Using interpretive inquiry, the author studied three different introductory translation classes: an independent initiative by a language instructor, which was not part of a larger translator education program; a pilot course by a university establishing a minor in technical translation, and the first course in a two-year sequence leading to a certificate in translation, a program that had been operating for 20 years. The goal was to facilitate the evaluation of translation classes, discovering considerations that are relevant to evaluation design. Findings with implications for translator education in the United States and for future research are discussed