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ASL-English Interpretation BS
Program overview
On-the-job responsibilities
The BS degree program in ASL-English interpretation prepares sign language interpreters for work in settings where deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing people interact and communicate. This degree allows students to develop foundation skills for general interpreting, with opportunities to explore specialized fields such as those in educational and medical settings, and/or community interpreting.
Places of employment
Graduates will find work in a variety of settings, including elementary, secondary, and post-secondary educational institutions; community service organizations; hospitals or clinics; vocational rehabilitation agencies; business/industry; and government agencies.
Admission requirements
In addition to RIT’s general admissions procedures, the ASL-English interpretation program requires applicants to complete admission materials from the NTID Admissions Office.
Academic preparation
Applicants are required to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. High school preparation should include a college preparatory program with a minimum of four years of English (with a minimum of a B average), three years of science and mathematics, and two years of a foreign language.
Applicants must demonstrate beginning ASL competency.
The middle 50 percent of accepted NTID applicants possess SAT scores of 1530-1940. Equivalent ACT composite scores are 22-29. Both SAT and ACT tests may be submitted.
For those applicants who have had college experience, college transcripts should document a GPA of 3.0 or better, with evidence of very good performance in English courses. A writing sample will be judged on vocabulary, grammar, structure, style, and creativity.
To succeed in this program, students must be able to understand a speaker who is behind them; understand a speaker who is far away; focus on what a speaker is saying in a noisy room; and understand recorded voices through headphones. To see a list of the major skills and abilities needed to study sign language interpreting, please visit the section “Is Interpreting the Career for Me?” on our website.
Curriculum
ASL-English interpretation, BS degree, typical course sequence (semesters), effective fall 2013
| Course | Sem. Cr. Hrs. | |
|---|---|---|
| First Year | ||
| INTP-125 | American Sign Language II | 4 |
| LAS Foundation 1: First Year Seminar† | 3 | |
| LAS Perspective 1, 2, 3, 4, 7A, 7B | 18 | |
| INTP-126 | American Sign Language III | 4 |
| ENGL-150 | LAS Foundation 2: First Year Writing | 3 |
| Wellness Education* | 0 | |
| Second Year | ||
| INTP-210 | Introduction to the Field of Interpreting | 3 |
| INTP-225 | American Sign Language IV | 3 |
| Deaf Cultural Studies Elective | 3 | |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| LAS Perspective 5‡, 6 | 7 | |
| INTP-215 | Processing Skills Development | 3 |
| INTP-220 | Discourse Analysis | 3 |
| INTP-226 | American Sign Language V | 3 |
| Deaf Cultural Studies Elective | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| INTP-310 | Interpreting I | 3 |
| INTP-325 | American Sign Language VI | 3 |
| INTP-315 | Practical and Ethical Applications | 3 |
| LAS Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| INTP-326 | American Sign Language VII | 3 |
| INTP-335 | Interpreting II: English to ASL | 3 |
| INTP-336 | Interpreting II: ASL to English | 3 |
| Professional/Technical Elective | 3 | |
| LAS Immersion 1 | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| INTP-350 | Practicum and Seminar I | 3 |
| INTP-435 | Interpreting III: English to ASL | 3 |
| INTP-436 | Interpreting III: ASL to English | 3 |
| Professional/Technical Elective | 3 | |
| LAS Immersion 2, 3 | 6 | |
| INTP-440 | Transliteration | 3 |
| INTP-450 | Practicum and Seminar II | 3 |
| INTP-460 | Issues in Interpreting (WI) | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 123 | |
Please see New NTID General Education Curriculum-Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) for more information.
(WI) refers to writing intensive course within the major.
* Please see Wellness Education Requirement for more information.
† The First Year Seminar requirement is replaced by an LAS Elective for the 2013-14 academic year.
‡ Students will satisfy this requirement by taking a 4-credit hour lab science course. Students may select one of the lab science courses listed below to fulfill this requirement. Both the lecture and the laboratory sections must be taken. Human Biology I (BIOG-101) and Human Biology Lab 1 (BIOG-103), Human Biology II (BIOG-102) and Human Biology Lab II (BIOG-104), Field Biology (BIOG-110), General Biology I (BIOL-101) and General Biology Lab I (BIOL-103), General Biology II (BIOL-102) and General Biology Lab II (BIOL-104), Introductory Biology I (BIOL-121), Introductory Biology II (BIOL-122), General-Organic-Biochemistry I (CHMG-III), College Physics I (PHYS-111), College Physics II (PHYS-112)