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What is the employment outlook for translators and interpreters?
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The employment outlook for translators and interpreters over the next decade is very good, with an expected increase of 17% overall (learn more from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics).
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Can this program be completed entirely online?
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Yes! This program can be completed entirely online. All assignments, discussion posts, and tests can be completed online and submitted through Blackboard, our online learning platform.
For the online translation courses you are not required to login to Blackboard at a specific time but homework is due each week by a specified deadline (ie the class is asynchronous but not self-paced due to weekly deadlines).
The three required interpretation courses (Consecutive Interpretation, Simultaneous Interpretation, Sight Translation) require much more visual and audio interaction between the instructor and students and therefore require some synchronous web meetings and video/audio homework. Students need a webcam and headset with mic along with fast internet. These classes are typically completed mid-way through the program (usually 3-4 quarters into the program). The synchronous meetings are held on Saturday mornings, Pacific Time.
It is important to note that while most of the elective options for this program are offered online, there are three that we are currently transitioning to an online format. This includes: Translation & Interpretation in Education, Introduction to Court Interpretation, and Legal Interpretation in Criminal Proceedings. We plan to have those three remaining electives transitioned to an online format by the end of 2018 at which point the program will only be offered online.
The link for UCSD Extension’s Blackboard is: https://ucsdextension.blackboard.com/
You can also preview Blackboard with a short tour.
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Is this certificate open to non-California residents and international students?
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Yes, the program is open to non-California residents, including non-US residents. The tuition is the same for all students.
No student visa is required, nor does this program qualify for a student visa since it is a part-time online program.
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Entrance Exam
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Our programs are designed for individuals who are already bilingual in Spanish and English. This signifies written fluency, and an ability to complete college-level studies in both languages. To be admitted, students must complete an entrance exam: a written assessment of vocabulary, reading comprehension, and spelling in both languages. All students who pass the entrance exam are eligible to enroll in either program.
• Offered online once per quarter on a Saturday
• Graded by a qualified, bilingual practitioner in the field
• All exam results are reported to students within three business days
• You are eligible to retake the exam as many times as you need, but it cannot be transferred in or waived
For more information please review the Entrance Exam PDF.
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Course sequence recommendations
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Students may enroll concurrently in more than one course, however we recommend participating in the entry level translation and interpretation courses in the order listed below.
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How long does it take to complete this certificate?
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The Translation and Interpretation certificate consists of the entrance exam and 11 required courses, eight of which are preset and three of which are electives that the student chooses.
You officially have five years to complete all requirements for the certificate, although students can usually complete the entire program in 1.5- 2.5 years (6-10 quarters) by taking 1-2 courses per quarter.
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How much does this program cost?
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The fees are the following:
- Entrance exam: $75 per attempt
- Introduction to Translation (5 week class): $250
- Introduction to Interpretation (5 week class): $250
- English to Spanish Translation 1 (10 week class): $475
- Spanish to English Translation 1 (10 week class): $475
- Theory and Practice of Translation (10 week class): $475
- Consecutive Interpretation (10 week class): $475
- Simultaneous Interpretation (10 week class): $475
- Sight Translation (10 week class): $475
- Elective # 1 (10 week class): $475
- Elective # 2 (10 week class): $475
- Elective # 3 (10 week class): $475
- One time certificate fee once you pass the entrance exam to enroll in the certificate: $95
- Total: $4,945 US Dollars
Students pay as they go when they register for classes, not in one lump sum.
Additional costs not included in this estimate: Textbooks, the cost of having access to a computer with internet, and the cost of a webcam and headset with mic.
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When does enrollment open each quarter?
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Our classes post to our website and become open for enrollment about two months prior to the new quarter starting.
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When should I enroll in my class(es)?
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We recommend enrolling as soon as possible in order to secure your seat in both online and on-campus classes. Additionally it is good to enroll early because some classes will reach capacity.
Sometimes on-campus interpretation classes do not reach the minimum number of students needed to run which is why students interested in on-campus classes should enroll at least one week prior to the class start date so that we can anticipate student demand.
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How do I enroll in a class?
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To enroll in a class, click on the class link in the course matrix above and that will take you to the specific class page. On the class page you can find additional details about the course such as start date, time, classroom number, instructor and textbook info. To enroll click on “Add to Cart” which will lead you to complete the registration/payment process. You can also register over the phone with Student Services at 858-534-3400.
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When does enrollment close?
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In general the translation and interpretation classes close on the following schedule:
- Online classes close to additional enrollments the first Friday morning after the class starts.
- For on-campus classes students must attend the first meeting therefore students should enroll prior to the class start date.
- Enrollment to the entrance exam closes the Thursday prior to the exam at 3pm Pacific Time.
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Why was my certificate application denied?
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The name “application” is a bit confusing because this is meant to be completed after passing the entrance exam which is the only formal prerequisite to enrolling in the certificate. If you submitted a certificate application prior to passing the entrance exam it will be denied however you can enroll in select classes that do not require the exam as a prerequisite and take the exam when it is offered next. Once you pass the exam, you would then resubmit the certificate application.
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Why was my enrollment in a course blocked?
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Enrollment in a class may be blocked in the following situations:
- The class is closed (see FAQ on when enrollment closes).
- The class is at capacity. If the class is at capacity you will only be able to join the waitlist. Students on the waitlist are contacted in the order they joined the waitlist.
- The class is cancelled due to low enrollments.
- The class has prerequisites that the student has not completed yet.
For these reasons we recommend students enroll early in the class(es) they are interested in.
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When is the refund deadline?
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The refund deadline for translation and interpretation courses is two days after the class start date.
The refund deadline for the entrance exam is the day prior to the exam.
The exact refund deadline for each section is listed in the section notes.
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When will I have access to my online information session, course, or exam?
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You will have access to the online Blackboard class on the official start date of the class/exam/info session. Access will be available at 12:01am Pacific Time.
Enrollment to online classes can take up to 24 hours to process and sync up to our online classroom platform, Blackboard. For example, if a class started on Tuesday and that is the day a student enrolled, they will likely not have full access to the class until 24 hours later on Wednesday.
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What are the grading options?
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When students enroll in a class they are given three grading options: Letter grade, Pass/No Pass, or Not for Credit. Students taking a class as part of a certificate need to complete their classes for credit (i.e. Pass/No Pass or Letter grade) and receive a C-/Pass or higher grade.
Grades below a C-, No Pass, and Not for Credit do not count towards certificate requirements.
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What is the difference between a certificate and being certified?
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Our program is an educational certificate, not a professional certification:
- Students who complete the UCSD Extension Translation and Interpretation certificate earn an educational certificate. This is different from a professional certification. Industry certifications are usually earned by passing an exam through the state or federal courts or through professional organizations.
- There is currently no national form of certification required for translators and interpreters in the United States, however there are a variety of exams that you can take to demonstrate your proficiency to your employer or that are required for specific jobs. Some of these exams require previous professional experience as a translator/interpreter or an educational certificate such as the ones available at UCSD Extension in order to qualify to take the exam.
- You can read additional information about these exams/certifications in our online information session and this Certification Exams PDF.
To summarize: Our program does not result in a student being "certified" by UCSD Extension since this is an educational certificate, rather than an industry exam, however it will give you the skills needed to work in the field and will be very useful in passing many certification exams.
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Is financial assistance available?
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UC San Diego Extension facilitates private education loans through UC Approved Lenders for students officially enrolled in a certificate. Information on these programs can be found at extension.ucsd.edu/financial. State-Funded Training is available through EDD (Employment Development Dept.); more information can be found on their website: www.edd.ca.gov.
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Can I transfer in any courses?
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Students can transfer in up to two courses that match the content of our required courses. Please email ahl@ucsd.edu for more information about the transferability of previously completed courses.
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Where are the on-campus classes held?
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All of our on-campus classes are held at our La Jolla Extension complex at 9600 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California, 92037.
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Are these classes transferable?
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UC San Diego Extension is not a degree granting institution, however many UC San Diego Extension courses can be transferred to other colleges or universities.
The transferability of credit is determined solely by the receiving institution. Students should discuss how your individual courses will transfer with the Office of the Registrar at the receiving institution prior to enrolling.
Quarter to Semester Unit Conversion
If the receiving institution operates on a semester system, credits will be converted to semester hours during their evaluation. As a general rule, quarter credits are converted to semester credits by dividing the number of quarter credits by 1.5. For example, if the student completed a course worth 4 quarter credits at UC San Diego Extension, the course would be worth 4 ÷ 1.5 = 2.66 semester credits.
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Additional questions?
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For questions regarding our classes and certificates, please contact us at ahl@ucsd.edu or 858-534-5760.
APPLY NOW
APPLICATION FEE: $0
There will be a $95 fee upon acceptance into the program