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Interested in learning more about Kent State’s online M.A in translation? We recently interviewed Dr. Loubna Bilali, an assistant professor of translation studies here at Kent State University.

In addition to teaching translation technology courses at Kent State, Dr. Bilali also earned both her Ph.D. and master’s degree in translation from KSU. As a professor and alumni of the program, she was able to provide some great insights for anyone considering the program!

Keep reading to learn more about the courses Dr. Bilali teaches, what makes the KSU program so unique, what it’s like working in localization, and much more!

1. Where is your expertise in the field?

My background and field of study and research are cross-disciplinary. My undergraduate studies were in English linguistics, while I have master’s degrees in translation and cross-cultural communication, as well as a Ph.D. in translation studies.

Within the field of translation, I specialize in localization. Localization is the linguistic and cultural adaptation of digital content (e.g., software, website, mobile applications, games, e-learning) to the requirements of a specific market. It takes into account the linguistic, cultural, technical, and legal expectations of the target audience in order to enable people to use products and services in their language.

That being said, my teaching is at the crossroads of disciplines such as linguistics, translation, communication, marketing, international business, software and web development, and user experience design. My research interests include:

• Localization training
• Terminology management
• Translation pedagogy
• Online education

My academic research focuses on localization training and particularly on ways to bridge the gap between academia and industry by expanding the scope of translation pedagogy and teaching beyond the classroom while developing interdisciplinary curricula that address the particularities and challenges of translation-related professions.

I believe that it is important for us, as educators, to raise awareness among our students about what the marketplace is looking for – the skills that are required – and to help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and situate themselves within the industry.

2. What courses do you teach in the program?

I teach the following translation technology courses in the M.A. in Translation program at Kent State:

• TRST 60009 Documents in Multilingual Contexts – This course offers an in-depth study of the principles, processes, and technologies involved in the document life cycle in a multilingual environment. The focus is on the different stages that documents undergo (from authoring, managing, and retrieval to translation, publishing and archiving), and the requirements, challenges, and tools that accompany each of these stages. The course consists of several modules and hands-on activities that address the impact of information technology on content creation and translation.
• TRST 60011 Terminology and Computer Applications in Translation – This course provides students with an introduction to translation technology and the software tools used in the translation industry as part of translation workflows. The course surveys the three main forms of translation technology: terminology management systems, translation memories, and machine translation.
• TRST 60012 Software Localization – This course provides students with an introduction to the principles, techniques, and best practices applied in the internationalization and localization of different types of digital content (i.e., software, websites, webpages, graphics, etc.). Localization has been a booming industry growing at an annual rate of 6.5%–7.5% and estimated to reach $45 billion by 2020, making localization practice and management a thriving field with excellent career prospects for students interested in language, culture, and technology.

3. What sets Kent State's Online M.A. in Translation program apart from similar programs at other schools?

Kent State has the most comprehensive translation studies program in the nation. The program includes a B.S., an M.A., and a Ph.D.

In particular, the M.A. in translation, which was established in 1988, is considered one of the leading university-based translation programs in the U.S. It is a professional degree that prepares students for different career paths in the language industry. Some of these career paths include:

• Project management
• Translation
• Language mediation
• Terminology management
• Localization engineering
• And more!

The program provides a well-rounded and cutting-edge curriculum that is market-oriented. It helps students become industry-ready, able to proactively navigate the labor market, and to keep abreast of current and projected market expectations.

The program’s coursework involves translation practice courses that cover areas of specialization including:

• Medical
• Technical
• Legal
• Commercial
• Literary and cultural translation

The technology track involves courses on document and product development cycles, terminology management, computer-assisted translation tools, software, and web localization. Additionally, students receive training on current trends in theory and research, intercultural communication, and project management in the language industry.

Overall, the depth and breadth of the program's offerings equip students with the central concepts and metalanguage used in the field of translation practice and translation technology. In our program, students become familiar with formal standards and articulated best practices for creating, maintaining, and sharing the resources produced by translation technology.

In addition to introducing important theoretical perspectives and principles, the coursework provides experience in contemporary translation technology practice by allowing students to use up-to-date translation tools to apply the concepts and principles they have learned to create termbases, translation memories, post-edit machine translations, as well as produce a panoply of content types for different channels of publication.

4. What makes the fields of translation and localization such exciting prospects for the future?

The idea behind localization is not completely new. As Donna Parish points out, “artists, traders, marketers and missionaries realized hundreds of years ago that their products and ideas sold better if they were adapted to the expectations, culture, language, and needs of the potential customers.”

Enabling multilingual communication is at the core of our training of translators and localization practitioners. The language service industry evolved as a response to companies’ need to expand their activity by crossing geographic borders and entering new markets. The industry has developed tools, processes, and technologies to help people communicate across linguistic and cultural barriers.

Essentially, the driving forces behind our industry have been globalization and immigration. This multibillion-dollar language industry is growing at an annual rate of 6.5% and is estimated to reach $56 billion by 2021. A report by the Centre for Next Generation Localization places language services as the fourth fastest-growing industry in the United States. By the same token, employment of interpreters and translators in the United States is projected to grow 19% by 2028 according to the .

What we do in the language industry matters because the world runs on clear and accurate communication. That’s what we all strive to achieve. Commercially, we help provide multilingual content to engage global customers for profit. Humanly, we help to give access to information and a voice to communities. Intellectually, we enable the exchange and transfer of talents, knowledge, and experiences.

Learn More ��è����Ƶ Earning Your M.A. in Translation at Kent State

To learn more about Kent State University’s online M.A. in Translation, reach out to our team today!