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Certificate in Translation Spanish <> English

Spanish to English Translation Certificate Word Bubble

Why Choose Saint Rose for a Spanish to English Translation Certificate?

Did you know that according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of interpreters and translators is projected to grow 29% from 2014 to 2024? That is much faster than the average for all occupations (7%). In New York State, the growth rate will be an even higher 34.4%. In response to the present and future need for professionals in the area, the Department of World Languages and Cultures has developed the Certificate in Translation Spanish <> English, a program designed to serve undergraduate students as well as non-traditional, returning, part-time students.

Program Highlights

Enhance your major

We are invested in guiding students through the process of developing second language and translation skills that will make a difference once they enter the job market. Majoring in Social Work, Music Industry, Criminal Justice, Computer Science, or Business? It really does not matter what your major is, our Certificate in Translation Spanish <> English can help you acquire skills that will give you an edge. Moreover, the credits earned through the certificate may count toward a Minor in Spanish—a very advanced one. Consider translation as a side hustle, or as a full-time career!

Get academic credentials

You do not need to be enrolled in another program at Saint Rose to pursue the certificate. If you are already using your second language skills to translate and interpret, you may want to enhance that part of your professional profile with further technical knowledge and academic credentials. Our Certificate in Translation Spanish <> English is a viable option for part-time students seeking official acknowledgment—academic and on the job—for their Spanish <> English translation skills.

Work with the latest technology

As technology moves forward, so do we! Learn the latest tools available to make you work quicker and more efficiently as a translator. Your earning potential improves as you streamline your skills. Add Desktop Publishing, and you are even more attractive to potential clients.

Build your resume with hands-on experience

Starting right from the beginning of this Certificate program, you will be actively engaged with genuine work. Working in pairs or groups you will gain experience, collaborating to produce the best possible product. Later, you will work individually, volunteering your services to companies that need materials translated. You will also have the opportunity to volunteer as an interpreter. These projects will become part of your Translation résumé and your gateway into the field of Translation!

Gain academic credit with portfolio option

Heritage speakers, native speakers, adult, returning, and non-traditional students (such as international students enrolled in an ESL program at Saint Rose, for instance) interested in pursuing the Certificate in Translation Spanish < > English, may apply for academic credit for learning acquired throughout life and work experience. Students applying for the portfolio option may be awarded up to nine (9) credits of upper-level elective coursework, out of a total of 18 credits required for the Certificate.

Course Requirements and Portfolio Options and Guidelines

Portfolio Options for Heritage Speakers, Native Speakers, Adult, Returning and Non-Traditional Students
Students who grew up speaking Spanish at home, or who acquired the language during a long stay in a Spanish-speaking country, or who actually speak Spanish as their first tongue might be able to demonstrate an advanced or superior command of the language. Thus, heritage speakers, native speakers, adult, returning, and non-traditional students (such as international students enrolled in an ESL program at Saint Rose, for instance) interested in pursuing the Certificate in Translation Spanish < > English, may apply for academic credit for learning acquired throughout life and work experience. In order to systematize this process, the Department of World Languages and Cultures (WLC) has developed a portfolio option, which allows students to document knowledge about the Spanish language and cultures acquired outside the classroom.

Students applying for the portfolio option may be awarded up to nine (9) credits of upper-level elective coursework, out of a total of 18 credits required for the Certificate. The three courses that make up the core of the program are excluded from this option:

  • SPA 326 Introduction to Translation and Interpretation
  • SPA 425 Advanced Translation
  • SPA 494 Translation Internship

These are the three different portfolio options that students pursuing the Certificate may submit for WLC’s faculty consideration:

Three-credit portfolio

  • OPI* level of Advanced Mid
  • Transcripts including college and pre-college
  • Essay** on an issue of world or national concern

Six-credit portfolio

  • OPI level of Advanced Mid or Advanced High
  • Transcripts including college and pre-college
  • Essay on an issue of world or national concern
  • Essay on a work of literature or film originally written/released in Spanish

Nine-credit portfolio

  • OPI level of Superior
  • Transcripts including college and pre-college
  • Essay on an issue of world or national concern
  • Essay on a work of literature or film originally written/released in Spanish
  • Essay on regional or sociolinguistic variation in the Spanish language

GUIDELINES FOR PORTFOLIO COMPLETION

To schedule a test in person or on the phone, contact:

LTI, The ACTFL Testing Office
445 Hamilton Avenue, Suite 1104
White Plains, NY 10601

Phone: (914) 963-7110

Email: testing@languagetesting.com

  • ESSAYS: Each of the essays required for the portfolio must be 1400 to 1600 words long (roughly, the equivalent of six pages double-spaced). The essays must also be written in Spanish unless otherwise indicated in the guidelines below. If quotes are used, they must be brief (equivalent to no more than 10% of the full essay). The bibliography page will not be part of the total word count. The portfolio options follow the College’s policy on Academic Integrity. Any case of plagiarism or use of machine translation will preclude the portfolio from consideration.
    • Essay on an issue of world or national concern: This essay must discuss an issue that concerns either the Spanish-speaking world (at national and/or regional level), or the Hispanic population living in the United States, or both. It is recommended to choose a topic connected to current affairs. The candidate submitting this essay must be able to show an understanding of different cultural practices and perspectives, as well as an awareness of cultural changes and variations among different cultures comprising the Spanish-speaking world.
    • Essay on a work of literature or film originally written/released in Spanish: In this essay, the candidate must be able to interpret texts (written or film) pointing out and explaining the connections between theme, style, and historical context. These connections should be analyzed in the essay from a critical perspective, revealing how the text counters, perpetuates, or ignores the prevailing cultural tradition.
    • Essay on regional or sociolinguistic variation in the Spanish language: In this essay, the student must be able to demonstrate an understanding of nuance and cultural content in language variation, as well as awareness of how variations determined by region, gender, class, age, social environment, etc. change meaning. This essay could focus, for instance, on regional language variation, or on how different male speech is from female speech, or on how one varies a message that is meant for friends vs. to a professor. Candidates applying from a Spanish speaking country must submit this essay written in English, to demonstrate an advanced level of ability in the English language.
Silvia Mejía
Claire Ziamandanis

Career Opportunities

Translator and/or interpreter in the United Nations, interpreter in the court system, translator for audiovisual production and distribution companies such as Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. Or, translator and/or interpreter for medical services, for NGOs and businesses interested in reaching the Spanish-speaking population in the US. Or, translator for the travel and leisure industry or any industry interested in developing a market in the Spanish-speaking world.

Request More Info: Undergraduate Programs

Contact Information

Silvia Mejía, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Spanish
Chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures
460 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12203

(518) 454-5175