Query: Spetskurs

[Edward M Dumanis]

I second Maryna Vinarska that it is neither independent nor elective
course.
I have always translated it as 'Topics in [the name of the subject].'

Sincerely,

Edward Dumanis <dumanis at buffalo.edu>



On Mon, 1 May 2006, Maryna Vinarska wrote:

> "Paul B. Gallagher" <paulbg at PBG-TRANSLATIONS.COM> wrote: And would "Spetskurs po chemu-to" 
> («Спецкурс по такому-то направлению (такой-то теме)») be "Independent 
> Study in Such-and-Such Area/Topic"?
> 
> ...........................................I wouldn't translate it like this. It is not smth like an independent study in American universities. The best is to translate it literally unless you can invent smth in English stating that the focus of that course was on this and that.
> I don't remember where the English translations of my transcripts are, but in one German translation, made by a certified translator, I have the following: Sprachlicher Spezialkurs and  Spezialkurs: fremdsprachige Literatur. Why not translate it in a similar manner into English? 
> 
> That what Svetlana Grenier said about our "spezkursy" is true for Ukraine as well. At least up to 91. "Spez" meant that the focus was on smth particular.
> 
> However, I wouldn't translate it as "an elective" either. An elective course in American universities means that it is up to you what class you choose. There was nothing like this in our universities. The program was one and the same for everybody. You couldn't avoid those "spezkursy". They were as obligatoty as all the other courses you _had_ to take. 
> 
> Regards,
> MV
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 		
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