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College of Arts and Sciences | Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies

Translation

Course Delivery
100% online
Total Credits
36
Approximate Tuition Cost
$20,600
Dual Degree
Earn your M.A. and MBA at the same time

Translation Graduate Program Overview

The Master of Arts degree in Translation prepares students for careers in translation, localization, terminology management, project management and a variety of additional career paths involving multilingual communication in the language industry.

Available online concentrations/languages:

  • Arabic
  • Spanish
  • Russian
  • Japanese
  • German
  • French

Dual Degree: Students have the opportunity to complete a dual degree program with the MA degree in Translation and the MBA degree. A separate application must be submitted for each program. Students can view admission requirements for each program on their respective catalog pages.

The dual degree with the MA degree in Translation and MBA degree is for students with a sufficient level of proficiency in a foreign language who wish to integrate a graduate business education with advanced translation training. This program is suitable for those whose career goals include assuming middle or executive management positions in international business or language industry enterprises or those interested in starting their own business in the language services industry.

Program Structure

MA Program Structure

  • 36 credit hours of coursework over two years for full-time students, including a capstone project in translation
  • 13 required courses
  • Graduate in as few as 2 years (4 semesters) for full-time students; 3 to 6 years for part-time students
  • The program always starts in the fall semester. Students cannot begin the program in the spring and courses are not offered in the summer
  • Students may declare a second concentration or choose any graduate-level translation-related course in the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies or other departments as appropriate and with prior approval from the graduate coordinator or from an advisor

MBA/MA Dual Degree Program Structure

  • 61 minimum total credit hours
  • Study abroad opportunity
  • Dual degree requires a total of 61 to 64 credit hours

Online minors are available.

Translation Graduate Admissions Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
  • Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale
  • Official transcript(s)
  • Goal statement
  • A CD or MP3/wav file with a five-minute oral sample in the applicant’s first and second languages (conversational, not read from a script)
  • Writing sample(s) in applicant’s second language1 which should be accompanied by a signed declaration that the sample is original work and that the applicant received no help in its preparation
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
    • Minimum 550 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
    • Minimum 79 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
    • Minimum 77 MELAB score
    • Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
    • Minimum 58 PTE score
    • Minimum 110 Duolingo English Test score

1International applicants should also submit a writing sample in English.

For more information about graduate admissions, please visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admission, visit the Office of Global Education’s admission website.

View Frequently Asked Questions

Important Dates

Jan
16
Classes Begin
Spring Semester
May
13
Classes Begin
Summer Semester
Aug
19
Classes Begin
Fall Semester

Translation Graduate Courses

Courses for the online MA in Translation include a core of practical and theoretical topics that prepare students to work as translators, localizers, terminologists, and project managers in the language industry. These include the study of multilingual documents, theories of translation and interpretation, project management, and software and computer terminology in multilingual contexts. Students will also select a language specific concentration—available languages are Arabic, French, German, Japanese, Russian and Spanish—and complete specialized translation practice courses in such fields as medicine, technology, commerce, and law. The exit course is a capstone project in their chosen language pair.

View All MA Course Requirements

Dual Degree Courses

Students pursuing the MBA/MA dual degree will complete a minimum of 61 total credit hours of coursework designed to prepare them for a management role in a global business context. Topics of study include business topics such as financial and managerial accounting, managerial economics, macroeconomic policy, law and ethics, operations and supply chain management, and business strategy in addition to the core translation and language-specific electives outlined above.

View MBA/MA Dual Degree Course Requirements

Translation Graduate Tuition and Fees

Ohio Residents

Per Credit Hour Per 3-Credit Course Approximate Tuition Cost
$571.90 $1,715.70

$20,600 part-time1

$12,500 full-time2

Non-Ohio Residents

Per Credit Hour Per 3-Credit Course Approximate Tuition Cost
$581.90 $1,745.70

$20,900 part-time3

$12,600-$12,700 full-time4

1The $571.90 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time Ohio resident graduate students taking fewer than 11 credit hours per semester.

2The flat-rate semester fee of $6,277.40 applies to full-time Ohio resident graduate students taking between 11-18 credit hours per semester.

3The $581.90 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time non-Ohio resident graduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking fewer than 11 credit hours per semester, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour.

4The flat-rate semester fee of $6,277.40applies to full-time non-Ohio resident graduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking between 11-18 credit hours, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour of actual credits taken each semester (between 11-18 semester credits or $110-$180).

The Software Localization course, TRST 60012, has a fee of $45. Students will not need to purchase any online software. They will be given access to a virtual machine with all the software needed.

An additional Distance Learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $15 per credit hour. Program tuition and costs are estimated and subject to change.

Actual tuition costs may vary based on a student’s chosen academic plan. For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs please contact the One Stop for Student Services at 330-672-6000, or via our website Contact Us link.

The total program costs are estimates and are not final or binding. Program costs are based on standard fees, but fees may vary based on the actual classes taken.  Kent State University disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance upon these program cost estimates by any person.  Program costs are subject to change without notice.

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Kent State University is the only institution in the U.S. to offer degrees in translation at all three levels - Bachelor of Science (on-campus), Master of Arts in Translation (Online), and Ph.D. in Translation Studies (on-campus). These programs are run through the Institute of Applied Linguistics.1

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