Global Studies, BA / Translation & Interpreting Studies, MA BA, MA
Accelerated master’s degrees (AMDs) allow high-achieving students to begin graduate-level work before completion of the undergraduate degree. By double-counting some credits for both the bachelor’s and the master’s degree, students can earn both in five years total instead of the usual six.
The curriculum is quite structured in an AMD – specific classes need to be taken at specific times – so early planning is critical to be able to benefit from the time savings built into the program. Students should begin planning in their first year and be prepared to start at an advanced level of a language other than English that same year.
Students begin the program working on the undergraduate coursework needed for the bachelor’s degree. By the third year, students are taking advanced undergraduate coursework and some graduate coursework at the same time.
Admissions to the AMD will be determined at the start of junior year and is dependent upon meeting the normal criteria for graduate school admissions such as GPA. Students who aren’t admitted to the AMD can continue on in the undergraduate program to earn just the bachelor’s degree as long as they are in good academic standing.
You can read more about AMDs and our FAQ via the UWM Graduate School website.
Program Type
Accelerated Graduate
Program Format
On Campus
Advantages of an Accelerated Masters Degree:
- Cost Savings — finishing two degrees in five years instead of six saves one full year of tuition cost
- Time Savings — completing both degrees a year early gets you started in your career faster
- Boosted Salary — starting your career with a master’s degree can garner you a higher starting salary
- Rigorous Curriculum — the pace and courses are well-suited to gifted and advanced students
Overview
The accelerated graduate degree in Global Studies and Translation and Interpreting Studies (TIS) involves no forward-shared credits, and a maximum of 15 backward-shared credits.
Students opting for this program will begin their language study at UWM in semester five (at a minimum), and will have earned at least 14 retro credits for language study requirements at the first and/or second-year level.
Students may declare their interest in the proposed five-year Global Studies-Translation BA/MA to the Global Studies Academic Programs Coordinator or the Graduate Advisor in Translation as soon as they start at UWM, in which case particular efforts will be made to advise them in their choice of courses during their first three years.
Approved enrollment into graduate level coursework during an undergraduate career does not guarantee admission to graduate school as part of the Accelerated Graduate Degree. Per UWM Graduate School criteria, students must obtain a “B” or better in all courses taken at the graduate level that are to be counted toward a graduate degree.
Eligible and interested students must apply for admission to the Graduate School in the Translation and Interpreting Studies MA program no later than March 1st of their third year. They must take and pass the Translation Qualifying Exam as part of their application; it is recommended that the students take this exam in December of their third year, but must do so no later than May of their third year. This exam consists of a 200-250-word translation from the source to the target language and one 300-500-word essay in English. Beyond the English proficiency required by the Graduate School, the following are required: a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 83; TOEFL CBT score of 220; or IELTS score of 6.5.
Applications will be reviewed by the Translation and Interpreting Studies admissions panel.
Admission to the Translation and Interpreting Studies, MA is selective; acceptance into the accelerated program does not guarantee admission to the MA. Students who do not satisfactorily meet admissions criteria for Graduate School are eligible to continue with their bachelor’s degree, provided they continue to meet undergraduate standards.
Advancement to Major/Admission
Undergraduate Requirements
Interested students must meet with an academic advisor to determine eligibility for the accelerated graduate degree. If eligible, students must meet the minimum UWM Graduate School GPA requirements before taking any graduate (G) level courses as an undergraduate student.
The program is open to students who have:
- achieved junior status;
- declared the Global Studies BA/Global Communications Track
- a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.25 or better;
- a GPA of 3.5 or better in the courses counting towards the Global Studies BA (including their language courses); and
- completed at least 60 of their undergraduate credit hours and at least 21 of their Global Studies BA credit hours at UWM.
Graduate Admissions Requirements
To be considered for admission into Graduate School prior to completing the undergraduate degree, the student must meet the criteria for admission established by the TIS MA and the UWM Graduate School, and be in progress to complete 105 bachelor's credits prior to their first term as a graduate student.
In addition, they must:
- Submit a personal statement of goals, abilities, and reasons for pursuing the MA degree.
- Submit three letters of recommendation, two of which must be written by members of the faculty in the department of the emphasized language, and one of which must be written by the instructor of a GLOBAL area code course.
- Take and pass the Translation Qualifying Exam, which is a requirement for admission to the Translation concentration of the MA program. It is recommended that the students do so in early November of their junior year, but they must do so no later than May of their third year.
Double Counted Courses
This accelerated graduate degree involves the following bachelor's and master's degrees: Global Studies (Communications track), BA and Translation and Interpreting Studies, MA. There are no forward-shared credits and a maximum of 15 backward-shared credits for a total of 15 shared credits.
Eligible Forward-shared Courses
This accelerated program does not allow any forward-shared credits.
Eligible Backward-shared Courses
These courses fulfill Letters and Science elective requirements for the undergraduate degree. Courses to be considered for backward sharing include the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Courses approved for backward sharing | ||
| TRNSLTN 709 | Seminar in Literary and Cultural Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 710 | Comparative Systems for Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 726 | Computer-Assisted Translation | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 730 | Internship in Translation/Interpreting | 3 |
| TRNSLTN 820 | Translation Theory | 3 |
Advising for the AMD is provided from multiple sources at various times in the program. When a student first starts as a Global Studies major, faculty advising for the major will be provided by the undergraduate advisor in Global Studies and general advising will be provided by a Letters & Science college advisor. As a student progresses into the graduate level translation courses, faculty advising will be provided by a faculty member in the translation program and general advising will continue to be provided by a Letters & Science college advisor.
Letters & Science Advising
During your time at UWM, you may have multiple members of your success team, including advisors, peer mentors, and success coaches. Letters and Science students typically work with at least two different types of advisors as they pursue their degrees: professional College Advisors and Faculty Advisors. L&S College Advisors advise across your entire degree program while departmental Faculty Advisors focus on the major.
College Advisors are located in Holton Hall and serve as your primary advisor. They are your point person for your questions about navigating college and completing your degree. College Advisors will:
- assist you in defining your academic and life goals;
- help you create an educational plan that is consistent with those goals;
- assist you in understanding curriculum, major and degree requirements for graduation, as well as university policies and procedures;
- provide you with information about campus and community resources and refer you to those resources as appropriate; and
- monitor your progress toward graduation and completion of requirements.
Faculty Advisors mentor students in the major and assist them in maximizing their development in the program. You will begin working with a Faculty Advisor when you declare your major. Faculty Advisors are an important partner and will:
- help you understand major requirements and course offerings in the department;
- explain opportunities for internships and undergraduate research and guide you in obtaining those experiences; and
- serve as an excellent resource as you consider potential graduate programs and career paths in your field.
Students are encouraged to meet with both their College Advisor and Faculty Advisor at least once each semester. Appointments are available in-person, by phone or by video.
Currently enrolled students should use the Navigate360 website to make an appointment with your assigned advisor or call (414) 229-4654 if you do not currently have an assigned Letters & Science advisor. Prospective students who haven't enrolled in classes yet should call (414) 229-7711 or email let-sci@uwm.edu.
Students interested in this AMD typically aspire to be a translator, interpreter or other similar role in fields like government, private industry, communication, the arts, and social services and non-governmental agencies. While some of these jobs may be open to individuals with just a bachelor’s degree, most require a master’s degree, making this AMD particularly well-suited for these career paths.
Students are encouraged to supplement their classroom learning with experiential learning through relevant part-time jobs or internships. Experiential learning is built into the curriculum of the AMD but additional experiences will enhance a resume and better prepare students for their first professional job.