Interpreter Training Program, AS

Program Description

The Interpreter Training Program (ITP) (American Sign Language) ASL/English is a program of study leading to an Associate in Science degree. The purpose of the program is to provide quality interpreter education in a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary endeavor focusing on preparing student interpreters of ASL and English. This professional career program is a comprehensive, sequenced, and integrated series of courses that is intended to provide students with the necessary techniques and skills required for professional work as interpreters at the entry level. The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) is the organization that oversees the certification of interpreters, this includes the former National Association for the Deaf (NAD) certification. The National Interpreter Certification (NIC) process includes the knowledge exam which can be taken at any time and the performance exam which requires a Bachelor’s degree. More information and requirements can be found at www.rid.org. Graduation from the Northwestern Campus of CT State Community College ITP does not guarantee students will be granted certification.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates should be able to:

1. Effectively interpret between English and American Sign Language.
2. Appropriately apply the principles of the RID/NAD Code of Professional Conduct to interpreting situations.
3. Mediate cultural differences between Deaf and hearing consumers with sensitivity to and awareness of American Deaf Culture.
4. Educate others with information and available resources for people who are Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing.

The Interpreter Training Program is an intensive program of study that requires commitment through the summer session as well as the fall and spring semesters. The skills required for becoming an interpreter for the Deaf rely on a secure foundation of ASL linguistics. The preparatory courses are structured so that students build a foundation of the linguistics of ASL to communicate on an advanced level with native ASL signers. This level of proficiency is essential to the subsequent courses required for the ITP. Students must possess a reliable computer and internet connection to complete the course requirements.

Degree Requirements