SES Professions in Deafness
Admission to the Interpreter Preparation Program
Contents:
Before You Apply
Entry Requirements
Admissions Screening
FAQs
BEFORE YOU APPLY
Before applying to the University, it is important that individuals be aware of the physical, mental, and emotional competencies one must possess in order to become an effective interpreter. Sign language involves more than just the hands.Grammatical features of American Sign Language include controlled movements if the eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, head,and body. Interpreters must be able to hear the spoken message, process the information, and produce the message in sign language as well as be able to see the Deaf person’s signed communication and speak in English with appropriate volume, intonation, and voice quality. Before you apply, please read:
Technical Standards: Competencies Required for Interpreters
Students not meeting these standards may take sign language classes but will be advised of other career options rather than the Interpreting profession.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Requirements for entering the program include:
- 1. Having met the requirements outlined in the Technical Standards.
- 2. Admission to the University
- 3. Attendance to the Orientation Meeting.
- 4. Overall GPA of 2.5 or higher
- 5. Passing score on the Admissions Screening Assessment.
Admissions Screening
Once admitted into the University, students may declare Interpreting as their concentration in the Professions in Deafness major but will not be officially admitted into the program until they have passed the screening assessment. The PEPSI (Program Entry Potential For Sign Language Interpreting) is given upon completion of ASL I. The screening process enables instructors to appropriately advise students as to their aptitude to becoming an interpreter so that students will be assured that they are pursuing a career in which they can succeed. More information about the screening assessment can be found at the following link: Screening Assessment: PEPSI
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of sign language does your program teach?
Many students enter the program thinking there is only one sign language system that all deaf and hard-of-hearing people use. American Sign Language (ASL) which is used by most Deaf people is a distinct language with its own syntax, lexical and grammatical features. There are, however, several sign systems which fall under the umbrella of Manually Coded English. If a person is speaking English and signing at the same time, then they are signing in pidgin signed English (PSE), a contact language which uses some aspects of ASL but follows English word order. Quite often students have taken beginning sign classes in their community and have typically learned sign vocabulary. Participants then attach a sign to each word they say in English. Some deaf and hard-of-hearing people use a form of signed English and request the services of a transliterator who conveys the message from spoken English to signed English. Students in the program take a class in transliterating where they are exposed to the various manually coded English systems. Our main focus, however, is in developing a strong foundation in American Sign Language (ASL). Many people think American Sign Language is English because of the word ‘American’ but ASL is actually a language just like French, Italian, or Spanish. ASL is taught as a foreign language in many colleges and universities including UNCG.
Do I need to take the beginning sign language courses if I already know sign language?
Individuals already possessing credentials (a state/ national test or licensure) indicating their skills in ASL generally do not have to take the beginning ASL classes. Individuals who are not certified may take the Placement Exam to determine which level they should take. Years of signing and/or courses in sign language do not equate to skill in American Sign Language. Some individuals have been using a manually-coded English system of signing or some form of contact language for years and are excellent in signing English but are not proficient in ASL. Even students who have had several classes in ASL will still need to be screened because there is often a difference between what a person has learned in terms of knowledge and what they have mastered expressively.
Will courses I have taken about the profession of interpreting, Deaf Culture, etc. transfer to UNCG?
The Registrar will determine which liberal arts classes transfer in and then each department will determine which courses specific to the major will be accepted. Your advisor in the interpreting program will meet with you to determine course equivalents and then will send a memorandum to the Registrar. Be sure to keep the syllabi from any course you have taken in and out of the major so that transfer equivalents can be determined.
Will I become a CERTIFIED or LICENSED interpreter by the end of your program?
The assessments which interpreters take to become credentialed is independent of the interpreter preparation program. The interpreting program helps prepare individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to take a state or national assessment. We encourage all students to sit for one of the assessments during their senior year and advise students individually as to which one to take based on their skills, readiness, and career goals. For more information on the various assessments, see Certification and Licensure.
Must I have a four-year degree to become an interpreter?
Many states have requirements for becoming licensed to practice as an interpreter. You will need to check out the state you plan to practice in to see if there are requirements related to formal training. In North Carolina, effective July 1, 2008, any person who applies for initial licensure as an interpreter or transliterator shall hold at least a two-year degree from a regionally accredited institution. To become licensed in North Carolina, one must be certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. By the year 2012, an individual wanting to become certified by RID must possess a four-year degree (not necessarily in interpreting). This impacts one’s pursuit of licensure in many states including North Carolina because RID certification is required in order to become licensed.
What if I don’t want a degree but just want to become a certified interpreter?
There are many students who either already have a degree in another field or who would like to take the core courses in interpreting in order to be ready to sit for an assessment which does not require a four-year degree. It is best to make an appointment with the coordinators of the program so that they can assess your skills, discuss your goals, and determine a plan of action.
Is it possible for me to pursue a degree if I am currently working as an interpreter?
Our program is designed to meet the needs of the numerous interpreters who are currently working. Many of the core courses in interpreting are offered in the late afternoons and evenings and some courses are taught on-line. We have had several students to earn their bachelors degrees while still working full-time as an interpreter in the community or in the public Schools.
Can I audit classes in the program?
Currently we do not allow students to audit courses in the Interpreting Program. Students have audited classes in the past but their level of involvement and commitment was not the same as those taking it for credit.
Do I have to go full-time or can I be a part-time student?
Although full-time makes you eligible for more financial aid opportunities, there are many part-time students in the program.
What are Community Lab Hours?
Interpreters must become proficient in the language and/or communication systems used by Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals as well as knowledgeable about their diverse cultures and characteristics. Each student is required to complete Community Lab Hours which include:
- Observation of Professional Interpreters
- Interaction with Deaf Senior Citizens
- Interaction with Deaf school-aged children
- Interaction with career age Deaf individuals
- Interaction with Deaf and hearing individuals who are developmentally delayed.
- Interaction with hearing children
- Experience with various cultures or ethnic groups
- Experience with Deaf-Blind Individuals
How many years will it take me to become skilled in ASL?
It will take as long as it would to learn any other language such as Spanish, French, or Japanese. Students who become proficient in the language are those who immerse themselves in the Deaf Community where they are constantly using their skills.
What other opportunities are available for training?
There are numerous opportunities for additional training in the area and across the state. Mid-State, our local chapter of RID, sponsors several workshops during the year which are often hosted at the university. Our state chapter of RID and other organizations also provide opportunities for training and because we have been fortunate to receive federal grants over the years, funding has been available to send students to national conferences. Our program has also sponsored many workshops over the years including topics such as Deaf-Blind Mobility and Orientation, oral transliterating, interpreting songs, memory development, interpreting in religious settings, teaching ASL classes and sign language clubs, and incorporating graphic organizers in the interpreting process.
Students experience what it is like to be Deaf-Blind.
Students have also had the opportunity to experience theatrical interpreting. Sam Parker, a nationally known performer and certified interpreter, has held several workshops on theatrical interpreting and has been a consultant for several plays which our students have interpreted. Many students participated in the play “Taste of Sunrise” which was performed completely in American Sign Language. Two plays were also performed with shadow signers in which each actor had a signer shadowing them on stage. Both hearing and Deaf individuals served as the shadow signers. The play, “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters” toured the state performing at public schools which had students who were deaf and hard-of-hearing and also at the North Carolina School for the Deaf.
Frank Griffin performs as Tuc in “Taste of Sunrise”.
Do you offer any classes on-line or through distance learning?
Currently there are no courses in the program offered on line although there may be in the near future. Many of the general liberal arts classes and cognate classes are offered on line.
Can I double major in both teaching and interpreting?
Yes, it is possible …but in the time it takes you to complete courses and internships in both majors (5 to 6 years), you could have your master’s degree and be earning a higher salary. Often students in the teacher track will take summer school classes in order to free their schedule so that they can take some of the interpreting classes during the year.
What is the difference between an interpreter and a transliterator?
An interpreter is an individual that conveys the message between two different languages such as from English to Spanish or French to Japanese or from English to American Sign Language. A transliterator works within the same language and conveys the message from one mode of the language to another such as from spoken English to one of the manually coded English systems. Some individuals are able to offer their services both as an interpreter and transliterator while other individuals are either skilled in one or the other.