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.

RIT and ACET logos

Photo of teacher/interpreter and students in classroom

  • Provides specialized professional development to ASL-English interpreters working in educational settings
  • Employs innovative teaching by experts in Deaf education and educational interpreting
  • Delivered in a blended online format, with asynchronous coursework supplemented by Zoom sessions from September to May
Interpreter in exam room facilitating communication between patient and health care worker

  • 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 in a blended online format, with asynchronous coursework supplemented by Zoom sessions from September to May
Photo of hearing person, hearing interpreter, deaf person, and deaf interpreter

  • Trains Deaf professionals to interpret in a variety of discourses: educational, international, legal, medical, mental health, business, Deaf-Blind Protactile, and government settings
  • Delivered in a blended online format, with Zoom sessions every Monday and Wednesday from 7-9 PM Eastern, supplemented by asynchronous coursework
  • Includes a required three-and-a-half day on-campus DeafBlind Protactile training session
  • Offered in two sessions:
    • Session 1: delivered from September to December
    • Session 2: delivered from January to May
People in conversation, with interpreter(s)

  • 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)
  • Delivered in a blended online format, with asynchronous coursework supplemented by Zoom sessions every other Wednesday from 4-6 PM Pacific from September to May
Heads translation represented by shared gears with hands

  • 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 synchronously online through Zoom on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7–9 PM Eastern
Composite of signers

  • Prepares interpreters to facilitate communication between International Sign and English or International Sign and another national signed language
  • Open to both Deaf and hearing interpreters from any country
  • The 20-week program is delivered entirely online in an asynchronous format and consists of two required parts:
    • Part 1: from February to May
    • Part 2: from September to December