The MFA in Writing Program offers you the opportunity to enhance your facility with both a foreign language and your own language by exploring and practicing the art of translation. Our faculty and visiting translators offer translation workshops, panels, and lectures that are open to all students, not just those who intend to pursue an MFA with a concentration in translation or who are proficient in another language. The study and practice of translation is valuable for all students regardless of the level of their knowledge of another language, and we will introduce you to various approaches, ranging from adaptation to imitation to more literal translation. We at VCFA believe that developing a practitioner’s grasp of translation leads not only to a deeper understanding of other writers and other approaches to writing, but also to better writing in your own language.

And where better to study translation than at one of VCFA’s summer residency alternatives in Slovenia? In Slovenia students meet with Slovene and other European writers as well as have the opportunity to participate in translation workshops and/or talks.

THE CONCENTRATION IN TRANSLATION

If you are interested in a career as a literary translator, or simply want to continue improving your own writing through the practice of translation, we offer a special concentration in translation. Students who are majoring in poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction can add translation as an area of concentration by taking an additional semester of study with an advisor who is both a writer and translator. These students will participate in translation workshops and panel discussions, as well as complete a translation project. Postgraduate students may also choose to earn a Concentration in Translation. See attached guidelines for the Concentration in Translation for further details.

TRANSLATION FACULTY AND VISITING TRANSLATORS

Our current translation faculty includes Ralph Angel, Jody Gladding, Rigoberto González, Rick Jackson, Jess Row, Natasha Saje and Leslie Ullman. Our visiting translators have included Cecilia Vicuña, Evan Fallenberg, David Ferry, David Hinton, Dan Jaffe, Alexis Levitin, Erin Moure, Laima Sruoginis, and Jeffrey Thomson.