An Overview of Arabic Translation and Interpreting Programs in Turkish Higher Education

Although the history of translation is almost as old as the history of humankind, it was not until the second half of the twentieth century that translation studies were recognized as an independent discipline. Perhaps due to this fact, translation and interpreting programs at the higher education level started to be introduced in Turkey in the 1980s. These programs were English translation and interpreting programs. The first program to train Arabic translators and interpreters was opened at Kırıkkale University in 2011 and remained the only program in its field until 2017. Between 2017 and 2023, nine more Arabic translation and interpreting programs, six at public universities and three at private universities, started actively admitting students. In this study, Arabic translation and interpreting programs in Turkey are examined from various angles. At the end of the study, it was concluded that the demand for the departments at state universities was higher, the students with the highest scores preferred Istanbul University. Interpreter and translator students scored an average of forty-two points in the eighty-question foreign language exam and there were an average of 3.8 faculty members in these programs. Eight faculty members work in these programs and the students who are admitted to them are mostly placed in universities in their home cities. The total capacity of the programs is sufficient and, although there is no unity in the curriculum of the programs, similar courses are offered in different classes. The programs focus on language skills for the first two years and, subsequently, focus on translation-oriented courses. At the end of the study, we make some suggestions for translation and interpreting programs by making associations with the findings of the related literature.