Legal Interpreting Certificate
For traditional bilingual residential students, the legal interpreting certificate is earned within the translation and interpretation major or can be chosen as the focus of an interpreting minor. With the addition of this certificate, students will gain the needed skills to pass the legal interpreting certification exam and be prepared for interpretation opportunities in the court system and legal settings.
The legal interpreting certificate is also available as an online program through the Graduate School and Adult Learning. The 100% online program is designed for fully bilingual students to attain the needed skills to pass the legal interpreting exam after only two semesters.
Learn more about the Legal Interpreting Certificate
Legal Interpreting courses:
SPA 361 - Legal Interpreting I: Practice and Translation (4 credits)
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) An advanced level course introducing the students to the complex field of
legal interpreting. The first of four courses, students will become familiar with the three interpreting modes-sight-translation, consecutive interpreting and simultaneous interpreting - and will then focus on sight-translation; in addition, students will also learn the methods, techniques and problems involved in written legal translation. Students will work from English into Spanish and Spanish into English. All source materials will be legal/court related in nature. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the T&I program as demonstrated by a high level of fluency in both English and Spanish.
SPA 362 - Legal Interpreting II: Practice & Ethics (4 credits)
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) An advanced level course building on the skills developed in the introductory course for the complex field of legal interpreting. The second of four courses, students will focus on consecutive interpreting, involving extensive note-taking and memory skills; in addition, students will also learn the intricacies of ethics for legal interpreters. Students will work from English into Spanish and Spanish into English. All source materials will be legal/court related in nature. Prerequisite: SPA361.
SPA 363 - Legal Interpreting III: Practice & Technology (4 credits)
(4 credits; alternate years, consult department) An advanced level course building on the skills developed in the first two
courses for the complex field of legal interpreting. The third of four courses, students will focus on the highly complicated skill of simultaneous interpreting, involving input and output at the same time; in addition, students will also learn about the different technologies and remote interpreting platforms that professional court interpreters use. Students will work from English into Spanish and Spanish into English. All source materials will be legal/court related in nature. Prerequisite: SPA362.
SPA 364 - Legal Interpreting IV: Practice & The Profession (3 credits)
(3 credits; alternate years, consult department) An advanced level course building on the skills developed in the previous
courses for the complex field of legal interpreting. The fourth of four courses, students will consolidate their skills of sight-translation, consecutive interpreting and simultaneous interpreting as they prepare for certification exams; in addition, students will also learn about the intricacies and challenges of working as a professional, certified court interpreter. Students will work from English into Spanish and Spanish into English. All source materials will be legal/court related in nature. Prerequisite: SPA363.
