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Spanish Translation Major

Course Requirements
Spanish Translation Major Introduction

General Information

The Undergraduate Catalog is the official resource for course requirements for the Spanish Translation Major. See the above link for more information.

Because the Spanish Translation B.A., 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, a 2-credit-hour course, 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:

  1. All translation students must complete Span 321, earning at least a B, before entering the Spanish translation major. Span 321 — Third-year Spanish Reading, Grammar, and Culture

  2. Entrance Exam: Students who wish to declare the Spanish Translation Major or enroll in its courses must first demonstrate advanced reading comprehension skills in both Spanish and English (ACTFL scale: Advanced). Students must therefore take and pass a reading comprehension exam for Spanish as well as for English.

    • The two exams are available year-round in the Humanities Testing Lab (B151/153 JFSB).
    • It is recommended that students take the exams on separate days but within one week of each other.
    • Students should pass with an Advanced rating before enrolling in their first translation major courses (Span 462A & B, offered each Fall semester).

  3. After completing the required entrance exams, students should contact Dr. Daryl Hague (daryl_hague@byu.edu) and the Liberal Arts Advisement Center to declare the major.

    Note: Those who do not receive an Advanced rating in either or both languages may still be accepted provisionally or waitlisted for the major, depending on projected enrollment. Students may contact Dr. Daryl Hague (daryl_hague@byu.edu) with questions.

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 are recommended to discuss prospective minors and second majors with a 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:

Please refer to the Guide to Spanish Translation Courses for more information regarding program requirements.

3. Other Required Courses:

In addition to the 12 credits of Spanish translation courses, translation majors must complete 21 credits of other Spanish courses (language, culture, and literature); one 3-credit course in computer-assisted translation (PLang 380); and an academic internship that provides Spanish language field experience.

Which translation courses should I take?

(The following is a general timeline of translation-specific courses. For a more comprehensive list of courses and requirements, please consult “Guide to Spanish Translation Courses,” MyMap, and/or the undergraduate catalog.)

Semester 1:

  • Spanish 360: Introduction to Translation

Semester 2:

  • Spanish 361 / 362 (depending on availability)
  • PLANG 380: Computer-Assisted Translation Tools
  • (if desired) Translation Electives (467: History and Theory of Translation; 468: Literary Translation)

Semester 3:

  • Spanish 361 / 362 (whichever is left to take)
  • (if desired) Translation Electives (467: History and Theory of Translation; 468: Literary Translation)

Semester 4:

  • Spanish 469: Capstone Translation Project (Dr. López for En>Es, Dr. Hague or Dr. Carr for Es>En)

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 the internships secretary in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese (3190 JFSB).