Any opinions on Hunter College's Interpretation/Translation Certificate Program? Thread poster: Lyandra
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Lyandra
United States
Local time: 02:04
French to English
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I've seen a number of posts regarding NYU's program,but nothing yet on Hunter College's. Has anyone studied there? Are the two schools comparable?
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Woodstock (X) 
Germany
Local time: 08:04
German to English
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| The Hunter College translation/interpretation | Aug 29, 2011 |
program appears to be limited to English/Spanish. I had never heard they had a program until you mentioned it, so maybe it is fairly new. In any event, Hunter is a part of the City University of NY, i.e. a state college, whereas NYU is private, so I would also assume there is a significant price difference. There is a very large Spanish-speaking population in New York, so it would make sense for them to specialize in that particular language pair. Just from glancing at the program, it also does... See more program appears to be limited to English/Spanish. I had never heard they had a program until you mentioned it, so maybe it is fairly new. In any event, Hunter is a part of the City University of NY, i.e. a state college, whereas NYU is private, so I would also assume there is a significant price difference. There is a very large Spanish-speaking population in New York, so it would make sense for them to specialize in that particular language pair. Just from glancing at the program, it also doesn't look as if you can do it online, but would have to live in New York - a hugely expensive undertaking: "The courses run at night from our convenient Manhattan location and the program can be completed in a year." In contrast, the NYU courses can be completed online, so that would be a significant factor in the decision you make. I also just read on the NYU website that they now offer an online M.S. in Translation, whereas the Hunter translation/interpretation program is part of their continuing education program and not a course ending in a degree.
I used to live in New York and went to grad school at NYU, albeit in another discipline altogether, but it certainly has a good reputation and name. Unfortunately, I can't say anything about differences in quality in the two translation programs, so i can't really answer your question specifically, only make a few general comments on a couple of pros and cons to consider. Certainly having to live in New York if you don't already would be a very big disadvantage of the Hunter program - a deal-breaker in my opinion. ▲ Collapse
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Lyandra
United States
Local time: 02:04
French to English
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TOPIC STARTER | I live in New York. | Aug 29, 2011 |
Thanks for trying to answer my question.
I already live and work in New York, so that's not a problem for me. Hunter is cheaper, but not so much so that the cost of tuition should be the main deciding factor. I'm planning to get a Master's degree elsewhere, so I don't necessarily need the prestige an NYU degree would give me; I'm just looking for a program that would give me a solid foundation and some marketable skills. I'm hoping someone on this forum might have studied there, or ... See more Thanks for trying to answer my question.
I already live and work in New York, so that's not a problem for me. Hunter is cheaper, but not so much so that the cost of tuition should be the main deciding factor. I'm planning to get a Master's degree elsewhere, so I don't necessarily need the prestige an NYU degree would give me; I'm just looking for a program that would give me a solid foundation and some marketable skills. I'm hoping someone on this forum might have studied there, or known someone who has... ▲ Collapse
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Woodstock (X)
Germany
Local time: 08:04
German to English
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| Then I have a couple of other suggestions | Aug 29, 2011 |
Your profile indicated you lived somewhere in the Midwest - Kansas to be exact - so that's why I answered as I did. Then, of course, there would be no re-location issue. However, if the Hunter program is fairly new (but I may be completely off-base here), it may be difficult to find people who have completed it. A couple of thoughts:
- Why don't you attend or organize a powwow in NY and see if people there have recommendations?
- Another step could be contacting the ATA and a... See more Your profile indicated you lived somewhere in the Midwest - Kansas to be exact - so that's why I answered as I did. Then, of course, there would be no re-location issue. However, if the Hunter program is fairly new (but I may be completely off-base here), it may be difficult to find people who have completed it. A couple of thoughts:
- Why don't you attend or organize a powwow in NY and see if people there have recommendations?
- Another step could be contacting the ATA and asking if they can (are permitted to) make any recommendations. On the other hand, a certification from the ATA would be worth more than any translation degree or certification, since the exams are reputed to be quite difficult and not cheap, so it really means something and is recognized worldwide.
- Another idea that occurred to me was just asking NYU and Hunter if you could audit a class or two on a trial basis, stating you are considering enrolling and then, if it is possible, comparing them yourself. That might be the most effective approach.
Good luck! ▲ Collapse
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Lyandra
United States
Local time: 02:04
French to English
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TOPIC STARTER | Thanks for your suggestions | Aug 31, 2011 |
Both NYU and Hunter are Institutional Members of ATA.
I'm going to Open House events at both schools this week to see which one will be best for me.
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| What did you decide? | Dec 27, 2011 |
Hi Lyandra,
I have been reading about both programs also. What did you decide?
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Lyandra
United States
Local time: 02:04
French to English
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TOPIC STARTER | Hunter or NYU | Jan 4, 2012 |
After attending both events, I decided that I preferred Hunter's approach: they had a very focused, professional point powerpoint presentation and well-designed handouts that made it clear what they were offering; a financial aid program; and they offered more than one class a week, which meant the courses would be finished more quickly. They did the entrance test right there, so I didn't have to make an appointment and waste time coming back later. And, they are significantly cheaper! I also li... See more After attending both events, I decided that I preferred Hunter's approach: they had a very focused, professional point powerpoint presentation and well-designed handouts that made it clear what they were offering; a financial aid program; and they offered more than one class a week, which meant the courses would be finished more quickly. They did the entrance test right there, so I didn't have to make an appointment and waste time coming back later. And, they are significantly cheaper! I also liked the classroom setup more in terms of the furniture and lighting.
The program at NYU has a longer history; maybe it offers more in-depth, theoretical knowledge... I don't know. When I asked why their program costs so much more, the answer was simply that the reputation of NYU is worth more. But, I don't know that the reputation of the school is all that important when you're talking about trying to become a medical interpreter. At the moment, there are still a lot of interpreters working in hospitals and courts without any sort of professional certificate, so just having one will give you a significant advantage--at least, until the national certification program rolls out completely. Although I'm sure having the NYU name will impress some people initially, I suspect it's more important to just develop your on reputation for excellence over time and make contacts--which I know Hunter will help with. (NYU might as well, but they didn't mention how they would do this in their presentation.)
So, for now, I've decided to just save some money and work on developing my own skills (see http://meetup.com/translation-study-group) so that I can be at the highest level possible when I do enter a program. If I do end up studying in the US, I'll probably go to Hunter. But, I'd prefer to spend the $5,000 on a $1,000/year professional program at a European University and get an actual Master's degree in Conference Interpretation, rather than just a certificate, and improve my languages through immersion at the same time. But, who knows? Maybe I won't. Conference interpreting may pay more, but there's definitely something attractive about being right in the thick of the action in the hospital and seeing how thankful people are that you are there to help them get through it! ▲ Collapse
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| What is your current status? | Mar 30, 2017 |
Lyandra,
Just wondering if you found your calling in Medical Interpreting?
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