This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2020-21 VCU Bulletin. This edition includes all programs and courses approved by the publication deadline; however we may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
The certificate program prepares advanced Spanish students for further study, national certification exams and/or future employment in these growing fields. The program combines theoretical and applied course work with applied practice in the community, allowing students to hone their skills in a specialization of their choice or to apply for the certificate in general translation and interpretation. Students with advanced-level Spanish and English skills who are concentrating in liberal arts or professional programs as well as other majors are encouraged to apply.
This certificate program requires 27 credits, distributed as shown below, and successful completion of a comprehensive exit exam. Students may earn this certificate concurrently with a baccalaureate degree in another undergraduate program at the university, or may earn the certificate independently from another degree, provided the student has a baccalaureate degree from any institution. The nine-course sequence focuses on the knowledge and skills needed for translation and interpretation in any field, including intensive grammar review, translation theories and approaches, research methods, computer-assisted translation tools, simultaneous interpretation, consecutive interpretation, and sight translation. Students in the advanced interpretation courses (legal and medical) receive further instruction in terminology related to their areas of interest. The internship requires 120 clock hours of work including translation and/or interpretation practice.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite courses | ||
| SPAN 301 | Advanced Grammar and Writing (or any 400-level SPAN course based on Avant STAMP assessment score) | 3 |
| Select one literature course from the following (or any 400-level SPAN course based on Avant STAMP assessment score): | 3 | |
| Survey of Spanish Literature | ||
| Survey of Latin American Literature | ||
| Latino Writers in the U.S. | ||
| Select one civilization course from the following (or any 400-level SPAN course based on Avant STAMP assessment score): | 3 | |
| Civilization of Spain I | ||
| Latin American Civilization I | ||
| Hispanic Immigrants in the U.S. | ||
| Core courses | ||
| SETI 400 | Spanish-English Comparative Grammar | 3 |
| SETI 410 | Introduction to Spanish-English Translation | 3 |
| SETI 420 | Introduction to Spanish-English Interpretation | 3 |
| SETI 493 | SETI Internship | 3 |
| Elective courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Intermediate Translation | ||
| Intermediate Interpretation | ||
| Legal Interpretation | ||
| Medical Interpretation | ||
| Total Hours | 27 | |
The minimum total of credit hours required for this certificate is 27.
For more information, contact the School of World Studies Advising Office at (804) 827-1111.