Babel University Professional School of Translation (USA) offers an online distance learning program which leads to the Master of Science in Translation following a 2-year master program. Students who complete the required credits and receive pass marks on the master’s thesis or graduation project will be granted a master’s degree (MST).

Major1 >> Literary Translation Major

Major1 >> Literary

In the Literary Translation major, the program will have students obtain skills and proficiency to carry out competent and idiomatic translation as a professional translator majoring literary translation.

Major2 >> Finance and IR Translation Major

Major2 >> Finance and IR

In the Finance and IR Translation major, the program will have students obtain skills and proficiency to carry out competent, idiomatic and businesslike translation as a professional translator majoring finance and IR translation.

Major3 >> Patent, Technical and Medical Translation Major

Major3 >> Patent, Technical and Medical

In the Patent, Technical and Medical Translation major, the program will have students obtain skills and proficiency to carry out accurate and complete translation as a professional translator majoring Patent, Technical and Medical documents translation.

Major4 >> International Paralegal and Legal Translation Major

Major4 >> International Paralegal and Legal

In the International Paralegal and Legal Translation major, the program will have students obtain skills and proficiency to work as international paralegals and to carry out accurate and complete translation as professional translator majoring legal documents translation.

Babel University Professional School of Translation provides its students with the following knowledge and skills of translation through distance learning:

1. Essential knowledge required for professional translators who have studied foreign languages at a college or a university in the abilities of (a) language conversion, (b) inter-cultural understandings, and (c) expertise;
2. Training that will enable the students to acquire high levels of skills in the areas required for professional translators, of (a) accurate and precise understanding of the source language, (b) efficient and prompt language conversion, and (c) fast and precise writing in the target language;
3. Training that will enable the students to acquire high levels of skills in the areas required for modern professional translators, of (a) the ability to operate a computer, (b) the ability to utilize the Internet, and (c) the ability to conduct multi-lingual web searches;
4. Opportunities to gain sufficient levels of expertise in (a) coordination, (b) collaboration, and (c) management of translation works to execute collaborative translation projects;
5. Opportunities to gain sufficient levels of expertise in management of the translation business; and
6. Continuing education opportunities to practice as professional translators who provide society with their services.

Required Credits/Enrollment Period

The required credits are 36 credits（first year 18 credits, second year 18 credits).
Average enrollment period is two years. Maximum enrollment is four years.

Study Method

BABEL University is located on an online Web campus.
There is a separate password to each lecture room in which you will attend the lessons.

Lesson Style

1. Audio lecture by an instructor
2. Corrected assignments, instructions with rubrics to assignments, Q&A via Internet, and researches and studies
3. Textbook downloaded or distributed by other means

Professors

Professors for each of the four majors are translation education professionals at the forefront of their field. The professors have scientific foundation that will be directly useful in practical business.

Mastering the Five Competences necessary for acquiring specialized translation skills is essential for professional translators. These have been developed by close analysis of actual content encountered in the translation business. By systematically learning and mastering each of the five Competences, all our students are able to effectively acquire techniques expected of active professional translators in the global market.

Language Competence

Language skills are the first and primary skills translators need to acquire. Language skills include: the ability to read and interpret the source language (the language of the original text); the ability to write the target language (the language you are translating into); the ability to express the content in a way that is easily understood and is suited for each genre; and the ability to write and express the content in a stylish manner. Considering the fact that all documents in the translation business are intended to be read, professional translators should be always conscious of the audience while translating.

Expert Competence

Translation is needed in every industry where globalization is taking place. Therefore, professional translators are required to develop specialized skillknowledge and expertise essential for each genre. That does not mean that they need to memorize industry specific jargon; instead, they need to acquire the techniques that allow them to research and obtain the necessary information and therefore allow them to successfully complete the translation. Professional literacy aims at the acquisition of those technique.

Cultural Competence

Translation is not just about changing words into a different language. Translators need to be able to translate in the way that the targeted readers can understand what the writer of the original text is trying to say, which cannot be done without understanding the cultural background of the writer as well as the cultural background of the target audience. Cultural literacy aims to encourage translators to acquire the ability to comprehend the perspectives of both culture.

IT Competence

Since the use of Internet is already in commonplace within the translation business, computer literacy is crucial for professional translators today. It includes the ability to utilize not only basic computer programs, but also translation and desktop publishing software. Professional translators also need to acquire virtual team translation skills. Web creation skills will enable translators to market themselves in the translation industry.

Managerial Competence

If professional translators decide to establish their own translation firms, managerial skills will be required. A majority of projects in the translation business, even in publication, is done in teams rather than by an individual translator. Translation project managers are therefore required to have the ability to coordinate the work for efficient production. Also, the ability to market and present themselves as a professional is becoming more and more important for today’s professional translator.

John H. Peterson

(Former Director of California State Accreditation Body）

A LOOK AT BABEL UNIVERSITY ONLINE EDUCATION

As we take a look at online education we need to consider where we have been, where are we now, and where we are going.. The journey from residence education to our current trend for online education has actually moved very rapidly. Residence or classroom education proved to be limited to those areas where brick and mortar schools were convenient for students living in large population areas. About 100 years ago in the U.S. correspondence courses were made available to students living far away from schools or colleges. These courses were conducted through the mail which proved to be slow and with little or no interaction between instructors and students. Students were to complete one lesson at a time, send it to the correspondence school for feedback and move on to the next lesson.

Under the guidance of the Distance Education and Training Council ( DETC ) many correspondence schools moved forward to develop new methods of both speeding up the process along with more interaction between students and instructors. With the advent of the computer some of the correspondence schools experimented with online instruction. There were many different approaches as true online instruction evolved into what it is today.

There has been much resistance on the part of the educational community to accept this delivery system. At each step of the way the DETC provided leadership and guidance for schools and colleges to refine online courses and eventually online degree programs with an array of course, program, and degree objectives. Babel University sought and gained accreditation through DETC approved by the U.S.

Department of Education as the ‘ nationally recognized accrediting agency.

The efforts of Babel University to move into the online delivery system has proven to be an excellent model for numerous other institutions to follow Babel’s creative efforts and willingness to invest in new techniques, more learner/instructor interaction, and expanding of course offerings. The leadership shown by Babel administration has capitalized on feedback from students and faculty in providing one of the premier online efforts going on today.

It is interesting to note that the pioneer efforts of institutions such as Babel University have motivated great numbers of colleges and universities throughout the world to develop quality online offerings. The public institutions have been slow to offer online courses. Now in California, specifically, all community colleges, the state universities, and the University of California, are moving ahead to offer not only some courses but full degree programs via online. Much of the development of online courses and degrees has been brought about as tuition costs have risen drastically and public funds have been reduced at all levels and the lack of adequate courses being available for students to move forward at a reasonable pace. Most four-year degree programs are now taking five years to complete. The infusion of online courses has been of great help to students and caused faculty to provide more interaction with students and reducing the time to complete their degrees. As technology continues to improve and provide even greater opportunities for students worldwide, Babel University continues to lead the way to quality up to date offerings that will result in students reaching their educational goals and beyond in the future.

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