Translation and Interpreting at Wake Forest University
Welcome to the Department of Romance Language's Certificate Program in Translation and Interpreting at Wake Forest University. Since 1999, Wake Forest has been offering translation and interpreting courses in the Spanish-English language pair to undergraduate students as a way for students to acquire skills necessary to enter the language industry. The majority of these courses are offered every year or in alternating years as electives in the Spanish major/minor, as well as in the linguistics minor. In addition, these courses can be taken in combination leading to a Certificate in Spanish-English Translation/Localization Management and in Spanish-English Interpreting.
For those students choosing to pursue either certificate, a culminating internship is required in order to apply the skills learned in the classroom to real-world settings. Former students have completed internships at community outreach medical and legal clinics, WFU Baptist Medical Center, translation agencies and departments, and with freelance translators and interpreters.
Oftentimes the question is posed, "why should I pursue a certificate program in translation/interpreting?" Below are just a few of the reasons.
- Even bilingual people, who have a high level of proficiency in both languages, very often find it difficult to transpose the thoughts of other people both orally and in writing.
- Conveying meaning is a skill that needs to be learned.
- Knowledge of a foreign language is seen today as an asset by most companies, institutions and government agencies.
- These skills will make you more marketable and competitive.
- An employer expects that an employee with the knowledge of a second language will bring across a professional message to foreign clientel. Performing as a linguistic liaison in a work place means: translating, interpreting, evaluating and localizing; all skills which you will learn here.
- Prepare youself for the globalized world.