A students' Needs-analysis Study of Translation Studies Curriculum offered at Master’s level in Iranian Universities

Subject Areas : Research in English Language Pedagogy

Navid Nasrollahi Shahri ¹ ( Ferdowsi university of Mashhad )
Zahra Barzakhi Farimani ² ( Ferdowsi university of Mashhad )

Received: 2016-03-13 Accepted : 2016-07-01 Published : 2016-07-01

Keywords: Translation Studies, Curriculum Research, curriculum renewal, Needs analysis,

Abstract :

This study aimed to investigate the program of Translation Studies, offered in Iranian universities at the level of Master, in terms of its curriculum through a needs analysis model offered by Altschuld and Witkin (1995). To do so, after a review of the related literature and conducting a documentary analysis, the researchers chose to look at the issue from different perspectives. Current instructors, professionals who are involved in the business of translation and a number of graduated students were interviewed so as to gather enough data to design a questionnaire, which constitutes the backbone of the study. Since the study aimed at students’ perception, the survey was conducted on students of Translation Studies program, which was based on the interviews with instructors, graduates of the program and the professionals working in the market. Afterward, the questionnaire data were gathered and, subsequently, went under statistical procedures. Based on the results, the researchers came up with practical recommendations for curriculum renewal, based on the needs-analysis model adopted. As this study has adopted a triangulation approach to investigate the curriculum, the results and recommendations, although limited, can be of great use to educators, curriculum developers and translator trainers in particular.

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