French Translation

The Certificate in French Translation is designed to provide broad exposure to the interdisciplinary study and methods of translation as well as an academic grounding in translation theory and practice. During the certificate completion process, students combine the study of the culture and language of the Francophone world. The certificate allows students to explore the practice of translation from multiple perspectives: cultural, theoretical, interdisciplinary, and practical. The certificate also combines a rigorous study of the French language to the many obstacles in translating cultural concepts and idiomatic sentences that are very often different in the two languages, as well as practice in sociolect and standard French. Students will be exposed to a wide range of genres in both languages, including literary, business, advertisement, and business memorandums in order to improve the range of their linguistic skills.

The certificate in French Translation will provide students with the linguistic, cultural, and practical tools to tackle a variety or translation tasks in a professional setting, and thus, offer them technical skills in the fields of immigration, business, transportation, information, engineering, literature, and diplomacy such as in Consulates and Embassies, and Chambers of Commerce across the world. Indeed, in the Detroit metropolitan area alone, there are dozens of translation service agencies that need translators. Students with a Certificate in French Translation will be able to find work more easily and readily.

Certificate Requirements

Required Courses:
FREN 301Advanced Conversation and Comp4
FREN 355Introduction to Translation4
FREN 408Writing and Translating4
Total Credit Hours12

Notes:

  1. No courses may be taken as pass/fail.
  2. A GPA of 2.5 is necessary to earn the certificate.
  3. All credits earned in this certificate can be applied toward the French Studies major or minor, toward the International Studies-French major, and other certificates.