Interpretation Certificate of Accomplishment

Interpretation is the facilitation of communication between speakers of different languages in the spoken medium; to be accepted into the program students must have high-level oral and written proficiency in English and another spoken language. Courses for the certificate cover general theory and practical skills necessary for performing entry-level professional interpretation in a variety of settings (e.g., legal, medical, and social). Core courses provide fundamental interpreting and related skills to speakers of any language and advanced courses focus on interpreting practice and skill-building for speakers of select languages.

Learning Outcomes

Certificate recipients should possess the skills & abilities described below:

• Analyze a source speech or text for interpretation, including the identification of meaning, stylistics, register, and emotional tone while applying the concepts of linguistic and cultural translatability and untranslatability, cultural and functional equivalency, and types of meaning (i.e., propositional meaning, expressive meaning, presupposed meaning, and evoked meaning)
• Conduct research relevant to performing specific interpretation assignments and design an industry-standard terminology database to store and maintain results
• Demonstrate effective note-taking for consecutive interpretation
• Perform professional interpretation at real-life speeds in a variety of fields, situations, and modes (i.e., consecutive and simultaneous interpretation, sight translation)
• Implement performance improvements based on professional and self-evaluation of practical interpretation experience
• Use a range of fundamental equipment and software needed to begin work as an interpreter
• Develop and employ essential industry-oriented business materials, including résumés, business cards, portfolios, contractual agreements, and invoices
• Describe the different types and levels of certification available to interpreters and the legal requirements to work as an independent contractor in the State of Washington
• Apply a variety of codes of ethics for interpreters, including the concepts of impartiality, confidentiality, and conflict of interest

Gainful Employment Disclosure

For details about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit www.bellevuecollege.edu/legal/gedisclosure/interpretation/