Job Discussion Forums

[matttheboy]

Hi,

Nothing to do with teaching but i'm translating my girlfriend's CV and i have no idea how to translate her degree or what she calls herself as a graduate.

Her degree is Ingeniero Comercial and she is an Ingeniero Comercial. It obviously translates as Commercial Engineer(ing) but this is not a degree or job title in English. I'm thinking of putting Business Admin or Management Studies but both seem a bit flaky and not worthy of describing a 5 year degree at one of Santiago's best uni's. And what does she call herself? I guess in English we'd say "a graduate in business studies (for example)". Any thoughts?

Many thanks,

Matt

[vivaBarca]

Matt -

In the U.S. if you graduate from an undergraduate (4 year) program in business, you graduate with a BBA - Bachelors in Business Administration. The graduate program (2 years) is the MBA program - Master's in Business administration. As far as what a graduate of either program would be called...hmm, that's a good question. Alot of my friends just received their BBA and my brother is one year away from his MBA, but I'd be hard pressed to glean a sufficient title from them, in regards to their degree. Honestly, most of them just refer to themselves as "MBAs" or a "BBAs. " Looking at the resume of an undergraduate business major, you're quite likely to see simply "Bachelor in Business Administration" listed for a title. So, maybe something like Business Administrator or Management Administrator, etc. could be acceptable to any prospective employer of your girlfriend on the basis that it is similar to any title of BBA or MBA-awarded students in the U.S. I hope this doesn't confuse you too much...I tried!

[matttheboy]

Ha ha, no you didn't confuse me. It's similar in england. I've got a Ba(Hons) in Management Studies and i would say that if someone asked me. Our degrees don't carry job titles either so i guess that's how i'm going to write it on the CV. But i still can't think of a particularly suitable degree title. Ingenerio Comercial seems to be a Chilean thing. Other Spanish speakers understand pretty much what it is but it's not a degree title in Argentina, for example. She didn't do an MA but her degree was a 5 year course (also a Chilean thing) so just putting BA Business Admin seems...well not particularly impressive when you consider the amount of time spent on the degree. If you see what i mean.

[ls650]

[Justin Trullinger]

Hola Matt,
Latin Americans love to bestow titles, whereas in the US or Europe, first degrees in most subjects don't carry a title. Her degree is a business degree, roughly equivalent to the BBA previously mentioned. I agree that the best thing to do is use the Spanish degree name, with information about course length, subject matter, and anything else that makes it clearer.


Regards,
Justin

PS Isn't your girlfriend actually an
ingeniera comercial? I don't meant to pry...

[matttheboy]

[Justin Trullinger]

I thought maybe you were trying to tell us something. LOL But, you do have more experience with chile�as than I do, and I wouldn't cross her on her own language either. Only leads to grief...but most places I've been, that's a title that gets gendered, like Doctora, Licenciada, etc. Still, she would know...

Take care,
Justin

[moonraven]

Matt:

That degree, I believe, usually carries with it a "mention" in Finance or Business Administration. You might ask your friend what he area of specialty is.

[matttheboy]

[moonraven]

I think you did fine.

Those degrees also exist in Spain.

Chilenos never wanted independence from the "mother country" anyway. This is just another indicator.

[evansmith]

Matt, as far as I know, a "mencion" in a Latin American U. refers to what in the U.S is called an "option." My best traslation for your girlfriend would be "Business with an option in administration and focus in finance." But that also sounds odd in U.S. terms..."Business Administration with an option in Finance" sounds ok though.

[moonraven]

"Mencion"refers to what in the US system would be called a "minor", not an option".

[evansmith]

Not true. At least not in all cases. I have been looking into masters programs at a university in Chile and they offer a "Magister en Comunicacion Social" with 3 possible "menciones." The entire curriculum for the masters program changes depending on which mencion you choose. That is not a minor. And if that were the case, you would get a "Masters with a minor in...." And while I have heard of this being possible, it is the exception rather than the rule.

[matttheboy]

Cheers Evan, we`re going to stick with `Minor`as it sounds, well, a little more formal than `Option`. I`m translating the CV into English to be used in Argentina actually so a little bending of the truth or misrepresentation will most likely be rewarded

[snielz]

I think the word most commonly used in NA English would be "concentration". I have many friends who studied, for example, Public Health with a concentration in womens issues or Business with a concentration in Finance.