Bachelor of Science in Sign Language Interpreting

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree In Sign Language Interpreting is designed To prepare students for employment as interpreters in educational settings and entry-level freelance assignments.  An Associate Degree in Sign Language Studies or its equivalent is required. Students are taught with a "hands on" approach as they learn about the Deaf culture, how to collaborate in a professional setting and participate in field observations culminating with an interpreting internship. The Bachelor of Science Degree is only offered on the Meridian campus.

Sign Language Interpreting Internship

Educational Interpreting students are required to take a maximum of eight (8) credits of Internship. This experience will take place the last eight (8) weeks of the students' senior year. Therefore, all other course work must be completed prior to the internship. Most of our internship placement sites are in K-12 educational settings although exceptions are occasionally allowed. The student will collaborate with the Internship Coordinator to establish a site the semester prior to internship assignment.

Some previous placement sites include: Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind, MT School for the Deaf and the Blind, Tennessee School for the Deaf and the Blind, Pocatello School District, Boise School District, Meridian School District, Eugene, OR School District, Wasilla, Alaska School District, Vancouver Washington School of Arts & Academics, and Mesa, Arizona Public Schools. Students will be required to complete a background check through the Idaho State Dept. of Education before they can go on their internship.

To apply:

Applicants must have completed three semesters of ASL or the equivalent to apply for the program. Applicants for the Sign Language Interpreting program are encouraged to have:

• Completed at least 45 credits
• Taken the following program prerequisite courses:
• CSD 1126 Deaf Studies
• CSD 2205 Introduction to Professions in the Communication Sciences
• CSD 2249 Fingerspelling & Numbers
• CSD 2250 Introduction to the Interpreting Profession
• CSD 2256 Deaf Culture and Community (or an equivalent) (OBJ 9)

Applicants may also be required to submit results from an external interactive interview of their sign language skills. Any fees assessed for this interview would be paid directly to the external evaluation entity.

Please send a copy of your unofficial transcript to Elizabeth Schniedewind or Steven Stubbs and an email stating your interest. Qualified applicants will be contacted and given further instructions via email.

Applications typically open the first day of February. Applications received by April 1st are given priority consideration. We accept one cohort per academic year to begin classes in the fall. Each cohort is between 12-15 students.

Applications are reviewed on a competitive basis. We consider the following factors: GPA, grades received in ASL I-IV and prerequisite courses, recommendations from instructors of ASL classes, and performance on the SLI Program Applicant Assessment.

The following courses are required in addition to an Associate Degree or equivalent in Sign Language Studies or related area:

CSD 3301 English Text Analysis

CSD 3302 Specialized Terminology in English for Interpreters

CSD 3331 Translation

CSD 3332 Consecutive Interpreting

CSD 3345 Ethics and Decision-Making for Interpreters

CSD 3346 Specialized Settings and Scenarios in Interpreting

CSD 3351 Linguistics of ASL

CSD 3352 Depiction in ASL

CSD 4401 Research and Interpreting

CSD 4431 Simultaneous Interpreting

CSD 4432 Senior Seminar in Interpreting

CSD 4441 Professional Interpreting Practice and Relationships

CSD 4451 Advanced Discourse in ASL

CSD 4470 Field Observation and Theoretical Application of Interpreting

CSD 4474 Interpreting Internship

Course Sequence

SLI Program Year One (typically Junior yr.)

SLI Program Year Two (typically Senior yr.)