Course Descriptions Translation
Translation of syllabi and course descriptions for course-by-course evaluations, transfer credit and professional licensing, with hours and credits kept as stated.
The short answer
Course descriptions are needed when an evaluator, university or licensing board decides course by course whether foreign study matches US requirements. They are long, so ask first whether they are required. Credits and hours are translated as stated, never converted: in the European system, 60 ECTS credits equal one full-time year, and the receiving institution does any conversion.
A transcript lists courses and grades. A course description says what was taught, for how many hours, and how it was assessed. When a US evaluator or university has to decide whether "Analysis II" equals "Calculus II", or a licensing board checks that a nursing programme included enough clinical hours, it reads the course descriptions.
Rules that apply
Each rule links to its source. Checked 4 November 2026. Confirm with the office that will receive your documents.
| Rule | Source |
|---|---|
| In the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, 60 credits correspond to a full-time academic year, with one credit typically 25 to 30 hours of work. | European Commission, ECTS |
| WES requires word-for-word translations of non-English academic documents from the institution or a certified translation service. | WES, Translation requirements |
| ECE requires translations of documents not in English. | ECE, FAQs |
| NYSED's Office of the Professions requires a qualified translation of non-English education documents for licensure. | NYSED Office of the Professions, General information and policies |
| Universities set their own translation rules for transfer credit; CUNY's guidelines describe an official translation. | City College of New York (CUNY), Translation of documents |
Typical length and price
Typical length: about 150–500 words per course (about 1–2 pages of 250 words).
Estimated price into English at that length: $39.00–$68.00 per file, certificate of accuracy included.
These figures are our estimates for a typical document of this type, not averages of past orders. Upload yours for an exact word count and price.
Ask before translating
Course descriptions can run to dozens of pages per degree, so translating them is a real cost. Many evaluations do not need them. Ask the evaluator, university or board three questions: are course descriptions required, for which courses (all, or only those in your major), and do they accept the school's own English version if one exists? Some universities publish official English module handbooks; if yours does, that may be all you need.
What we translate
- Course title, literally, with the original in brackets.
- Credits and hours exactly as stated: ECTS credits, contact hours, lecture, seminar and lab hours, clinical or practical hours.
- Content and learning outcomes, in full.
- Assessment methods (written exam, oral exam, project, practical) and prerequisites.
- Reading lists: titles of foreign-language books are given in the original with a translation in brackets; authors and publishers are left as they are.
Credits are not converted
Converting ECTS credits, hours or local units to US semester credits is the receiving institution's decision. Different universities use different conversions, and a translation that converts credits can be rejected or, worse, mislead. We translate what the document says and leave conversion to the evaluator.
Licensing boards
Nursing, physical therapy, engineering and teaching boards check that a foreign programme covered required subjects and hours. They often want descriptions of specific courses (for example, clinical rotations or laboratory hours), sometimes sent directly from the school. Check whether the board accepts translations you submit or wants them sent by the translator or school.
Consistency with the transcript
Course titles in the descriptions must match the titles on the translated transcript, or the evaluator cannot match them. If we translated your transcript, we use the same titles; if someone else did, send that translation and we follow it.
Module handbooks and catalogues
European universities often publish a module handbook (Modulhandbuch, guía docente) for each programme, with every module's credits, hours, content and assessment. If yours exists for the years you studied, it is the best source document: official, complete and consistent. Ask your university for the version that applied when you were enrolled, since content and credits change between years.
Partial translations
If the recipient only needs certain courses, we translate those descriptions in full and the cover page of the handbook, and the certificate states which courses were translated. That is usually much cheaper than translating a whole catalogue.
Nursing and health programmes
Nursing boards and credentialing organisations look closely at theory and clinical hours by subject: medical-surgical, maternal and child health, psychiatric, community health. Course descriptions for these programmes should show the hours for each, separated into theory and clinical practice if the original does. We keep those figures exactly and in the same table layout, so the reviewer can add them up against US requirements.
Course codes and module numbers are kept exactly, so each description can be matched to its line on the transcript.
What we need from you
- The descriptions or syllabi, and which courses the recipient wants.
- Your translated transcript, so course titles match.
- The recipient's instructions (evaluator, university or board).
How it works
- Upload the document. The quote tool counts the words and prices the job before you commit to anything.
- Translation. The whole document - every page, stamp, seal and annotation - with the layout kept close enough to the original that a reviewer can read the two side by side.
- Certification. A State Court Certified Translator signs the certificate of accuracy.
- Delivery. A print-ready PDF by email, typically within 24 hours. Notarization, an apostille or mailed hard copies are added here if you need them.
Turnaround
Standard turnaround is 24 hours. Expedited service is +50% for 6-8 hours and +100% for 1-3 hours. Tell us your deadline when you order.
Pricing Information
$39 for the first 250 words into English ($49 into any other language), then $0.116 per word. Each file is priced on its own, and the signed certificate of accuracy is included. Notarization, if a body asks for it, is $19.
Get Started Today
Professional Course Descriptions translation services with fast turnaround and certified accuracy.
Get Free Quote Contact UsWho asks for it
Related Documents
Ready to Get Your Course Descriptions Translated?
Fast, accurate, and certified translation services you can trust.