Abschlusszeugnis

English translation: Certificate of Studies

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Abschlusszeugnis
English translation:Certificate of Studies
Entered by: British Diana

11:20 Feb 9, 2014
German to English translations [PRO]
Education / Pedagogy / Qualifications certificate / transcript
German term or phrase: Abschlusszeugnis
Context: A document issued by the ‘Letteverein’ in Berlin. This is described as a ‘Berufsfachchule für Foto-, Grafik- und Modedesign’.
The student completed a 3-year course and came out with a qualification that translates as ‘Nationally Certified Graphic Designer’.
The problem is that my client wants me to translate ‘Abschlusszeugnis’ as ‘Degree Certificate’, whereas I originally translated it as ‘Diploma’. I would like to make her happy, as she wants to apply for a master’s degree at a U.K. university, but I am a little uneasy and would like a few opinions.
Anne Bitton
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:16
Leaving Certificate
Explanation:
Basically I think you must translate this as neutrally as possible. It is more AE to call things graduation or diplomas.

Probably your client will have difficulty having her qualifications recognised as being equivalent to a BA. Yorkshireman has given us some info on this.
However, there is no way you can help by "interpreting" them more favourably than they really are, so it is better to give a correct translation.
Selected response from:

British Diana
Germany
Local time: 16:16
Grading comment
Thanks British Diana. In the end I contacted the establishment and they confirmed that they translate it as 'Certificate of Studies'. Therefore I think that your option is the closest.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1Vocational degree
Lirka
4Graduate in xxx, yyy and zzz from the Letteverein....
Yorkshireman
3 +1Graduation certificate
Wendy Lewin
4Leaving Certificate
British Diana
3Vocational Certificate
Dhananjay Rau


Discussion entries: 12





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Graduate in xxx, yyy and zzz from the Letteverein....


Explanation:
Graduate in Graphic Design from the Letteverein, Berlin, State Certified Graphic Designer.

All one, but sounds like two diplomas :-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2014-02-09 12:44:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The official take on this is that a "Berufsfachschulabschluss" is a

Level 5 Certificate
(NFQ Level 5)

Which doesn't sound at all impressive.

Source: http://www.qualrec.ie/germany-training2.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2014-02-09 12:52:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry, it now sounds even worse - that was an Irish qualification that is equivalent to NVQ Level 3 in the UK

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Vocational_Qualificati...

More or less quivalent to what used to be "City & Guilds"

Yorkshireman
Germany
Local time: 16:16
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  British Diana: Don't really think this is graduating in UK
5 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Graduation certificate


Explanation:
avoids the issue beautifully!

Wendy Lewin
United Kingdom
Local time: 15:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  British Diana: I don't think you can call this graduating in UK
2 hrs

agree  philgoddard: It's a three-year course, so it must be a degree.
2 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Vocational degree


Explanation:
Well...this is actually a vocational degree since Berufschule is Vocational school. I'm not sure if your client will be happy with this, but if she isn't, she should have thought about it before, perhaps. Everyone has a chance to go to university in Europe.

Between Berufschule and Uni, there also FH (Fachhochschule), so in essence, Berufschule is the "lowest" level.

Perhaps the above is a good solution since she gets her "degree" and you're not falsifying her educational level either.

Lirka
Austria
Local time: 16:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 68

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Eleanore Strauss
2 days 5 hrs
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Leaving Certificate


Explanation:
Basically I think you must translate this as neutrally as possible. It is more AE to call things graduation or diplomas.

Probably your client will have difficulty having her qualifications recognised as being equivalent to a BA. Yorkshireman has given us some info on this.
However, there is no way you can help by "interpreting" them more favourably than they really are, so it is better to give a correct translation.

British Diana
Germany
Local time: 16:16
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 36
Grading comment
Thanks British Diana. In the end I contacted the establishment and they confirmed that they translate it as 'Certificate of Studies'. Therefore I think that your option is the closest.
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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Vocational Certificate


Explanation:
I don't think there is an exact transation for this because of the differences in educational/vocational training systems in Germany and the UK. It is certainly not a degree. Neither is it a graduation. "Leaving certificate sounds too much like a school leaving certificate.

Dhananjay Rau
India
Local time: 20:46
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4
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