Do You Need English Degree to Become a Translator?

For Indonesians (or perhaps people all over the world in general) who want to become a translator, the inevitable question that comes up is whether or not you need a degree in English (either in Literature or Linguistics), which is understandable. Given that becoming a translator involves mastery over two languages, it’s understandable to think that you need a degree which at least showcases your capabilities in the foreign language that you are translating from and/or into.

Bearing that in mind, does having a degree in English is necessary to become a translator?

In a word: no. However, I do believe it can help in certain cases.

I have come across openings for translator position that specified the necessity for a degree in Englisg, but for the most part it’s not a must-have. The value in English major is really in the education and the network that you obtained in the degree, but even then, it’s something that can also be obtained elsewhere. There is a plenty of English courses that you can take without having English be your major and you can join a translator association if you want to network.

In fact, a senior translator that I’ve met actually said that when it comes getting a job as a translator, it’s better to be certified by your country’s translator association, rather than a degree or a TOEFL/IELTS score (though in the case of Australia, taking a certification exam does requires a translation degree from what I understand).

Moreover, it’s easier to get a translation job if you specialize in a field, such as medical and engineering. In my personal opinion, it’s easier getting a translation job if you hone your English skills outside of college while majoring in other fields such as medical and engineering.

In some cases, I’d say having a degree in English can be a bit of hindrance. Based on my (admittedly limited) research, clients generally look for people who can translate from a foreign language to their mother or native language. In my personal experience, given that I spent four years of college honing only my foreign language, I’m kind of in a disadvantage.

So yeah, that’s basically my two cents on the issue. Hopefully, it can help you plan out your future!