So you’ve decided to take that next big step, to apply to graduate schools for a Translation Studies degree. But the big questions are rolling around in your head — which of the U.S. schools that offer translation degrees are the best, and what sets each program apart?
As we mentioned in the Translation Degree Overview, graduate degrees and certification programs in translation offer a great foundation in the skills you need for a career in translation or interpreting, but each program is different, and not every one is tailored to your specific goals.
While making the best choice is difficult, it’s always made easier by having the right information. Here’s an explanation of how we researched and ranked the best programs, followed by the top rankings:
Ranking Methodology:
The Top 5 Graduate Programs in Translation, and the Top 5 Certificate Programs were determined, first of all, by the mission of each program. Some universities only offer a Master’s or a Doctorate degree, some only offer graduate or professional certificates, and some offer all of the above. We found it necessary to separate the various translation and interpretation programs by degrees or certificates before analyzing any other factors.
Graduate and professional certificate programs vary in length and goal. Some programs offer general translation/interpretation certificates while others focus on medical or court translation. Our rankings attempt to emphasize this diversity of certificate programs.
In order to generally rank the programs, we looked at each program’s enrollment data (as available), the number of languages represented in each program, the varying types of degrees or certificates offered, and the general ability of each program to address a certain field of translation and interpretation (number of courses offered, number of faculty members, department resources, etc.).
It must be emphasized that our rankings are holistic, not reductive. They are not based on statistical analysis and they are not intended to produce a #1 or a #5 program. Instead, the rankings highlight the top translation and interpretation programs in the nation in alphabetical order in an attempt to offer the most unbiased information possible. Here are the Top 10 U.S. Translation Programs:
Top Translation Graduate Schools
Graduates of Translation Studies programs are qualified to work for personal and corporate translation services, as freelance translators, as government agency employees, and as translation software developers.
PhD graduates often stay in academia and teach linguistics or translation studies.
As with any comprehensive humanities degree, a master’s degree or PhD in translation studies allows each student to tailor the program to his or her individual interests.
Founded in 1864, Gallaudet University is a private liberal arts university located in Washington, D.C. As the world’s only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students, Gallaudet is a leader in the field of ASL and Deaf Studies. While its undergraduate population is 95% deaf or hard of hearing, the graduate departments are open to deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students.
Instead of a degree in Translation Studies, Gallaudet offers a Masters of Arts in Interpretation, specifically American Sign Language interpretation. The M.A. in Interpretation program is designed to prepare and educate deaf, hard of hearing and hearing persons in working as interpreters in deaf and hearing communities. Through intensive study of American Sign Language, interpretation skills, and professional experience, the M.A. program prepares students for work as an ASL interpreter in all professional fields from medical to legal to conference to community work. The M.A. interpreter preparation program mainly is in a two-year format, which consists of four semesters and one summer internship. The program requires the completion of 59 credit hours of course work. The program is available in a three-year format for students who need an additional year of advanced language classes. Part-time study is also available.
Kent State University is a public liberal arts university located in Northeast Ohio. Comprised of eight different campuses, Kent State is able to provide a small, liberal arts education through a large university system.
The Institute for Applied Linguistics offers a two year Master of Arts in Translation and a PhD in Translation Studies. These translation degree programs focus on translation research skills, specialized translation, computer-assisted terminology and translation, software localization and project management for the language industry, but are also designed to provide a comprehensive foundation for skill development in humanistic translation and translation studies. The IAL’s B.S. and M.A. curricula provide a firm foundation in translation studies and translation practice for students in French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish while the Ph.D. program provides advanced training in translation studies and language informatics.
A center for research in translation studies and in several areas of language engineering (computer-assisted translation and terminology, multilingual document management and cross-language information exchange and retrieval), the IAL is one of America’s leading university-based translator training programs and the only comprehensive B.S. to Ph.D. program.
Located in Monterey, California, the Monterey Institute of International Studies was founded in 1955 as a multilingual, globally focused graduate institute and research center, which, since 2005, is affiliated with Middlebury College. With enrollment around 800 students (all in graduate programs), the Monterey Institute boasts a close-knit, globally focused community.
The Monterey Institute offers a M.A. in Translation, a M.A. in Translation & Localization Management, a M.A. in Translation & Interpretation, and a M.A. in Conference Interpretation. The M.A. in Translation offers students the opportunity to work in a broad range of areas — medical, legal, conference, etc. — and provides the necessary computer and on-the-job training necessary to function as a translator.
The M.A. in Translation & Localization Management, on the other hand, centers around three axes of training: translation, technology, and business management. This translation track develops students’ translation skills, as well as their language and cultural proficiency, through core courses offered, as well as elective courses from the other schools at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. The technical courses developed at the Monterey Institute will cover translation technology, software and web site localization, translation automation, processes standardization, IT/workflow strategies, and project management tools. Tools used in class include Alchemy Catalyst, Passolo, SDLX and TRADOS, Star Transit and Workflow. Finally, the business track will cover key business management areas, such as principles of project management, multilingual marketing, managerial economics, product development, and international business strategy in courses offered by the School of International Policy and Management.
The M.A. in Translation & Interpretation program reinforces mastery of the written and oral aspects of the students’ working languages by performing both translation and interpretation of related texts. Recent technological innovations blur the distinction between the two. More than 60 percent of students choose to pursue an MATI degree. Graduates have found that being able to provide both translation and interpretation services gives them a significant edge in today’s competitive job market.
The M.A. in Conference Interpretation prepares students to work as both simultaneous and consecutive interpreters at conferences. In simultaneous interpretation, interpreters sit in soundproof booths (one booth for each language), where they listen to the speech from the meeting room through headsets. As the speaker talks, each interpreter interprets at the same time into his or her native or A language. The interpreter’s words are spoken into a microphone and transmitted via headset to meeting participants. In this manner, the same speech can be interpreted into several languages at once with very little time lag. In each booth, interpreters work as a team, sharing the workload at regular intervals. In consecutive interpretation, the interpreter usually sits with conference delegates while a speech is being made, listens to the speech, and takes notes. When the speaker pauses or finishes, the interpreter renders the speech in the first person in the target language. Speech and interpretation generally occur in segments no longer than 10-15 minutes. Most graduates of the MACI program work as freelance interpreters, although some do work with larger organizations like the United Nations and the U.S. State Department.
Unlike most of the other translation graduate programs, the Translation Research and Instruction Program at State University New York, Binghamton, focuses on the PhD in Translation Studies (the school also offers a Graduate Certificate in Translation Research and Instruction, and an undergrad Minor in Translation, but no MA). SUNY Binghamton is a campus of the State University of New York university system and is located in south-central New York.
The PhD in Translation Studies is the first of its kind in the United States and prepares students both for the professoriate and for scholarly research-including research-informed translation and offers individualized interdisciplinary tracks to accommodate a variety of backgrounds. Courses focus on the history and traditions of Translation Studies, comparative literature, cultural and postcolonial studies, national literatures and major figures, philosophy, and pedagogy, as well as individualized programs of study. Rather than preparing students for professional work as a translator or interpreter (which students can definitely choose to do at the completion of the degree), the PhD prepares students for academic work — either in research or in teaching.
The Center for Translation Studies at The University of Texas at Dallas was established in 1980 to support the scholarly analysis and creation of literary translations, to collaborate with writers, scholars, and publishers around the world, to enhance the visibility of the translator as a mediator between cultures, to develop innovative translation workshop pedagogy, and to publish the international journal Translation Review.
The Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities are non-traditional degrees that allow students to concentrate their graduate studies around their individual interests in Translation Studies. At the same time, this approach allows students to explore other scholarly contexts from an interdisciplinary point of view, thus enriching their understanding of Translation Studies and preparing them for a wider variety of jobs than a more specialized degree would. Faculty within The Center for Translation Studies and The School of Arts & Humanities work closely with students to design degree plans with an emphasis on Translation Studies that also supply a broad general background in one or more of three scholarly areas: Literary Studies; History of Ideas; and Aesthetic Studies.
Top Translation Certification Programs
Dozens of translation certification programs exist in the United States and narrowing down the programs can be daunting. Some certificates are general French translation, German translation, Spanish translation, etc., but some are more specific: legal, medical, conference interpreting.
The general certificates function like the graduate degrees in translation studies. They allow for a translator to gain advanced study in the foreign language as well as to take courses specific to the profession. Legal translation and interpreting certificates prepare candidates to work in legal and courtroom settings. In order to become a court interpreter, one must pass a state-specific test (comprised of a written and oral component) for both English and the foreign language. The certificate program helps to prepare candidates for translating or interpreting in a legal setting by focusing on legal vernacular, the professional conduct of a courtroom translator, and state court test preparation. Likewise, medical translation certification focuses on medical vernacular and professional conduct as a translator or interpreter in a hospital or other medical setting. Conference interpreter certificate programs prepare candidates for translating and interpreting at conferences and seminars.
These certificate programs vary in time and cost, but most are designed for the professional student and take place at night or in two week commitments over a period of one to two years.
In Washington D.C., American University offers Graduate Certificates in Translation from either French, Russian , or Spanish to English. The certificate program consists of 15 credit hours, including advanced courses in Translation and Linguistics which can also be applied towards a foreign language MA.
Boston University offers professional certificates in community, legal, and medical interpreting with specializations in Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish. The program focuses on the linguistic techniques and ethical considerations of the interpreting profession, and organizes students in Cohort Groups based on their language specialization.
Florida International University
Located in Miami, Florida International offers a Certificate in Translation Studies (English / Spanish) and certificate in Legal Translation and Court Interpreting (English / Spanish). Established in 1980, the program offers classes in the evenings and weekends, and allows students to take up to five courses before making a commitment.
Located in Atlanta and established in 1979, Georgia State University’s Translation Certificate Program offers specializations in French, German, and Spanish translation, as well as French and Spanish Interpreting for medical, legal, and conference interpretation. The program consists of 15 semester hours which include classes in comparative stylistics, general and advanced translation, and a translation workshop.
NYU offers professional certificates in general translation, medical interpreting, court interpreting (Spanish/English), simultaneous interpreting, and general language studies certificates in Arabic, Japanese, Mandarin, Italian, Greek, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and language groups such as Slavic, East Asian, Middle Eastern, Scandinavian, and Classical languages.
Good Luck!
We hope that this information helps you to get started preparing for graduate studies in translation or interpreting. Translating and interpreting are demanding, competitive, and rewarding professions that require a lot of training, thought, and discipline, so good luck with your preparation and career.
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i am a chinese student majoring in english-chinese/chinese-english interpreting and translation. i want to apply to a language school in the states. what suggestion do you have for a student like me, regarding tuition and future career?
i am a chinese student majoring in english-chinese/chinese-english interpreting and translation. i want to apply to a language school in the states. what suggestion do you have for a student like me, regarding tuition and future career?
You forgot to mention Georgetown University in Washington DC; among top schools in translation, interpretation and linguistics WORLDWIDE!
hi i checked geortown University to see if they had a translation and interpretation program but they don’t so i’m still looking for a university in the D.C area that has one.I need some help
I am working for Ministry of Trade & Industry,Trade Agreement Sector,I am looking for MA scholarships in Translation,Interpretation,thnx for your help, consideration, my regards & best wishes.
I would like to know if I contact the school directly or do you have a number where to call for enrollment to the classes for the Certification or MA
Hi, i am an Iranian majoring in Translation Studies. I want to apply for PhD program to a US university.would u please help me find one with reasonable fees and preferably with grants or scholarships.meanwhile,i am an official (sworn)translator to justice administration as well as a certified English teacher. for M.A. thesis, I worked on the problems and strategies applied for the translation of legal terms. thanks in advance.
This is a great resource. I was wondering if you have information about the top Translation/Interpretation M.A. programs outside of the the U.S., specifically in Latin America or Spain, offering degrees that would be accepted in the U.S. I am interested in living abroad in a Spanish-speaking country (ideally Mexico) and completing a graduate program while there. If you don’t have information about the top schools outside of the U.S., would you be able to direct me to a resource that might have that info.
Thanks for your help!
I am graduate student and I have full scholarship. I am very interested in translation please help me
i am an HND holder and want to have a degree in translation,what do i do.
hi i’m student in the algerian university i study translation and interpretation so i wonder which us.university can i carry on my studies because i want to improve myself and the languages which i learn it is arabic.frensh.english and spanish please answer me and thank u so much
is it possible to study translation in any american university for translation. iam from Jordan BA IN TEACHING ENGLISH. will u send me information about the cost of studying or getting a scholarship
Dear Sir,
I amlooking for a Phd program in translation. Couldyou help please?
I’m looking for a scholarship to do a MA in translation and interpretation. Please can you help me.
I’m an iranian M.A graduate in translation studies , and I want to know whether I can apply to an scholarship for Ph.D program or not, it would be my pleasure if you help me.
thanks
nazanin
i’m a jordanian lady wih MA in translation and interpreting from The American Universlity in UAE. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET A SCHOLARSHIP FOR PhD in USA. thanks
i have more than a year looking for a free MA in English – Arabic translation in the US and uk universities. i am sudanese, 34, document translator. i have an MA in general translation from sudan. Please help me to fulfill my dream.
I need to take a 2 month course in translation from SPANISH to ENGLISH in the United States. Boston, San Diego, Houston, Washington among others.
Thanks
DIOFANTE ACEVEDO GAMBOA
please i need to know were to go to get the state specific test court interpreter in el centro california thank you.
I am from the Balkans and i have bachelor in interpreting French and English. Now i am looking for a MA program in the united states with scholarship. Can you help me?
hi, Im a BA student of translation, I was wonderig if I can find a scholarship for MA. do you have any suggestion?
i’m a teacher trainee and interested in becoming a bilingual seccretary please i need some help
Can you please tell me who offers an online degree in interpreting/translating.From an acredited university.Preferably in Southern California or the west coast.
Thanks, but what about international scholarship interpretation students, especially students from Sudan? I have MA in Translation, could i have interpretation courses or PhD in Translation there?
Im interested in Japanese, Korean & Spanish for a degree interpreting/translating I need advice on what path to take here so I can succeeded. Im in Houston, TX and I see there is no school in this area. please provid any advice or feedback… Thanks in advance
If i could only afford to study there I would surely grab the opportunity,..
hi, im Melissa Lopes, need to know if has some university at boston that has a translation and interpretation course to study German,French and Spanish an undergread
hey , am Nuha from Libya.I m planing to study my MA in translation but I have noticed that there is no Arabic language in translation in USA, I have a sponsorship f0r 2 years.Would you please help me to find a university . thanks in advance
Hi, I am looking for a silmutaneous Japanese interpreter with technical experience. If anyone knows someone like that, please give send the word to mariyaa@nextsr.com!
Hello
My name is Neda M. Shukur , Im a journalist in English langauge and translator working at The Ministry of Culture in Baghdad, Im writing to inquire about Arabic into English translating course that may last 2 or 3 months. We , The Ministry of Culture intend to send a group of 8 translators holding a diploma or a Ba in translation to strengthen their practise in simultaneous translation via Arabic into English .
Pls send all detailed information to my email address.
Best regards Neda M. Shukur
Hi,
I have a Bacheor degree in English-Arabic translation and I am very much interested in getting a Masters degree in the On-Spot/Instantaneous translation.
Appreciate your support by providing your most upcoming schedule in this regards.
Thank you
I am a teacher of 53. Master 1 in English . Need to be trained in translation school(French – English) in ordor to teach translation at my town university . Please help find scholarship and school in USA. I am Chadian( Central Africa).
Thank you in advance.
Hello,
I am a teacher of 53. Master 1 in English . Need to be trained in translation school(French %u2013 English) in ordor to teach translation at my town university . Please help find scholarship and school in USA. I am Chadian( Central Africa).
Thank you in advance.
I have a master in specialized translation and i am looking for a PhD progrom in translation if there is any help
Hi,
I am looking for an institute providing accredited certificate in translation arabic english in USA.could please recommend any organization if available
Thanks
Hi I am an Iranian majoring in Translation Studies. I want to apply for PhD program to a US university.would u please help me find one with reasonable fees and preferably with grants or scholarships.meanwhile,i am an official translator to justice administration as well as a university Lecturer and also NAATI translator .Best Regards
I am from Nepal. I am working as a university lecturer for Nepali language. I have translated Rabindra Nath Taigor and Kahlil Gibran’s celebrated work and some other books into Nepali and some poetry books into English as well.
I would like to study translation(English/Nepali),is there any possibility in US universities and shall there be any chance of getting financial support?
Hi Im sudanese majoring in International Relations. I would like to apply for translation studies program in any college near Canton city
Michigan.
Thanks
What are the best online translating schools? Not many say if they offer the programs online and that’s what I’m looking for. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Dear Sir or Madam
great thanks for your useful site. I am a would be MA during a couple of months later. *almost 4/5 months( of English translation studies in Iran, and I am looking for a good American university for pursuing Ph.d there. Would you please let me have some useful and necessary information for finding a worthy university in the US or Canada.
I am also a multinational *both Iraqi ^ Iranian citizenships since I am a Kurd .
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely yours
Jamshid Kiani
I am congolese and have majored in French English, and Portuguese translation and interoretation. I wish to be MA in the forth coming years.
I am eager to hear from you
Sincerely yours
Bill
I am at the last year of interpreting course in Brazil.(two years graduate course)I am looking to a medical simultaneous interpreting course in USA to be done in july 2012
hi! your site is so useful. i’m an english teacher in Gabon and want to be trained in translation. please help me find a scholarship or very cheap translation schools. my aim is to teach translation in my country.
thanks
I read with interest the wealth of helpful information you have provided your readership with. Boastfully enough, I hold an MA degree in Translation Studies from a prestigious university in Iran. I wonder if I could receive a full scholarship from an American university to proceed with my Ph.D. studies there. I am greatly interested in psychological, cultural and ideological considerations of translation theory. I am a university lecturer and a translator of ‘family’ texts from Persian into English.
i am looking for more information about translation school.
Hi, Iam Martin from Angola, I have concluded my graduation in English, now I want to attend a MA in conference interpreting or simultaneous interpreting from English to Portuguese. Please, its very urgent, for my boss had granted me a scholarship.
Hi, I have a graduation in English, now I wish to proceed with my studies, I real was granted a scholarship and want to attend a MA in Conference Interpreting or Simultaneous Interpreting. Please, answear me urgently.
I have my BA degree in translation. I’m looking for a scholarship or grants to do a MA in translation and interpretation. Please can you help me?
Hi, I am from China. I am teaching English as a foreign language in a college. My expertise is Chinese-English translation. I hope to find some friends working together(online) to translate some Chinese literary works into English. My e-mail:yangxiaobinhello@163.com
I’m from Iraq-kurdistan region-Dohuk.I am looking forward for ph.d in translation and linguistics.Though am a sworn translator and an assistant lecturer at the university of Dohuk,yet my dreams won’t come true without getting the ph.d.The system here speaks of having a foreign supervisor from America and another one from kurdistan.According to what have been previously mentioned,the university would help me to have my dream come true,and i swear to god i will work so hard to accomplish this dream.Dear professors anywhere in America help me.Send me a message and don’t curb my ambition,by the way ihave got my M.A in translation from the university of Mosul.The one who chooses me will never regret it ‘cos he will find in me the real student who really deserves it,thanks.
Hi,I am Sudanese..Right now I live in Pennyslvania State.I have MA in General Translation(English/Arabic) from my country.I hope to find a program to continue in Conference interpretation and Simultaneous Interpretation ..I need to have financial support or scholarship so as to do Ph D in this field..Could it be possibily to help me?
I will complete my Bachelor of English Language with specialization in Translation and would then like to continue my studies in Master programe. would you please inform me whethter or not i can take any courses related to translation in the us?
I’d be glad if you could give me some info regarding fees and scholarships.
thanks
I from Libya. I am a holder of an MA degree in translation studies. and wish to commence my PhD major.
Is there any possibilities to get enrolled in such program on line (distance learning) I can be available twice a year
I was just wondering, whether I could find a accredited college offering Associate Degree in Translation and/or Interpretation?
I fluently speak English, Spanish, French and Haitian Creole.
Any of your efforts to assist me would be highly appreciated.
Thanks
My brother recommended I may like this blog. He was entirely right. Thanks!
i am a law scholar. senior year. i want to study translation as an alternative major. i’m looking for a university in the states where i can get a scholarship or at least financial aid.
can any kind of help be offered?
thanks in advance.