and all these similar pages. You find an overview in my video on "How to find jobs in 2021". In terms of portfolio building, I suggest to watch my video on the "Permission Paradox". This is where I explain how you can build a portfolio from volunteering and other sources. -Adrian
Hi !! Thanks a lot for your videos!
Glad you like them!
Hello! Being a translator has always been my dream and I have always looked up for videos about that here for years and this is the best video I have found yet! The information you share here is really helpful. I have a Language and Linguistics degree in English and French but it’s mostly focused on pedagogy with 0 Experience on translation and I am not sure wether I should get a masters degree or just a certification would be enough?
Hi Guisselle, very happy to hear you've finally found what you were searching :) the name of your degree sounds sufficient for translation. If I were you, I'd rather get another degree in a field that you can later specialize in. Having a language degree is enough for most agencies, and you can always say that you did translation during the studies, no one will question that. So yeah certification is enough if you ask me.
@@Freelanceverse thank you so much :)
Hi Adrian, i have been following your programmes for long. I must admit that u are doing a very great work. Thanks a lot. But i have one worry, i had a degree in Bilingual studios of English and French and i wish to continue my masters in translation studios in order to be a certified professional translator. Can u kindly recommend me any school where i can follow up my studies online and at the get my certicate ??. Thanks.
thanks so much for your knowlege! I have a BA in media and sound design and would like to pursue a masters in linguistics ( with the goal being in some field relating to translating or otherwise). but wondering if this is still a good idea..
When I looked at job postings in the u.s it was sort of expected to have a masters ( as well as experience). Would I be better suited to try to freelance and market myself with out a degree or should I still move forward with it?
Hi Kim, thanks for the feedback! :) so do I understand correctly that you don't have any professional experience yet in sound design? If that's so, then I would definitely advise to go for a Masters if you plan to work in the language industry. If you already had a lot of experience in another field, you could make it without degree, but I think in your case you're better off with a degree. And don't forget to work on your portfolio and online presence already during the Masters so that you have something to show after :)
09:06 This is my problem with my education I had a degree in an ordinairy school and after some year there were an education center in town that took over the every area in that field, so what you did in that degree you can not use even though I had the highest certification credit. That new education-chain was more a smaller one but my education was specilized in an exptertise area in massage and also subjects around it. For me that is still strange because if I have the knowledge and can not use it although my school has been an high-school level for like 20 years or more I can not use it. In this area I am looking for some school or to on the side of my work tend to manage a knowledge in translation but I want to do it in my own speed that would be faster than the school. I have good experience of studying before. So what do you think I should do and are there some places on the internet that are approvaled for the market or is it the best to go to the university but it takes a long time.
In my country, translators or tolke is not and education but more a job. You can of course study english, french, german or japanese, but it's not and education, more like an extra class you need or if you want to study in another country.
Hi Sara, yes that's the case in many countries. Sometimes there are still classes just not from universities. Otherwise there are always international and online classes you can go for :)
i think you need a medical degree or diploma certificate to be a medical translator interpreter, a legal one for becoming a legal ; technical
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Hello! just found your channel, it helped me a lot! I've been working as an English teacher for 3 years, I also speak French, Spanish and German in a C2 level, and i would like to make the transition to be a translator... what online courses would you recommend?
Hi Reina, very nice, glad you like the content :) I don't have any experience with online courses as of now, but it is definitely gonna be the subject of a new video in the coming months. Stay tuned :)
I found your channel today and I have been watching some of your videos. I must say that your content is very interesting and valuable, I had to subscribe. I have a question, do you think a degree in translation is necessary for translation jobs on freelance sites such as Upwork?
Hi Jackson, thanks so much for your kinds words :) glad you like it. No, a degree is not necessary, but it helps.
Hi.
Do you think a freelance translator not based in the U.S. nor Europe is still required to have a degree? Thanks.
No one is required to have a degree first of all :) and the location definitely doesn't matter in regards to the degree. It certainly helps if you have one, but you don't need one.
Hello. I have a medical background and I would like to do medical translations. Where could I start ?
Great idea Gabriela!! :) have you checked out my Specialized video on Medical Translation? The panelists gave great insights in this vid.
@@Freelanceverse Hello again!
I can tramnslate this video in Romanian if you want, to get some experience . How can I do that ?
Please send an email to freelanceverse@gmail.com
in your experience with European agencies, do you think having a foreign language degree (philology) would also be sufficient, especially if it included a translation course?
Normally yes.
I just got a bachelors in computer science, but now I want to become a translator. I heard that some people use masters as a way to change their fields. Is it possible or do I not have enough technical knowledge about translation so I can’t apply for masters translation degree? To be honest I feel like I just wasted 4 years on computer science and will feel bad for starting bachelors all over again 😅
Thanks for making this video, it was helpful! I'm considering pursuing a degree in translating but I don't know what field I should specialise in. I have done some translations for an online comic app and I think it was pretty okay. Even though I've been speaking English my whole life, I think I still don't understand a lot of words so I'm not sure if I should go for that degree.
Hi Akiyama, don't worry about figuring out a specialization too much. It will just happen when it's time. You can easily launch your career withotu a specific specialization in mind. Most translators find out later what they want to specialize in based on jobs they receive or projects they find interesting.
@@Freelanceverse I see! But if I do have one in mind, do I major or minor in the field?
You could major in translation and minor in the specialization, that would be great!
@@Freelanceverse Alright! Thanks for your advices!
Hello,
Has anyone completed their foreign language degree and translater degree online?
Hi Summer, what kind of courses were you thinking about?
@@Freelanceverse I am not fluent in a secondary foreign language at the moment. However, it has always been a dream of mine to be. I personally think I would love to be able to translate for legal matters. I understand this is a long shot and something I wouldn't be able to accomplish until many years out. I was wondering if anyone has done it online instead of physically going to a classroom. Thank you.
hello i would like to translate the english subtitles of this video in french. How can i proceed so you can review my work later? not sure how to do this here.
Hi Adrian! I appreciate all the work you put into this channel. I am well on my way to watching all your videos.
Regarding translation degrees vs experience: I got a masters degree in translation in 2018 but then went on to teach full-time for the next few years. I was so busy with teaching that I did not translate much and my portfolio did not grow with my years of experience. Now that I am focusing on full-time freelance translation I am finding this situation difficult to explain to clients. I have a masters degree and some impressive translation samples, but my years of experience / number of words translated don't match up. Do you know how translators account for gaps in their careers?
Thanks for your insight!
Dan
Hi Dan, interesting situation. I would simply explain that you went to teaching in the meantime, that is also valuable experience. It's not like you didn't do anything in between. Since you have a degree in translation, this shouldn't be too much of an issue. Oftentimes, agencies require either a degree or a certain amount of experience.
Hi! I just found out about your channel and it's been really helpful so far. I wanted to ask you a question, i'm getting an undergraduate degree in translation(i live in Europe) in a few months. I want to start a career in translation and specialize in commercial and business translations as i'm already familiar with these fields. The question is that i'm still quite unsure about whether or not i should start my translation career right when i get my degree and acquire experience and specialize while i'm working, or instead get a master's degree in something related to business and economics, and then start working from there?
Hi Daniele, thanks so much for your question and the support, really appreciated! Getting an undergrad is a great start and you can definitely go from there. You say you are already familiar in the fields, so you can definitely start working as a translator and get your first experiences in. My advice would be to go for a Masters in a different field, but already start building your translation career on the side. If you put in 10-15 hours a week next to your Masters, you will have a significant headstart once you're done studying and hopefully you'll have a seamless transition into something stable. Don't wait too long with setting up your profiles, reaching out to colleagues, trying to find your first gigs etc.
@@Freelanceverse thanks! Glad i discovered this channel 😊
I have Degree in Dentistry and academic spetialization in Pharmaceutical Marketing. Now, I would like to do translation in domain medical and dental science and marketing field. Do I need to do Academic IELTS or something like that to become translator. In dentistry I worked for 12 years and in pharmaceutical marketing I work almost 16 years.
Hi Sandra, that sounds like a great plan :) No, you don't need an IELTS, no one will ask for that. If you want to get a degree, I'd suggest either go to a Uni or do an online degree. I'm planning a video on online degrees soon :) stay tuned
Thank you for getting back to me. If I need degree I would rather do that Online. Now I have no time for Uni. I'm waiting for your video.🙂
Hello I'm interested in becoming a German to English or English to German translator ... Am I stupid?
why would you be stupid?? :D
Hi there;
Thank you for this video, it is really very useful, I have question please.
I am an Arab native speaker and i am interested in the field of translation, I will start taking intensive English courses on September, it will be for8 to 10 months , this courses just to improve my English, my question is ; after this course how can I study the translation without going to the university, do you know any institutions who offer intensive translation courses just for one year for example?
Thanks in advance
Hi Abdelaali, thanks for the comment, sounds awesome, keep it going! I'm not aware of any translation courses myself. Maybe check out the Open University, they always have some nice courses there, maybe also a translation degree.
Hi! Thanks a lot for this video! I wanted to get an Asian Studies degree and then go for a Master in translation, would that be enough? Also, as you mentioned in the end, I'm already working in a very different field (vet medicine), but I don't like it, that's why I'm thinking on switching careers... but I would finish the degree at 32, without any experience in the field... How can I get practice without the degree as you said? (I don't mind going back to college, I love studying, I'm just concerned by my age...)
Don't worry about your age, there a plenty of people who start in their 30s, 40s, 50s :) I like your plan of Asian Studies and then MA in translation, that will definitely get you in the field. And then yes of course you would be perfectly suited for vet translation, but I get that you want to get away from it if you dont like it. Maybe you can still do medical translation to an extent due to your experience.
Helloo from Belgium/Antwerp,
Thank you all information you provide for upcoming translators.
I have a bachelor in humanities and English literature. Do you think it would be enough to find a place in translation field in agencies in Belgium or online?? If not, what online courses or websites would you recommend to be certified?
PS : I got my bachelor in 2007 and switched to another field but I always have this love and passion about translation... Never too late
Fijn avond
ليلة سعيدة
Have a nice evening
Thank you in advance
Nart
Hi Nart, yes a literature degree can be sufficient to become a translator. However, I would recommend to check out online courses on Coursera and Udemy or directly at universities. Just google Online translation certification/Online translation degree and you will find a bunch of them.
Thank you so much for this content! am curious about all the certificate programs I keep finding in the US. I have been focused on passing the French B2 exam for the last year so I can get into a translation MA program, but haven’t had a career specialization so far (I have jumped around to a lot of different jobs that pay the bills but that I am not really deeply involved with since finishing undergrad). The certification seems much less time and money investment, but can it really be enough training and would it be suitable for someone in my position?
For reference, it seems like many graduate schools offer them as one-year programs as they might have a small language department and smaller course offerings, but they do seem to cover the similar material as MA programs, maybe just less extensively and without an internship or practicum component.
Hi there, interesting question. I would say that they do properly prepare you for a career in a certain specialization. To be honest, the important things you will learn on the job anyways. In the beginning it can be intimidating and you might feel like you don't belong in the beginning. But no expert was born an expert, right. You need to immerse yourself into a field (not only with regards to specialization, but also go to fairs and consume content), in order to become an expert in it. A certification can certainly guide you in the right direction, the rest needs to come from you. But if you already have an undergrad degree, that's definitely enough in combination.
Hi thanks for your information.I am a medical student and wanna do medical translation.I am a Myanmar born Chinese.Can u advice which language should I choose for translation (burmese Chinese or English) and recommend some online course for translation degree
Hi there, all three are your native languages?
Hi Do you have to have a degree in a language to be a translator/interpreter? I am in my third year at uni& despite not doing a degree involving language, I continue to practice and maintain my knowledge of my Spanish of which I did for Alevels. I have plans to spend some time abroad in a Spanish speaking country to get fluent. What can you recommend as a path to become interpreter/transistor?
I'd say finish your studies and then do another degree in translation. Afterwards you can specialize as a translator in your original degree. Would be my advice :) And practice a lot and build a portfolio along the way of course.
Hello, thanks for your great advise. I have just graduated with BSc biomedical science degree and but want to work as a medical translator in London (from English to my native language, Amharic). My q is, should I get a degree in language and translation or not before I even attempt to apply for jobs?
Hi Haven, if you have the energy and time to do a degree, go for it, it will make things easier. But with your unique language situation and strong science background, you can definitely make it without degree as well.
@@Freelanceverse Thank you!
Do you know what I need to do to start my online interpreter/ translator business ?
Check out my latest video, I addressed exactly that :)
I have a frustration. I've always wanted to study Foreign Languages at the University to become a proffesional translator, but unfortunately I could not do it, and finally I got my bachelor's degree in Journalism at the University of Havana. Could I still work as a translator?
Of course you can :) I know plenty of journalism graduates who now work in the language industry
Yoo, what's up I need your help please. Which laptop is good for me to do a translation job under 400 dollars?
Under 400 dollars, I would go for an acer or lenovo, i5 processor. Hope you find something, it's not really a good budget for a good computer, but if you can't get anything more expensvie for now, it is okay to start.
Hi could you please suggest me a good online class to have a bachelor in translation 🙏
Video coming on Monday ;)
Hello mate!
I am not good in english language, but i am thinking to do translation in the university does this matter or not?
Hi Mostafa, it doesn't matter as long as your working languages don't include English :)
I am a native speaker of Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) but I got my English skill by self-taught and I don't certify my English yet. Should I certify my English first, or can I start freelance translating with my blank resume?
Hi B. B., I don't think certifying your EN will help a lot. I assume you want to translate into Indonesian and not into EN right? You can certainly start without that. Especially with this rather exotic language pair, you can definitely make it. It's much more difficult without a degree, but it's doable.
Yeah, thanks. This is encouraging. The thing is I'm still getting confused how to write resume of my qualification, without degree or certification like this. Also my field of study is psychology and still running my last semester, not close enough with linguistic field. 😬
Hi Adrian,Greetings from London.August 2021 is the option for subtitle the video still available?I can do it from English to Bulgarian
Hi Ivan, of course :) please send a quick email to freelanceverse@gmail.com
So do you need a degree in translation or a degree in the language that your translating from??? Thanks
Ideally in translation. But a language degree can help too.
I have a philology (language and culture) degree in Japanese making that my third language and Id love to work there as a professor unless translation works out really good but Ive already spent hours searching and Istg every damn offer is for an EFL assistant cuz Im a foreigner. Its so stressful for no damn reason.
burmese myanmar, thai thailand,
English to German frelance traslater which LEVAL required? Tell me both english ielts band and german leval kile B1, B2, C1
English at least B2 if not C1 and German you should be native. C2 and exceptional knowledge of grammar, punctuation and cultural awareness is required
@@Freelanceverse ok thanks , and for German to English translater what lavel require of both?
Im on the fence about this one. With all the AI stuff thats been going on lately, idk
You don't know whether a degree is needed or what do you mean?
Yes, exactly. That and whether a translation degree specifically would be needed. rn I tutor in both English and German and it's fun. My passion is traveling and photography, languages were always the only thing that I was remotely good at. Combining all of these would be the pinnacle. There's no guarantee oc but idk, five years of studying and then trying to find clients..
I'm about to do a master's in translation in England in September. What would the best universities be for this degree subject?
Hi Toby, all I know is that Leeds, Westminster and Cambridge has great translation master programmes. But in the end, it doesn't matter much where you go.
@@Freelanceverse thank you very much! Do you know about Bath uni too?
@@tobybromfield3664 I don't know about their programmes, no!
Do you think with my English education degree (in the future) i can be an translator?
Hi Jennifer, that's certainly possible, yes. Make sure to start early with getting experience for example by doing translations for friends and family or by volunteering. - Adrian
@@Freelanceverse okayy!! Thank you haha i just don't want to be a teacher bc I'm going to get education degree in English
@@heyitsjewit Hi Jennifer, why don't you reconsider going for an education degree then if you don't like the idea of becoming a teacher? :)
@@Freelanceverse i have a difficult situation, i want to learn English literature but i already enrolled to other university (i got accepted) I thought that was the same major.
if i want to be an translator (they only need mandarin and English translation but mandarin is the most important thing to learn) i can't and haven't learned basic mandarin so i don't think i'm gonna study mandarin.
Anddd the university that has "English literature major" i don't think they have student exchange program and mandarin club on it (bc it's nit international university)
On the other hand the university that accepted me (English education major) has the club and the program so i can study English and mandarin at the same time.
I'm afraid if my English education degree is not worth it to be a translator.
I see. It's honestly not so much about your degree as long as you know what you want to do after. And you can always using education as your specialisation and become a translator of educational content :) just follow your path and get as much experience in as possible.