Legal/Court Interpretation
College of Extended Learning
Dean: Peter Dewees
Legal/Court Interpretation Program (Spanish/English)
SFSU Downtown Center
425 Market Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-904-7770
Program Director: Lee Gallery
Program
Certificate in Legal/Court Interpretation (Spanish/English)
Program Scope
This program, first offered in the Spring 1992 semester, is designed to develop language skills necessary for performance as a Spanish/English interpreter in the legal field for service in the courts, administrative hearings, and in the private sector. It is specifically aimed at assisting participants to pass the state court certification examination. Admission requirements are 56 units of prior semester units (B.A. preferred) and a high level of bilingual/biliterate ability. A written test is required before admission.
Faculty
Faculty are all adjunct instructors who are certified state and federal court interpreters.
Career Outlook
Certified Spanish/English interpreters are in heavy demand in the courts and administrative agencies at the county, state, and federal levels. Interpreters are self-employed and contract with courts and agencies for specific cases. In addition, law firms and corporations doing business abroad often use certified interpreters on a free-lance basis.
CERTIFICATE IN LEGAL/COURT INTERPRETATION (SPANISH/ENGLISH)
Admission to the Program
To be admitted to the certificate program, students should have completed 56 units of academic credit or have sufficient experience to demonstrate they can perform upper division work. Students who do not have 56 units may be accepted on probation and are encouraged to apply. Students may enroll in up to nine units before applying to a certificate program.
Writing Skills
The certificate program's course content requires a good grasp of writing skills. Certificate students are asked to demonstrate their writing ability soon after admission to the certificate program to satisfy the university literacy requirement. Those who do not have the necessary writing skills are referred to a course offered regularly through the continuing education program: ENG 414, Elements of Writing.
The curriculum consists of one introductory course (CEU credit) and fifteen units of upper division academic course work.
All courses are required; there are no electives. For complete course descriptions, contact the program director.
Program
FL 9901 Introduction to Legal/Court Interpreting (Spanish/English)
FL 401 Sight Translation
FL 403 Consecutive Interpretation I
FL 405 Consecutive Interpretation II (with laboratory)
FL 407 Simultaneous Interpretation I
FL 409 Simultaneous Interpretation II (with laboratory)
Courses are offered in the evenings and may be offered on Saturdays, as well.