Sign Language Interpreting

The Mt. San Antonio College Interpreter Education Program’s mission is to inspire students and to provide a brave space for students to learn a foundation of skills and knowledge necessary to interpret languages and cultures among diverse signing and non-signing populations while cultivating students’ professional dispositions: equity mindedness, ethical decision making, interpersonal skills, lifelong learning, and world knowledge.

Sign Language interpreters are needed wherever communication happens between diverse signing and non-signing populations. This type of work requires interpreters of diverse languages, cultures, and backgrounds to work with a wide range of consumers. Interpreters are employed by video relay companies, school districts, colleges and universities, government agencies, medical settings, corporations, nonprofits and private businesses. 

Program Prerequisites:

Preparation for the program includes fluency in American Sign Language as demonstrated by the successful completion of SIGN 105 and English fluency demonstrated by the completion of English 1A. Additionally, students are required to complete SIGN 201 Intro to Deaf Studies and SIGN 223 Intro to Interpreting before beginning the program.

According to the LMI, Mt. SAC has a 3-year average (between 2017-2020) of 26 students per year receiving certificates or degrees in Sign Language Interpreting. We project that we will have a similar number going forward. 

After graduation, the graduates are encouraged to seek higher education and internship opportunities. Students are eligible to take credentialing exams such as the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) or the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI). With a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, interpreters can take the National Interpreter Certification (NIC). The State of California does not currently require a license to work as a general interpreter. Certification is the preference of hiring entities and consumers. There are requirements to work as an educational interpreter. Students will learn a foundation of skills and knowledge necessary to interpret. 

The Sign Language Interpreting A.S. and certificate aim to inspire students and to provide a brave space for students to learn a foundation of skills and knowledge necessary to interpret languages and cultures among diverse signing and non-signing populations while cultivating students’ professional dispositions: equity mindedness, ethical decision making, interpersonal skills, lifelong learning, and world knowledge.

As it has been a number of years since our program has been reviewed, it was time to update and keep our program current with professional standards of sign language interpreters. In our review of the program, gaps were discovered between our current offerings and field expectations. We are striving to align our curriculum with the standards recommended by the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE) and other resources. Our Advisory Board supports our efforts to modify the program.

Our program modifications include:

• Dissolving the following classes: SIGN 225, SIGN 210, SIGN 220, SIGN 240, and SIGN 250
• Renaming and renumbering several other classes: For example SIGN 240 is now more units, has more content, and is called SIGN 241
• Adding the following classes: SIGN 212, SIGN 213, SIGN 206, SIGN 243, SIGN 247, and SIGN 245
• We also added several electives that we plan to offer in a two-year cycle Previously, the students had to take all of the “electives” to meet the requirements
• The overall amount of units increased from 43.5 to 50 
• The certificate/degree can be completed in two years for those that meet the entry prerequisites

The following courses and the sequencing of courses are designed to prepare a diverse group of students to enter the workforce or seek higher education in the field. 

Requirements	Dept.Name/#	Name	Units	Sequence
Required Core: 44 units	SIGN 227 SIGN 202 SIGN 212 SIGN 231 SIGN 213 SIGN 206 SPCH 1A SIGN 232 SIGN 241 SIGN 243 SIGN 239 SIGN 247 SIGN 245	Interpreting 1: Skills, Equity, and Ethics Cultures in the Deaf Community ASL Features and Linguistics Interpreting 2: Skills, Equity, and Ethics Linguistics for Interpreters Social Justice and the Deaf Experience Public Speaking Interpreting 3: Skills, Equity, and Ethics Video Interpreting Team Interpreting Interpreting 4: Skills, Equity, and Ethics Interpreting Capstone & Reflective Practice Business of Interpreting & Assessment Preparation	4.00 3.00 3.00 4.00 3.00 3.00 4.00 4.00 3.00 3.00 4.00 3.00 3.00	Yr. 1 Fall Yr. 1 Fall Yr. 1 Fall Yr. 1 Spring Yr. 1 Spring Yr. 1 Spring Yr. 1 Spring Yr. 2 Fall Yr. 2 Fall Yr. 2 Fall Yr. 2 Spring Yr. 2 Spring Yr. 2 Spring
Elective:6 units	SIGN 208 SIGN 249 SIGN 251 SIGN 253 SIGN 255 SIGN 257 SIGN 259 SIGN 261	Creative Uses of ASL Community Interpreting Interpreting with Diverse Consumers K-12 and Mock Interpreting Post-Secondary and Mock Interpreting Performing Arts Interpreting Trilingual Interpreting Complex Topics in Interpreting	3.00 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.50	Yr. 1 Fall Yr. 2 Spring Yr. 1 Summer Yr. 2 Fall Yr. 2 Spring Yr.1Sum/Wint Yr. 2 Fall Yr. 2 Winter

Sign Language Interpreting Program

El Camino College Compton College LA Pierce College

According to the LMI, Mt. SAC has a 3-year average (between 2017-2020) of 26 students per year receiving certificates or degrees in Sign Language Interpreting. We project that we will have a similar number going forward.