Finding a suitable
Spanish translation program

One of the ways to train for a career as a Spanish translator is to enroll in a Spanish translation program. Spanish translation programs are different than traditional study abroad programs and Spanish language schools for learning Spanish.

It used to be that translation programs were not very common, and the ones that were available were usually located at far off universities with big budgets to support a translation program.

However, with a strong increase in the global marketplace, other universities, colleges, and educational programs are sprouting up, all with the goal of training translators and interpreters to meet the growing global demand.

With the growing number of programs available, there are more options for you to choose from. That way you can better decide what will work best for you. When looking for a Spanish translation program in which to enroll, you should be sure and keep in mind some important bits of information.

Level of Commitment
You should first decide on how much time you have to devote to Spanish translation studies. Most people are pretty busy these days (chances are you are too!). You'll have to find time in your schedule to not only go to class, but to also do homework and outside practice.

If you're looking for a Spanish translation program that offers a traditional university degree, you should already be expecting a fair amount of time commitment and this shouldn't be a concern for you.

Level of training
Another item to consider when choosing a Spanish translation program is the level of training offered through the program. One pretty big distinction is whether you're looking for specialized translation training, or general translation training.

If you're just starting out in the translation business, it's probably a good idea to look for the general training programs. However, if you're already an old pro at the translation field, you might want to look for a program that can increase your knowledge in a key area or specialization.

(You should make sure that when choosing a Spanish translation program, you don't accidently sign up for a program on interpretation. That is an entirely different skill from translation.)

Also, keep in mind that some universities offer translation programs that might not necessarily be for Spanish (or any language in particular). I'd stick to the ones that can help you in the languages you most work with (English and Spanish in this case).

Type of training
A final thing to think about regarding the various Spanish translation programs available is the types of classes and/or curriculum offered. Part of training to be a translator is finding your translation voice or learning the difference between Spanish word translation and other types.

Also, you should ask yourself some of the following questions:

Does the program offer classes specifically geared toward your interest or specialization? What kinds of actual translation work do they give you? Translation skill is best obtained by practice. Make sure they give you enough of it. Do they go beyond actual translation skill and offer advice on how to improve your freelance translation business? This might not be of interest to you, but for those just starting out, you can get invaluable insight about the translation field from those who've gone before you. (Hopefully this site can help you along the way as well!)

Make sure that you thoroughly check out any Spanish translation program before you sign up so that you know exactly what you'll be getting. Oh, yeah, one more thing: study hard!

In the meantime, here is some resources regarding the Spanish language, like a list of Spanish words good for use as a dictionary or study list.

P.S. Here is a good list of Spanish translation programs by BeTranslated (as well as other language translation programs) which are offered around the world.