Bachelor of Arts In English Language and Translation

Our English language and translation program at AAU will prepare you for a promising career as a professional translator and interpreter into and out of English and Arabic in areas specific to national and international job market needs. The program will help you develop the highest standard skills in English and Arabic translation and interpreting and will introduce you to state-of-the art approaches and theories required from translators and interpreters in various professional contexts such as business, science, court and legal, journalism, travel and tourism. In order to graduate, students need to successfully complete a total of 120 credit hours. Students study General University Education courses (33 CR.H.), compulsory college requirements (15 CR.H.), compulsory core courses (42 CR.H.), compulsory professional courses (24 CR.H.),and elective courses (6 CR.H.).
The study plan is divided into 8 semesters (Fall and Spring). The suggested study plan does not include summer semesters which are optional for students and this means that if they do decide to study in the summer, students will be able to graduate in less than 4 years. During the final semester of study, the student are required to practice in the local translation centers. As stated in the course description for the Practicum (Clinical Practice), “This course is designed to provide the candidates (trainees) with supervised practical experience in translating all types of texts through spending full semester training in one of the local agency or agencies. During the course, the candidates are expected to demonstrate mastery of all standards that have been learnt and adopted in the program. Candidates will work in teams or individually to complete different practicum activities set out in the course with the guidance of the course instructor. Candidates are also expected to learn how to integrate the use of Computer Assisted Translation CAT tools to simulate the professional practice in the industry and to manage the resources and data. The course is best suited for students who have accomplished the theoretical credits as it will require a good understanding of the translation process, workflows, and the practicality of translation theories and strategies..”
The evaluation of students occurs in many contexts. This is done through exams, quizzes, homework assignments, projects and class participation. These tools are used to determine how well each student meets the outcomes of each course, and they complement each other in order to provide the grade given to each student. The Program requires a minimum GPA of 2.0 out of 4.0 in order for any student to graduate. Some of these instruments used to reach decisions intended to improve the program and its outcomes include presentations, mid-term and final exams, projects, quizzes, term papers, and practicum.