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responsabilité patrimoniale
bords (here)
Aug 28, 2018 14:40
5 yrs ago
22 viewers *
French term

cycle de graduat

French to English Social Sciences Education / Pedagogy
What would be the equivalent in the North American or European education system for the "cycle de graduat" in the Congo?

The phrase in my document is: "La professionnalisation de l’enseignement par le prolongement du cycle de graduat en 3 ans pour les universités (1976)"

I have read this about the different "cycles" in their education system: La Faculte a vu le jour en 1959 et organise ses enseignements en trois cycles (graduat, licence et doctorat) via six départements :

So I understand that the 'graduat' is a degree/diploma one level below a Bachelor's degree. Is this correct? And is it necessarily a vocational diploma? Eurodicautom gives "higher vocational diploma" as the translation for "diplôme de graduat".

Higher vocational program? Higher vocational degree?
Proposed translations (English)
4 Undergraduate studies
3 Higher education course
References
First undergraduate degree

Discussion

Nikki Scott-Despaigne Sep 1, 2018:
/ctd (post hors sujet for the RDC, but for ex.) In European contexts, a course description of content and so on, is supplied when you receive your certificate, sometimes one year later (France!) in which the French system is described. The rules and regulations for those official descriptions set out what is to be complied with in terms of the titles of courses and diplomas; the requirement is not to translate those terms and to leave them in the source language. A translator is not qualified to assess a level of education attained in one country, so it is only logical that a translator is absolutely not qualified to do so by way of comparison between two states.

Currently studying and training to become a clinical psychologist in France, which requires 5 years of study after the baccalauréat, I have heard a couple of students here say that once qualified in France, they will go and work as a psychologist in the UK for a couple of years. To practise as a clinical psychologist in the UK, a 5-year post-bac level of study is insufficient; a PhD is generally required. This type of misunderstanding of the LMD system is common. Each state retains its own prof. entry criteria and it starts with equivalences. Nothing is automatic.
Nikki Scott-Despaigne Sep 1, 2018:
Translators are not equiv. commissions Translations of diplomas etc. are generally being asked in order for the client to submit an application to an overseas school/uni. The foreign school/uni decide the level for itself, compared to its own references. It is important to bear that in mind as a translator, we cannot and should not stand in the shoes of an equivalence board and decide that a particular diploma/qualification in country X is the equivalent of a specific level of study in country B. Just always remember that the very reason you are translating the document at all, is because a commission elsewhere wishes to makes its own decision. ;-) In Europe, with the LMD system, for example, although there is a harmonisation of the first official level being after 3 years of successful study in higher education, having a "licence" in France does in no way automatically entitle its holder to say they have a "bachelor's degree" equivalent for the UK, for example. The overseas school/uni will look into each application and decide - on its own criteria - whether the application meets the standards it requires.
To be continued/...
Laura Molinari (asker) Aug 28, 2018:
DRC Yes, DRC. It is mentioned in the question
Francois Boye Aug 28, 2018:
You are talking about DRC, aren't you?

Proposed translations

3 hrs

Higher education course

According to the information I found doing some research, the 'cycle de graduat' duration is longer in your source text because it usually takes 2 years long and in some universities it is equivalent to a bachelor's degree. Although most of the universities consider it a higher education degree, similar to a Bachelor's degree in the US, it seems to be slightly different. They have a different system of education, so I think it is better to translate it as a general higher education course.

http://www.rdc.campusfrance.org/page/diplômes-et-équivalence...
https://www.lawstudies.fr/PhD-in-Droit-Canonique/Congo/L’Uni...
https://www.lawstudies.com/Phd-In-Canon-Law/Democratic-Repub...
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Système_éducatif_en_république...
Peer comment(s):
neutral Nikki Scott-Despaigne : This is the best type of solution, together with an indication of the number of years of the diploma in the source text. See my discussion post.
3 days 15 hrs
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11 days

Undergraduate studies

"Cycle" is a concept English speakers don't have for education so I'd avoid it. I do feel like Eliza that the word "undergraduate" should be used but the "cycle" is more than a course. Many English speakers would say "I did my undergraduate studies at Newcastle University". They wouldn't say "I studied a course at Newcastle University" (at least not if they were talking about a degree.
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Reference comments

7 hrs
Reference:

First undergraduate degree

As I understand it, the education system in the Congo is a bit like the system that France used to have until the EU harmonized higher ed degrees around the year 2000: (1) an initial undergraduate degree (which in France took 2 years and was called a DEUG); (2) a "license" (bachelor's degree), which took one more year on top of that; and then (3) graduate studies (maitrise/master's, doctorat, etc.).

If you're familiar with the US higher ed system, imagine if everyone earned an associate's degree first, then spent two more years to earn a bachelor's degree in the same subject. In other words you get an undergraduate degree on your way to getting your bachelor's degree (or you can leave school with just that initial undergraduate degree, which is more than high school but less than a bachelor's degree).

The "cycle de graduat," according to this French-language Wikipedia page, precedes the "license." So its closest equivalent is an associate's degree, but that's a US-specific term that's not really an accurate translation.

So I think the best translation is "initial undergraduate degree," because that correctly implies that there's one more undergraduate degree you have to get before you can go on to a master's or PhD.
Reference:

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syst%C3%A8me_%C3%A9ducatif_en_r%C3%A9publique_d%C3%A9mocratique_du_Congo

Peer comments on this reference comment:
neutral Nikki Scott-Despaigne : Your explanation is helpful. I'd avoid using the term "degree" though, as in the UK, for example, that would imply at least a thee year course. The term "undergraduate" could be worked in to a solution, together with the n° of years. See my discussion pos
3 days 11 hrs
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