BA in Spanish Translation and Interpreting (Medical) Catalog Information
The BA in Spanish Translation and Interpreting is available effective 8/25/2025. The approved information below will be added to the next catalog publication.
Overview
The B.A. in Spanish Translation and Interpreting Medical track trains students to be qualified bilingual medical professionals with opportunities to develop professional experience. Emphasis is placed on managing bilingual doctor-patient communication in accordance with national ethical principles and standards of practice for interpreters in healthcare. There is a growing need for qualified medical interpreters and translators, and few programs that address this need. ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½¹ÙÍøÏÂÔØ's program provides the necessary language and medical interpreter training, requires each student to take a test to receive a state-wide qualification, and provides every student with 150 internship hours before graduation. The program provides students with the skills necessary to work as qualified bilingual medical professionals in hospital and clinical settings.
Marketable skills
- Incorporate emerging technologies to manage the doctor-patient relationship in Spanish and English in a variety of healthcare settings.
- Work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary medical team to increase cultural awareness of alternative medical practices, preventing bias, providing uniform quality health care, and ensuring patient safety.
- Apply ethical principles to provide bilingual leadership in promoting both patient and self-advocacy, cultural awareness, and social justice within the health care system.
Admissions
All applicants must meet the .
Degree requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 120
Major: 48 SCH
Required Minor: 18 SCH
Texas Core Curriculum
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I (10) | 3 | |
| Composition II (10) | 3 | |
| Mathematics (20) | 3 | |
| Life & Physical Sciences (30) | 6 | |
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture (40) | 3 | |
| Creative Arts (50) | 3 | |
| History of the United States, 1492-1865 (60) | 3 | |
| History of the United States, 1865 to the Present (60) | 3 | |
| U.S. National Government (70) | 3 | |
| Texas Government (70) | 3 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (80) | 3 | |
| CAO: Multicultural-Women's Studies (90) | 3 | |
| CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics (91) | 3 | |
| Total SCHs | 42 | |
Courses Required for Major
| Elementary Spanish I | 3 | |
| Elementary Spanish II | 3 | |
| Intermediate Spanish I | 3 | |
| Intermediate Spanish II | 3 | |
| or | Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Speakers | |
| Advanced Spanish Conversation | 3 | |
| or | Advanced Spanish for Heritage Speakers | |
| Advanced Grammar | 3 | |
| Spanish Composition | 3 | |
| Foundations of Translation | 3 | |
| Foundations of Interpreting | 3 | |
| Medical Translation and Interpreting I | 3 | |
| Latin American Women Writers and Filmmakers | 3 | |
| Spanish Linguistics | 3 | |
| Medical Translation and Interpreting II | 3 | |
| Latin American Literature, Film, and Culture | 3 | |
| Capstone in Spanish | 3 | |
| Internship | 3 | |
| Total SCHs | 48 | |
Minor
A minor with a minimum of 18 SCH is required. Students must select from the following .
- Health Psychology
- Child Development
- Early Childhood Intervention
- Family Studies
- English
- Clinical Applications Health Informatics
- Race and Ethnic Studies
- Health Studies
- Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies Minor
- Neuroscience
- Scientific Illustration
Electives
Students must complete 120 SCH of coursework. Depending on the minor selected, the remaining coursework is elective and should be selected in consultation with their advisor.
Proficiency Testing
Advanced-mid proficiency must be attained before taking the interpreting courses. Students must take a professional assessment that is approved by the program director before they can enroll in the internship course. Preference will be placed on a test that offers national certification in medical interpreting. Depending on their scores, students will be placed in an internship that fits their individual interpreting/translation abilities and career interests. Foundational coursework for the proficiency test includes , , , and .
Recommended plan of study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | TCCN | SCHs | |
| Elementary Spanish I | SPAN 1411 | 3 | |
| Composition I | ENGL 1301 | 3 | |
| Learning Frameworks: First-Year Seminar | EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 1300 | 1 | |
| History of the United States, 1492-1865 | HIST 1301 | 3 | |
| Life & Physical Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| Mathematics Core | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 16 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | SPAN 1412 | 3 | |
| Composition II | ENGL 1302 | 3 | |
| CAO: Women’s Studies | 3 | ||
| Language, Philosophy, & Culture Core | 3 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| Intermediate Spanish I | SPAN 2311 | 3 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| History of the United States, 1865 to the Present | HIST 1302 | 3 | |
| U.S. National Government | GOVT 2305 | 3 | |
| CAO: Wellness or Mathematics | 2 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 17 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
or |
Intermediate Spanish II or Intermediate Spanish for Heritage Speakers |
SPAN 2312 | 3 |
| Texas Government | GOVT 2306 | 3 | |
| Life & Physical Sciences Core | 3 | ||
| Creative Arts Core | 3 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
or |
Advanced Spanish Conversation or Advanced Spanish for Heritage Speakers |
3 | |
| Advanced Grammar | 3 | ||
| Foundations of Translation | 3 | ||
| Latin American Literature, Film, and Culture | 3 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| Spanish Composition | 3 | ||
| Foundations of Interpreting | 3 | ||
| Spanish Linguistics | 3 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | TCCN | ||
| Medical Translation and Interpreting I | 3 | ||
| Latin American Women Writers and Filmmakers | 3 | ||
| Capstone in Spanish | 3 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 15 | ||
| Spring | TCCN | ||
| Medical Translation and Interpreting II | 3 | ||
| Internship | 3 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| Minor/Elective | 3 | ||
| SCHs | 12 | ||
| Total SCHs: | 120 | ||
Page last updated 11:47 AM, November 5, 2025