Translation is an open profession that is in great demand today with the internationalization of companies. Yet it is striking how few colleges and universities offer training in this area. The ITV University of Applied Sciences in Utrecht is one of the few Dutch trainers specifically focused on translation and interpreting. Graduates can immediately start work as a translator or interpreter after obtaining their bachelor’s degree or continue to study and specialize. Over the years, ITV University of Applied Sciences has already trained thousands of students to become successful translators and interpreters.
Content
- Translating the profession
- ITV University of Applied Sciences
- Training in English Translation (2018)
- Similar courses
Translating the profession
Translation is an open profession, which means that anyone can practice it, even without diplomas or other certificates. In practice, however, in most cases translators need them to find work, especially if they want to be employed by a translation agency. Translators are concerned with converting text from one language to another. They puzzle with words to produce the best possible translation. It is therefore important that a translator has a very good command of both languages. Some important features that translators should have are:
- Language sense
- Accuracy
- Stress resistant
- Decisiveness
- Independence
Because there is a lot of competition for translators on the labor market, it is important that translators specialize in different ways and distinguish themselves from others. For example, most translators are specialized in a particular field, such as financial, medical or legal. Translators can also distinguish themselves by choosing certain languages. For example, there are only a small number of translators who can translate from Dutch to Japanese, so they can earn a relatively large amount of money with this. There are also sworn translators, who are authorized to translate ‘official’ documents such as passports and the like. All of these factors affect a translator’s job and earnings. According to MijnZZP.nl, an employed translator in the Netherlands earns an average of EUR 2,200 to EUR 3,000 gross per month (2018). However, this can vary greatly depending on the employer and the translator’s specialization.
ITV University of Applied Sciences
This Utrecht-based university of applied sciences is a non-profit foundation, with the aim of providing highly skilled and well-prepared interpreters and translators. The ITV University of Applied Sciences was founded in 1983 by publishing house Wolters-Noordhoff and has been operating as an independent university of applied sciences since 1991. ITV stands for Institute for Interpreter and Translator Training. Students can choose between a weekly or a monthly variant, focusing on German, English, French, Italian, Russian or Spanish. The HBO programs of ITV University of Applied Sciences are accredited by the Dutch-Flemish Accreditation Organization (NVAO).
Training in English Translation (2018)
This higher professional education program at ITV University of Applied Sciences is only offered part-time and lasts four years. In the propaedeutic year, students get a global impression of what the study entails. A broad foundation is laid that prepares students for the more specific components in the following years. The second year is more focused on translation and language skills in both English and Dutch. The students therefore make a large number of translations and writing assignments. Cultural, economic and political aspects of the Netherlands and various English-speaking countries are also discussed. In the third year, the students are introduced to the jargon of different professional areas, so that they can choose a specialization in the final year. In addition to language and translation subjects, students choose a number of minors and do an internship. The final year of the training consists of preparation for the final exams, minors and vocational activities aimed at acquiring practical skills. Each year comprises a study load of 60 EC, divided over language-specific and cross-language components. If the student has successfully completed the final year, he or she will receive a diploma from ITV Hogeschool with the title Bachelor of Communication (B. Comn.).
Similar courses
In addition to the various translation courses that ITV University of Applied Sciences offers, there are several other courses after which a student can start working as a translator. Some examples of this are:
- University language training (eg English Language and Culture)
- Translation Academy Maastricht
- Translation vocational school Academy for literary translation
- HBO bachelor Translator English LOI