The goals of the program include the following:
- Establish a new standard for translators and interpreters in this geographical area;
- Train individuals for multi-competency employment so as to aid/keep pace with the need for multilingual capabilities in the marketplace;
- Add La Salle University to the national educational community of Translation/Interpretation Studies.
Therefore, this program has the following objectives:
- To acquaint participants with the relatively new concept of translation and interpretation studies by reading informed criticism in the theoretical field, thereby contextualizing the disciplines in general terms.
- To fine-tune participants’ working languages, so as to bring them up to the same level of proficiency as educated native speakers of Spanish and English and progressively train them to transfer messages from one language to another accurately and fluently.
- To provide training in consecutive and simultaneous interpreting and sight translation, from beginning to advanced levels, in the legal, health-care, and business fields. This training will allow them to perform to the standards of court, health-care, or conference interpreters, as established by nationally recognized associations in those fields. This includes a foundation in the standards of ethics and practice in the respective areas.
- To develop awareness of current issues in translating/interpreting studies and practice, and of the importance of professionalizing this occupation as well as educating the public on the importance of and methods for using professional translators and interpreters.
- To introduce participants to real-life working environments through guest speakers, possible on-site visits, in-class simulations, and, finally, the internship experience.
- To equip students to continue learning on their own by teaching self-assessment techniques and reflective practice skills. Participants will also receive guidance on how to further their professional development.
- To enhance students' linguistic competence in Spanish and English and cultural awareness of contrasting elements between the dominant culture and those cultures of various Hispanic groups.
- To offer credits representing academic achievement.
- To create a new standard of training and achievement for translators and interpreters in this geographic area.
- To train individuals for multi-competency employment.
- To keep pace with the need for linguistic specialists.
- To add Philadelphia to the national educational community of Translation and Interpretation Studies.