Honours Bachelor of Interpretation (American Sign Language – English) Program (C302)

The Honours Bachelor of Interpretation (American Sign Language – English) program combines classroom theory, research, hands-on practice, and professional field experience to prepare graduates to work as qualified interpreters.

The Honours Bachelor of Interpretation (American Sign Language – English) (C302) program was developed to address the growing demand for qualified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters. This degree prepares graduates for work in this dynamic field.

An interpreter is a fluent bilingual-bicultural professional who facilitates communication between those who do not share the same language or culture.

To be a sign language interpreter requires manual dexterity, critical thinking skills, visual-spatial recognition, excellent short- and long-term memory, and superior cognitive processing abilities in order to process information instantaneously at a level of bilingual and bicultural expertise beyond conversational fluency. For non-Deaf interpreters, this will also include auditory-processing capabilities.

Over the course of four years, students will continue to improve and hone both their English and American Sign Language proficiencies while studying to become interpreters.

This ASL-English Interpretation program focuses on seven areas of learning:

1. Language and culture
2. Field fundamentals
3. Interpreting skills
4. Research methods/trends
5. Ethics and professionalism
6. Breadth electives
7. Field and community experience

For applicants with a diploma or advanced diploma in American Sign Language – English interpretation, an advanced entry option is available. For details on how to apply, see the Admission Requirements tab.

The Honours Bachelor of Interpretation (American Sign Language – English) degree program aims to cultivate learners to become interpreters who are critical thinkers with unbiased communicative language and interpreting practices and an understanding of how intersectionality shapes interactions.

The program is committed to an anti-oppressive framework situated through Deaf-centric foundations of the program. This program utilizes a critical studies approach to anti-racism, anti-audism, and anti-ableism.

Interpreting is a very rewarding but demanding field of work. Successful interpreters typically possess the following attributes:

• a strong command of both English and American Sign Language
• an excellent memory
• the ability to concentrate and focus easily and for long periods of time
• the ability to process and analyze information quickly under time constraints (cognitive processing skills)
• the ability to multitask
• versatility
• willingness to be flexible
• strong communication skills
• excellent interpersonal skills