Is the M.A. English Translation Curriculum Effective for Employers?

Abstract

The current master's curriculum of English Translation in Iranian universities has not met the demands of the society for which it was developed and the translation employers complain that some essential skills are not included in the curriculum. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of current curriculum for M.A. English Translation Studies in Iranian universities regarding the employers’ perspectives in order to find its deficiencies and to propose some recommendations to make the curriculum compatible with market needs. To this end, a quantitative research method was used for this purpose. Data were collected by using “Translation skills and competences” questionnaire. The questionnaire was administrated to 30 experienced translation employers. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results revealed to update the curriculum some practical courses are necessary to be included in the curriculum including advanced writing in English and Persian language, bilingual editing skills, marketing skills, translation aided technology, and interpretation.