Translation and Interpretation (Spanish/English)

This free information session is designed for those who are interested in learning more about UC San Diego Extended Studies' Translation and Interpretation programs and the profession of translation and interpretation. For more information prior to this session, please visit our  Translation and Interpretation (Spanish/English) certificate page.

Students must pass the entrance exam prior to enrolling in either certificate program. The exam is a written assessment of your language skills in English and Spanish. In particular, it tests your knowledge of vocabulary, reading comprehension, and spelling, including proper use of diacritics, e.g. accent marks in both languages, and assesses your ability to complete college-level coursework. Select courses may be taken prior to passing the entrance exam, however, admission to advanced courses and obtaining either certificate requires its successful completion.

Discover how to turn your language skills into a new career in translation. Get a practical introduction to the field of translation in this hands-on course. Vocabulary studies and problem solving techniques associated with translation are highlighted. Translation methods and career options are also addressed.

This course examines the profession of interpreting, including employment opportunities, the role of the interpreter, administrative matters, and ethical considerations. In addition, an overview will be given of the three modes of interpretation (sight, consecutive and simultaneous), as well as the different areas of interpretation, such as legal, medical, business, community and conference interpretation.

This course consists of an intensive review of the general rules of Spanish written language and its present modifications. It is taught entirely in Spanish and will cover the Spanish written fundamentals necessary for writing error-free Spanish translations. Instruction will focus on the latest revision of regulations by the Real Academia Española, as well as the most common problems translators face in the areas of spelling, punctuation, word usage, and grammar.

This course is designed to improve the writing skills of translators working from Spanish into English. Students will review the fundamentals of written English grammar and will make contrastive analyses between Spanish and English writing styles, so that their translations are written in error-free English.

This course introduces the basic theory and strategies for written translation. Students translate texts from various categories including literary, technical, business and advertising. Through hands-on practice and exercises, participants develop the fundamental analytical, cognitive, and linguistic skills that are essential for professional written as well as sight translations.

This course offers students the opportunity to apply consecutive interpretation techniques in a variety of topics and settings. Topics are generalized and emphasis is placed on enhancing listening performance and note-taking skills.

This course offers students the opportunity to learn and apply simultaneous interpretation techniques to a variety of topics and settings. Students interpret conference speeches dealing with politics, current affairs, medicine, international news and motivational topics.

Learn the basic concepts and techniques of sight translation. Through text analysis, identify units of meaning, and the similarities and differences in English and Spanish grammar and writing styles. Each class includes theory and practical exercises to ensure that students can produce accurate, natural, and smooth sight translations into the target texts.

This course covers the basic techniques and strategies for English to Spanish translation. It analyzes common English to Spanish translation pitfalls and the differences between these languages' written styles. The course is appropriate for beginning translators as well as experienced professionals who wish to refine their skills. Participants will practice translating a wide variety of texts into Spanish, work with different formats, review several tools, and discuss practical related articles and examples.

This course covers the latest techniques and strategies in Spanish to English translation. It is appropriate for beginning translators as well as experienced professionals who wish to refine their skills. It emphasizes common problems and solutions with contrastive syntax while also reviewing English grammar and orthography as they pertain to different translation contexts. Tips on how to research hard-to-find words or expressions and build effective translation resources are also included.

This course provides an overview of translation and interpretation (T&I) in educational settings. Students will learn about the role of the interpreter/translator, ethical considerations, and the laws governing T&I in education. Education-specific vocabulary and acronyms will be presented, explained, and reviewed in class. Students will also participate in hands-on practice with specialized, education-related materials to build skills in translation, sight translation, consecutive, and simultaneous interpreting.  

This 10-week online course offers students the opportunity to develop a sound base in note-taking for interpretation. Although emphasis is placed on the note-taking process and developing a personalized note-taking system, students will also learn effective techniques to deliver the notes they have taken.

Learn specific skills to translate a variety of texts found in a business environment. Learn about different types of business organizations, understand the language of contracts and gain vocabulary used in economics and international commerce. Solutions to typical business translation hurdles and the development of subject-specific glossaries are addressed. Practice techniques and concepts learned in a hands-on classroom environment.

Learn about online and offline resources to increase productivity, refine research skills, and ensure top-quality translations. Feel comfortable showcasing your talent and networking with clients and colleagues through a professional site, web profiles, and social networking outlets. Build teamwork and organizational skills and get ready to manage large translation projects. Become familiar with some industry-specific jargon to communicate better with project managers and other players in the translation field. Understand how Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tools can help translators...

Acquire the marketing and personal branding tools needed for career success as a freelance or in-house professional in the language industry, including professional selling, image building, and other essential marketing and business etiquette tools. This course is intended for advanced-level students who are ready to enter the job market and for professionals already working in the field.

Swordfish is a vital tool professional translators use to manage translation projects. In this introductory course, you will learn to use Swordfish, a cross-platform Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) tool, and create and maintain translation memory files and glossaries that will greatly assist you in your translation work. Become skilled at program installation so you can set up databases to record your progress while performing translation projects and keep a glossary with preferred terminology. You will learn to convert files into different formats to meet the demand of clients and...

Learn what sets subtitling apart in the translation industry, both in terms of the technical knowledge required to make subtitles work and the language skills needed to make subtitles attractive for an audience in the target language. Learn about time coding, character limitation, formatting, and shot changes. Practice using two free online platforms—Amara and YouTube Studio—and learn to apply your subtitling skills to different environments to address clients' needs in the entertainment and audiovisual industries. Other credits: 5 points of ATA Continuing Education in Category A

Through hands-on practice, exercises, and the study of legal concepts in our language/legal system combination, students apply translation techniques to render a product with the same legal effect it is meant to have in its source legal system and language. A translation method is implemented through research and discussion of sample legal texts and course materials. Course focus is on criminal law and procedure as applied in the U.S. courts. Each lesson includes a parallel study of criminal law and procedure in a model Civil Law country to that of the U.S. model.

This course provides an overview of the court system and related proceedings and the registers of speech typically encountered in legal proceedings. The court interpreter's role and code of ethics are emphasized. A study of legal terminology and comparative law is included.

Be a part of the future when you take Medical Translation for Internal Medicine, a specialized course which examines technical terminology related to the field of internal medicine. According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, employment of interpreters and translators is projected to grow 19 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Medical Translation is a ten week study of medical translation in theory and practice and prepares you to enter this dynamic and robust field. Emphasis will be placed on understanding basic anatomy, physiology, and pathology as...

This specialized course examines technical terminology and scientific writing style required in medical translation. Emphasis is on developing a conceptual framework and cogent bicultural approach to the translation of medical literature. Gain a basic understanding of medical concepts and terminology in neurology, nephrology, obstetrics and gynecology through lecture and practical exercises.

This course addresses patient/provider communication, cultural interference, interpreter code of ethics, and the role of the interpreter in the healthcare setting and industry. Online exercises familiarize the student with medical terminology and scenarios that an interpreter encounters while on the job. Hands-on practice with specialized, medical-focused material builds the necessary sight, consecutive, and simultaneous interpreting skills.

This six-week course covers the most problematic areas of English grammar for both native and non-native English speakers when writing in English and translating from Spanish to English. The grammar topics have been handpicked based on students’ and teachers’ feedback. It is appropriate for translators and experienced professionals who wish to refine their English grammar and editing skills. Students will apply grammar theory learned in each class to English texts, learning how to spot different grammatical errors in English texts and correct them. Exercises will be cumulative as the weeks...

Designed for bilingual students who are interested in improving their Spanish grammar competence. Students will review and improve their knowledge by making contrastive analyses between Spanish and English writing styles through contextualized practice at the sentence level.