General Information
The Undergraduate Catalog is the official resource for course requirements for the Spanish Translation Major. See the above Program Overview button for more information.
Because the Spanish Translation BA, a liberal arts degree, provides preparation in a variety of useful fields rather than a single career track, it is strongly recommended that STDEV 317: Job and Internship Search Strategies (2 cr. hrs.) be taken at the end of the sophomore year or the beginning of the junior year.
- This course is recommended to help liberal arts students focus on specific educational and occupational goals as well as identify the career options or educational opportunities available to them.
- The course will introduce students to the resources needed for accessing information about graduate schools, internships, careers, and career development.
- Students will learn basic employment strategies, including the steps necessary for obtaining employment related to their own specialty.
Application Process
Prerequisites:
- All translation students must complete SPAN 321: Third-year Spanish Reading, Grammar, and Culture ,earning at least a B, BEFORE entering the Spanish Translation major.
- Students should enroll in SPAN 360: Introduction to Spanish Translation then contact the Liberal Arts Advisement Center to declare the major.
Important Components
1. Minor or Second Major
Spanish Translation majors are required to complete a minor or second (additional) major. Each student is encouraged to choose a minor or second major that best aligns with their career goals:
- For those looking to pursue a career in GILT (globalization, internationalization, localization, translation), the Translation and Localization Minor may provide the best opportunities for management roles.
- Students looking to work in other careers (whether within the language services industry or elsewhere), and those who plan to enroll in postgraduate programs may want to pursue a minor or an additional major in the field in which they will need expertise (law, medicine, commerce, finance, technology, etc.).
Students should discuss prospective minors and second majors with a Spanish Translation professor as well as with the advisor for the Spanish Translation major in the Liberal Arts Advisement Center. Contact the advisement center directly and they can direct you to the current advisor.
2. Spanish Translation Courses
Majors must take the following Spanish Translation courses:
| Course | Availability | Notes |
| SPAN 360: Introduction to Spanish Translation | Fall; Winter | Sometimes offered in Spring term as well |
| SPAN 361: Intermediate-Advanced Spanish to English Translation | Fall | Can be taken BEFORE or AFTER 362 |
| SPAN 362: Intermediate-Advanced English to Spanish Translation | Winter | Can be taken BEFORE or AFTER 361. CANNOT be taken concurrently with Span 469 |
| SPAN 467: Theory and History of Translation | Fall | Required as of Fall 2026 |
| SPAN 469: Senior Translation and Interpretation Project | Winter | Students meet individually with professor |
See below for guidance on when to take courses.
3. Other Required Courses:
In addition to the 15 credits of Spanish translation courses, translation majors must complete 18 credits of other Spanish courses (language, culture, and literature), including:
- SPAN 321: Third-Year Spanish Reading, Grammar, and Culture,
- PLANG 380: Computer-Assisted Translation,
- SPAN 399R or PLANG 399R: Internship (provides Spanish language field experience), and
- SPAN 491: Senior Proficiency Evaluation
Which translation courses should I take?
The following is a general timeline of translation-specific courses, based on when you take SPAN 360: Introduction to Translation. For a more comprehensive list of courses and requirements, please consult MyMap and/or the undergraduate catalog.
| SPAN 360 in the Prior Fall | SPAN 360 in the Prior Winter (or Spring) |
| Winter 1 | Fall 1 |
Spring/Summer
| Winter 2 |
| Fall 2 | Spring/Summer
|
| Winter 2 | Fall 2
|
| Winter 3 |
Regardless of when you take SPAN 360, the earliest you can take SPAN 469: Senior Translation Project and complete the major is two winter semesters AFTER you have taken SPAN 360. However, please note that these timelines represent the fastest route to finishing the major. If you take SPAN 360 prior to the second semester of your sophomore year, you will have more time for general education courses; Spanish and Spanish Translation electives; and minor courses, and you therefore need not rush through the remaining courses in the major in three or four semesters.
As you prepare to register for courses each semester, you should discuss your timeline and projected graduation date with the Liberal Arts Advisement Center and your Spanish Translation professors to ensure that you are on course for timely graduation.
INTERNSHIPS
Students should begin planning their internship (PLANG 399R or SPAN 399R) during their second semester. Internships normally happen during the Spring/Summer before a student’s final year. For more information, visit the Center for Language Studies (3086 JFSB) and/or contact the Dept. of Spanish and Portuguese internship secretary (3190 JFSB).