Jupiterian Local
I'm not sure there's such a thing as a generic translator/interpreter degree. You probably want to get a degree in the language itself. So, get a German degree, and then go to a German university and get an English degree. That way, you can do German to English translation AND English to German translation!
edited 24th May '11 10:12:37 AM by NativeJovian
Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
OG Troper
I don't know about Germany, but in Finland translating pays peanuts, jussoyouknow.
the statement above is false
I was under the impression you studied the language, not a translator programme.
Zzzzzzzzzz
How well translation pays will depend mostly on how much demand there is for the combinations you can work with, modified by how many translators there are who can handle that pairing.
...if you don’t love you’re dead, and if you do, they’ll kill you for it.
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
The University in which I study (University of Eastern Finland) has a different program for translation studies and other language studies. So there's "English: Language and Culture" and "English: Language and Translation". When you apply and take the entrance exam, you choose one of those two (for whatever language you're doing; the structure's the same, I think), but it's pretty easy to switch later (assuming that you pass the exam) and some of the courses are shared, anyway.
People who don't pick translation almost universally study to become teachers. Since I'm not doing translation or pedagogy, I'm basically studying to become unemployed.
I suspect that the system is kind of similar in Germany: you apply to study the language and translation, so you would have to study "English: Language and Translation" (or the equivalent) if you were to go to Germany. Why would they have a line to study translation to or from German without specifying a target language? Sure, there might be some general translation theory you can study, but you're not getting a degree without specifying a language that you'll translate to or from.
Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
I am interested in working for a Bachelor's in either Translation or Interpretation and am currently studying German (B1 level), so it seems natural that I should go to a German university. (Low tuition fees helped the decision too)
However I have been unable to find any German universities that offer such courses or degrees. Are there any? If not, then which ones are there I can or should take that are the closest?