logo image
  • News
    • People Moves
    • Deal Wins
    • Demand Drivers
    • M&A and Funding
    • Financial Results
    • Technology
    • Academia
    • Industry News
    • Features
    • Machine Translation
    • — Divider —
    • Slator Pro
    • — Divider —
    • Press Releases
    • Sponsored Content
  • Data & Research
    • Research Reports & Pro Guides
    • Language Industry Investor Map
    • Real-Time Charts of Listed LSPs
    • Language Service Provider Index
  • Podcasts & Videos
  • Events
    • SlatorCon Remote May 2021
    • Email Marketing for Freelance Linguists
    • Preparing for the Critical Google Update Coming in May 2021
    • — Divider —
    • SlatorCon Coverage
    • Other Events
  • Directory
  • RFP Center
  • Jobs
MENU
  • News
    • People Moves
    • Deal Wins
    • Demand Drivers
    • M&A and Funding
    • Financial Results
    • Technology
    • Academia
    • Industry News
    • Features
    • Machine Translation
    • — Divider —
    • Slator Pro
    • — Divider —
    • Press Releases
    • Sponsored Content
  • Data & Research
    • Research Reports & Pro Guides
    • Language Industry Investor Map
    • Real-Time Charts of Listed LSPs
    • Language Service Provider Index
  • Podcasts & Videos
  • Events
    • SlatorCon Remote May 2021
    • Email Marketing for Freelance Linguists
    • Preparing for the Critical Google Update Coming in May 2021
    • — Divider —
    • SlatorCon Coverage
    • Other Events
  • Directory
  • RFP Center
  • Jobs

Register For Email Marketing for Freelance Linguists and Learn How To Win New Clients.

  • Slator Market Intelligence
  • Slator Advertising Services
  • Slator Advisory
  • Login
Search
Generic filters
Exact matches only
Advertisement
Middlebury’s Localization Program Is Now a STEM Degree

2 years ago

February 15, 2019

Middlebury’s Localization Program Is Now a STEM Degree

Academia ·

by Gino Diño

On February 15, 2019

2 years ago
Academia ·

by Gino Diño

On February 15, 2019

Middlebury’s Localization Program Is Now a STEM Degree

Toward the end of January 2019, the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) shared the news about its Master of Arts in Translation and Localization Management (TLM) degree program being reclassified into a (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) STEM degree.

“The reclassification acknowledges that the TLM program requires high-level technical skills, including advanced computer skills and knowledge of programming languages,” program chair Max Troyer said in the article.

Along with the reclassification comes an extended Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, a period when international students can apply to remain in the US for one year to pursue a career in the language industry. As the program has been reclassified as a STEM degree, international students are now eligible for three years of OPT.

Advertisement

Technical Nature

Slator contacted Troyer for more details about the reclassification. He said, “I think this reflects the technical nature of managing localization projects, localization engineering, and internationalization engineering.”

Troyer said the program will stay under its Masters of Arts designation (as opposed to a Masters of Science), noting that Middlebury looked at what other schools did with their MA programs after being reclassified into STEM degrees — and “most kept the BA or MA,” he said.

Asked about changes within the program that led to the reclassification, Troyer said that, up until fall 2017, “all TLM students had a near-native level in their second language.” After that point, however, Middlebury started to accept students who were at a conversational level in their secondary language.

“The logic was that we were interested in recruiting those without degrees in language, such as  business administration, economics, science, computer science, etc.” Troyer said.

“Our program had become extremely technical; we cover two programming languages in depth”

“Our program had become extremely technical; we cover two programming languages in depth (Python and JavaScript), and students gain experience with Java, Objective C, PHP, and C#,” he explained.

“When the TLM program was created, the CIP (Classification of Instructional Programs) code we now use didn’t exist. So when we evaluated the program in 2017, we realized we needed a new CIP code because the vast majority of students were becoming project managers, qualified to handle technically challenging projects,” he said.

According to Troyer, “It’s true that, over time, our program became more technical, and that it was simply time to choose a new CIP code that better reflected the curriculum.”

He added that over the next three to five years, Middlebury will be “really amping up” in terms of adding material that falls within categories such as automation, data science, and artificial intelligence, ensuring the STEM classification is even more appropriate.

More Students Expected

Troyer said the extended OPT period is definitely an advantage for international students as, historically, most would take advantage of the opportunity. “I believe that the majority of international students will apply for the 24-month STEM extension,” he said.

Will reclassification attract more students in the long run? “I’m a little worried about this actually,” Troyer replied.

“For years, we had about 30 students per year; and, starting in 2017 with the redesign of our curriculum, we went up to about 60 incoming students. We did this again in 2018 and we’re on track for doing it again in 2019,” he said.

“It’s true that, over time, our program became more technical, and that it was simply time to choose a new CIP code that better reflected the curriculum.”

Troyer admitted, “With the STEM news, I’m nervous we might have up to 80 incoming students, and this would mean about five sections of each required course. We limit class sizes to 20 per section, and we have around 20 translation and interpretation students who are taking localization courses.”

Still, overall the move is good news. “American schools are, generally, relatively expensive compared to schools outside the US, so international students who invest in a masters in TLM at the Middlebury Institute are getting a little more value for their investment. Definitely a net gain!” Troyer concluded.

TAGS

javascriptlocalizationlocalization programMax TroyerMiddleburyMiddlebury Institute of International StudiesPythonstem
SHARE
Gino Diño

By Gino Diño

Content strategy expert and Online Editor for Slator; father, husband, gamer, writer―not necessarily in that order.

Advertisement

SUBSCRIBE TO THE SLATOR WEEKLY

Language Industry Intelligence
In Your Inbox. Every Friday

SUBSCRIBE

SlatorSweepSlatorPro
ResearchRFP CENTER

PUBLISH

PRESS RELEASEDIRECTORY LISTING
JOB ADEVENT LISTING

Bespoke advisory including speaking, briefings and M&A

SLATOR ADVISORY
Advertisement

Featured Reports

See all
Slator 2020 Language Industry M&A and Funding Report

Slator 2020 Language Industry M&A and Funding Report

by Slator

Slator 2021 Data-for-AI Market Report

Slator 2021 Data-for-AI Market Report

by Slator

Slator 2020 Medtech Translation and Localization Report

Slator 2020 Medtech Translation and Localization Report

by Slator

Pro Guide: Sales and Marketing for Language Service Providers

Pro Guide: Sales and Marketing for Language Service Providers

by Slator

Press Releases

See all
Marc Westray of Interpreters Unlimited Wins Rising Stars in Marketing Award

Marc Westray of Interpreters Unlimited Wins Rising Stars in Marketing Award

by Interpreters Unlimited

6CONNEX to Partner with Interprefy to Help Clients Host Large Scale Events in Any Language

6CONNEX to Partner with Interprefy to Help Clients Host Large Scale Events in Any Language

by Interprefy

BLEND Raises $10m to Fuel Global Growth with End-to-end Localization Services

BLEND Raises $10m to Fuel Global Growth with End-to-end Localization Services

by BLEND

Upcoming Events

See All
  1. Smartling - Global Ready Conference 2021

    Global Ready Conference

    by Smartling

    · April 14

    When you can't traverse the world, let the world come to you. Join our annual global event from home.

    More info FREE

Featured Companies

See all
Sunyu Transphere

Sunyu Transphere

Text United

Text United

Memsource

Memsource

Wordbank

Wordbank

Protranslating

Protranslating

Seprotec

Seprotec

Versacom

Versacom

Smartling

Smartling

XTM International

XTM International

Translators without Borders

Translators without Borders

STAR Group

STAR Group

memoQ Translation Technologies

memoQ Translation Technologies

Advertisement

Popular articles

Poland Rules on LSP Using Google Translate; Defines ‘Professional Translator’

Poland Rules on LSP Using Google Translate; Defines ‘Professional Translator’

by Marion Marking

The Slator 2021 Language Service Provider Index

The Slator 2021 Language Service Provider Index

by Slator

Behind the Scenes of the European Parliament’s Pivot to Remote Interpreting

Behind the Scenes of the European Parliament’s Pivot to Remote Interpreting

by Seyma Albarino

SlatorPod: The Weekly Language Industry Podcast

connect with us

footer logo

Slator makes business sense of the language services and technology market.

Our Company

  • Support
  • About us
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Subscribe to the Slator Weekly

Language Industry Intelligence
In Your Inbox. Every Friday

© 2021 Slator. All rights reserved.

Sign up to the Slator Weekly

Join over 13,500 subscribers and get the latest language industry intelligence every Friday

Your information will never be shared with third parties. No Spam.