Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
Docteur en Pharmacie
English translation:
Docteur in Pharmacy
Added to glossary by
Steve Melling
Mar 31, 2009 18:21
15 yrs ago
25 viewers *
French term
Docteur en Pharmacie
French to English
Medical
Education / Pedagogy
The whole name of the qualification is:
Diplôme d'Etat de Docteur en Pharmacie.
I split it to abide by the rules.
Diplôme d'Etat de Docteur en Pharmacie.
I split it to abide by the rules.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+4
15 mins
Selected
Docteur in Pharmacy
I know I'm repeating myself here, but this bears repetition:
Here is my standard explanation for why you can't just "translate" a degree:
The short explanation is: translators are not in a position to determine degree equivalencies, a complex task that can only be performed by qualified officials at degree-awarding institutions. I speak from experience not only as a translator but as a retired academic: I sat for years on a university committee that developed the standards for admission, transfer and graduation from that institution. Once those standards were developed and approved by the university community and its officials, they became part of the tools with which the university registrar could work. Registrars are the *only* officials at an institution of higher learning who can evaluate degree equivalencies. And they can only do so in terms of their own institution's standards. Not even they are in a position to "re-award" a degree earned elsewhere!
*Awarding* a degree means holding a ceremony and issuing a document, to bestow a status on the recipient. In this, degrees are similar to *names* (of institutions, brands, companies). If the entity has names in more than one language, then it becomes possible to select the already existing name in the target language, in place of the one used in the source language. If the name only exists in the target language, it does not fall to the translator to re-baptize the entity in a new language.
In like manner, we can only substitute the *name* of a degree when it already exists in the target language. Canadian degrees, for instance, have names in both French and English (or English and French...) Such is not the case for any degrees from institutions in France, for instance, where their awarding is only done in French. The same applies to degrees "awarded in Spanish": in fact, they are being awarded under national standards, not “in languages” [in the case of a diploma from Colombia, for instance, these standards are governed by government decrees, as they are in many other countries!] The best that we humble translators can do is to cite the *name* of the degree, and include a parenthetical explanation, which is how I have phrased my answer, above.
As an example of the lack of equivalence between names and content, here is an explanation taken from an article on another French-language-based educational system, the one in Lebanon, where they appear to have retained a model similar to the old French one (note the mention of the one degree–also awarded in Lebanon, at the American University–that *is* a Ph.D.):
“This stage involves writing a dissertation leading to the doctoral degree. The Doctorat de Troisième Cycle is awarded after two years of study beyond the Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies. The Doctorat d'État (in medicine and pharmacology) is awarded after a further two years of study. Finally, the Ph.D. degree is only offered at American-style universities.” http://www.wes.org/ewenr/00jan/practical.htm.
For further reference, please see examples of texts in English where “docteur d’état” is used:
http://www.google.com/search?q="doctorat d'état" degree&hl=e...
N.B. FWIW, institutions usually have their catalogs on-line, so if the name of the school is available, one can check on the meaning of a degree that way. That would make a parenthetical explanation more meaningful, wouldn't it?
Here is my standard explanation for why you can't just "translate" a degree:
The short explanation is: translators are not in a position to determine degree equivalencies, a complex task that can only be performed by qualified officials at degree-awarding institutions. I speak from experience not only as a translator but as a retired academic: I sat for years on a university committee that developed the standards for admission, transfer and graduation from that institution. Once those standards were developed and approved by the university community and its officials, they became part of the tools with which the university registrar could work. Registrars are the *only* officials at an institution of higher learning who can evaluate degree equivalencies. And they can only do so in terms of their own institution's standards. Not even they are in a position to "re-award" a degree earned elsewhere!
*Awarding* a degree means holding a ceremony and issuing a document, to bestow a status on the recipient. In this, degrees are similar to *names* (of institutions, brands, companies). If the entity has names in more than one language, then it becomes possible to select the already existing name in the target language, in place of the one used in the source language. If the name only exists in the target language, it does not fall to the translator to re-baptize the entity in a new language.
In like manner, we can only substitute the *name* of a degree when it already exists in the target language. Canadian degrees, for instance, have names in both French and English (or English and French...) Such is not the case for any degrees from institutions in France, for instance, where their awarding is only done in French. The same applies to degrees "awarded in Spanish": in fact, they are being awarded under national standards, not “in languages” [in the case of a diploma from Colombia, for instance, these standards are governed by government decrees, as they are in many other countries!] The best that we humble translators can do is to cite the *name* of the degree, and include a parenthetical explanation, which is how I have phrased my answer, above.
As an example of the lack of equivalence between names and content, here is an explanation taken from an article on another French-language-based educational system, the one in Lebanon, where they appear to have retained a model similar to the old French one (note the mention of the one degree–also awarded in Lebanon, at the American University–that *is* a Ph.D.):
“This stage involves writing a dissertation leading to the doctoral degree. The Doctorat de Troisième Cycle is awarded after two years of study beyond the Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies. The Doctorat d'État (in medicine and pharmacology) is awarded after a further two years of study. Finally, the Ph.D. degree is only offered at American-style universities.” http://www.wes.org/ewenr/00jan/practical.htm.
For further reference, please see examples of texts in English where “docteur d’état” is used:
http://www.google.com/search?q="doctorat d'état" degree&hl=e...
N.B. FWIW, institutions usually have their catalogs on-line, so if the name of the school is available, one can check on the meaning of a degree that way. That would make a parenthetical explanation more meaningful, wouldn't it?
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
3 mins
State diploma for the Doctorate of Pharmacy /State diploma of doctor of pharmacy
State diploma of doctor of dental surgery. • State diploma of doctor of pharmacy. + 5 years. • Research Master. 10 semesters. • Professional Master ...
editions.campusfrance.org/infos_generales/Diplomes_EN.pdf -
State diploma for the Doctorate of Pharmacy, Pharm D., is granted to pharmacists after they have completed a bibliographic thesis. In France, since the ...
www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Doctor_of_Pharmacy - 30k
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2009-03-31 18:25:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
or ... in Pharmacy
He holds a State Diploma of Doctor in Pharmacy (Pharm. ... 11th of September 2001 by health ministers in the following countries: Canada, France, Germany, ...
net-science.irsn.fr/scripts/net-science/publigen/content/templates/show.asp?P=119&L=EN&SYNC=Y - 27k -
editions.campusfrance.org/infos_generales/Diplomes_EN.pdf -
State diploma for the Doctorate of Pharmacy, Pharm D., is granted to pharmacists after they have completed a bibliographic thesis. In France, since the ...
www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Doctor_of_Pharmacy - 30k
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2009-03-31 18:25:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
or ... in Pharmacy
He holds a State Diploma of Doctor in Pharmacy (Pharm. ... 11th of September 2001 by health ministers in the following countries: Canada, France, Germany, ...
net-science.irsn.fr/scripts/net-science/publigen/content/templates/show.asp?P=119&L=EN&SYNC=Y - 27k -
Peer comment(s):
agree |
Enrique Huber (X)
10 mins
|
Thank you Enrique.
|
|
disagree |
gsloane
: You can't hold a "state diploma" in any profession in Canada because most or all professions are regulated at the provincial level, not at the federal (or state) level.
7 hrs
|
This is not Canada and it is just explaining the title
|
+1
23 mins
Diplôme d'état Docteur en Pharmacie
This very same topic was debated a couple of days ago, except the designation was for a physiotherapist.
The long and short is that, while I had recommended translating Diplôme d'état by "certified" or "registered", I would say that a more appropriate equivalent would be "state recognized" because the phrase "state diploma" doesn't really exist in English. What it means is that the government body/agency which regulates diplomas, certificates, degrees, etc, and more especially those leading to a professional designation, like doctor, pharmacist, engineer, must successfully pass a program that has been approved and is regulated by that government body/agency. Moreover, in North America, you are required to pass state/provincial exams before you can even practise in your resident state/province.
As well, during that same thread of discussion, someone very successfully argued that university degrees can't simply be translated, except in Canada, where all designations have both French and English names, because degrees, diplomas, etc vary from country to country and only Registrars are professionally equipped to actually compare university designations from different countries. Therefore, it was strongly suggested to leave the designation in the original language and provide an equivalent translation with explanation in brackets. I strongly endorse this principle. I apologize for not being able to successfully locate the URL link at this time.
The long and short is that, while I had recommended translating Diplôme d'état by "certified" or "registered", I would say that a more appropriate equivalent would be "state recognized" because the phrase "state diploma" doesn't really exist in English. What it means is that the government body/agency which regulates diplomas, certificates, degrees, etc, and more especially those leading to a professional designation, like doctor, pharmacist, engineer, must successfully pass a program that has been approved and is regulated by that government body/agency. Moreover, in North America, you are required to pass state/provincial exams before you can even practise in your resident state/province.
As well, during that same thread of discussion, someone very successfully argued that university degrees can't simply be translated, except in Canada, where all designations have both French and English names, because degrees, diplomas, etc vary from country to country and only Registrars are professionally equipped to actually compare university designations from different countries. Therefore, it was strongly suggested to leave the designation in the original language and provide an equivalent translation with explanation in brackets. I strongly endorse this principle. I apologize for not being able to successfully locate the URL link at this time.
40 mins
Doctor/doctorate in Pharmacology
*
+1
1 hr
state diploma in pharmacy
A 'docteur en pharmacie' is someone who has a degree in pharmacy from a French university.
In the UK, such a person would be called, quite simply, a 'pharmacist' - I have a friend who's one.
Perhaps in the USA such a person might be called a 'doctor of pharmacy', but this would not be the case in the UK.
In the UK, such a person would be called, quite simply, a 'pharmacist' - I have a friend who's one.
Perhaps in the USA such a person might be called a 'doctor of pharmacy', but this would not be the case in the UK.
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
Sheila Wilson
: re. your explanation, certainly for day-to-day job title use we'd say "pharmacist" in the UK, but the holder would nevertheless be able to give a name to his/her qualification
28 mins
|
agree |
Alexandre Huillet-Raffi
5558 days
|
Something went wrong...