Professional Development for Interpreters

Overview

RIT/NTID offers non-credit online certificate programs for professional sign language interpreters to develop specialized interpreting skills in a broad range of settings. All certificate programs are taught by experts in interpreting and sign language translation. All programs offer CEUs from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.

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Certificate in Educational Interpreting

  • Provides specialized professional development to ASL-English interpreters working in educational settings
  • Employs innovative teaching by experts in Deaf education and educational interpreting
  • Taught exclusively online
  • Runs from September—May

Certificate in Healthcare Interpreting

  • Provides specialized professional development to ASL-English interpreters working in healthcare settings
  • Employs innovative teaching strategies by nationally recognized healthcare and interpreter education experts
  • Delivered exclusively online
  • Runs from September – May

Certificate in Deaf Interpreting

  • Trains Deaf professionals to interpret in a variety of discourses: educational, international, legal, medical, mental health, business, Deaf-Blind Protactile, and government settings
  • Delivered using an online blended format with two-thirds of instruction occurring synchronously in Zoom and one-third completed asynchronously online
  • Includes a required four-day on-campus Deaf-Blind Protactile session held in September
  • Runs from September to April

Certificate in Trilingual Interpreting

  • Provides professional specialized development for trilingual interpreters and aspiring trilingual interpreters with fundamental tools that contribute to their growth as interpreters and help them build skills for their trilingual work
  • Participants practice their skills in bilingual interpretation between ASL and Spanish, English and Spanish, and ASL and English.
  • Offers supplemental content for participants who are fluent in Chinese (Cantonese or Mandarin)
  • Taught exclusively online
  • Program runs September— May

Certificate in Signed Language Translation

  • Focuses on translation between ASL and English and other signed languages.
  • Instruction provided by mostly Deaf instructors and designed for learners who have SLPI rating of Advanced Plus or ASLPI skills with 4+
  • Delivered online-synchronously through Zoom

Certificate in International Sign Interpreting

  • Launches in February 2025
  • Taught exclusively online
  • Prepares interpreters to facilitate communication between International Sign and English or International Sign and another national signed language
  • The 20-week program runs from February – May (Session 1) and September – December (Session 2).
  • Open to both Deaf and hearing interpreters from any country