American Sign Language/English Interpretation

Overview

An American Sign Language (ASL)/English interpreter acts as a bridge between two different worlds: Deaf and hearing communities. Interpreters are dedicated to facilitating understanding and ensuring communication is clear, accurate and without bias or alteration.  

In this two-year program, you learn:

• About Deaf culture and the foundations for mastering American Sign Language.  
• How to apply your skills as an interpreter in professional settings. 
• Social and interpersonal skills to improve communication and maintain professionalism, especially in high-stakes, sensitive situations.

Work experience

• Field experience is a mandatory credit course, providing you with the opportunity to apply your knowledge and skills outside of the classroom.
  • Opportunities are typically unpaid and last approximately 5 weeks.
• This program is eligible for an optional cooperative education (co-op) credit course between year one and two.
  • Co-op provides an opportunity for paid, full-time employment in a field related to your program.
  • Co-op takes place in third term and must be a minimum of 12 weeks and 420 hours.
  • Our co-op program follows Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning Canada (CEWIL) guidelines.
• Transportation, accommodations and other costs related to work experience are your responsibility.
• For more information, visit work experience opportunities.

Choose NSCC

• NSCC is the only college in the Maritimes to offer this program.
• Many of our teaching faculty are Deaf, giving you an authentic, one-on-one experience with Deaf culture.
• You put your skills to work in real-world environments during your work terms.

September 2025

Campus	Full time/part time	Delivery	Availability
Ivany Campus Dartmouth	Full time	In person Delivered in-person. Some courses may have online elements.	Seats available

Admission requirements

• Successful completion of the Deaf Studies or American Sign Language (ASL) Studies certificate equivalent.
  • International students – Submit your official post-secondary documents for assessment. View English language requirements by country
• The final stage of the application process includes an in-person interview; the purpose of the interview is to assess your ASL and English skills, as well as your knowledge of Deaf culture. For details on what to expect at the interview, see the ASL Interview Process (PDF 121KB).
  • If you don't respond to your interview invitation, or if you miss a scheduled interview, your application is cancelled.

Program requirements

• Portfolio development – As part of your studies at NSCC, you develop a portfolio of your work; the portfolio captures your achievements and profiles your skills to employers.

Tuition

Tuition amounts are for the 2024-25 academic year. Program costs and fees (textbooks, supplies, etc.) are additional.

Tuition, fees and program costs

In addition to annual tuition, there are program costs (books, tools, technology, etc.) and student fees for College services, health and dental plans, your student association and parking.

View detailed program fees page(s). Please note that amounts on these pages are meant for planning purposes only. They don't represent final amounts owing.

• American Sign Language/English Interpretation - Year 1
• American Sign Language/English Interpretation - Year 2

Career options

• Qualified interpreters are in demand within this province and beyond. Opportunities exist in various sectors, including:
• School systems (from kindergarten to grade 12)
• Post-secondary institutions (colleges and universities)
• Legal environments
• Health systems
• Referral agencies, such as the Sorenson Communications of Canada.

Future study options

• Continue your studies at university – This program includes courses that count towards a university degree. Learn more about having your diploma count towards a university degree

Courses may include

These are some of the courses offered in this program. It is not a complete list and courses are subject to change in advance of the academic year.

Recognizing prior learning / transfer credits
If you have previous learning (course, employment, etc...) that's relevant to your program, you may be able to apply to earn credit. Not all programs are eligible. Learn about our recognizing prior learning (RPL) process.

AEIP 1007 - English to ASL Interpreting Skills
This is a second semester course designed to build on learners’ learning from first semester ASL courses and the Discourse Analysis and Translation course, where learners practice translating. Learners will critically analyze English texts, the source language, and consecutively produce an equivalent message into ASL, the target language. This correlates with concurrent work in the concurrent course, ASL to English Interpreting Skills. Using a variety of readings, discussions, feedback techniques and isolated subtasks, learners will gradually integrate these component skills through prepared and unprepared consecutive interpretations.

AEIP 1008 - ASL to English Interpreting Skills
This is a second semester course designed to build on learners’ learning from first semester ASL courses and the Discourse Analysis and Translation course. In this course, learners begin to interpret (versus translate). Learners will analyze ASL texts (the source language), and consecutively produce an equivalent message in English (the target language). This correlates with concurrent work in English to ASL Interpreting Skills. Learners practice isolated subtasks and gradually integrate these component skills into consecutive interpretations. Discussion of interpreting issues will be a regular part of the semester's work. Learners are also expected to keep up to date on news and current affairs via a daily national or regional newspaper. News quizzes will be a regular part of our week.

AEIP 2010 - Pre-Interpreting ASL I
This course helps beginning intermediate ASL users in developing skills in comprehending and using expansion linguistic techniques, use of classifiers and locatives, ASL narrative and ASL mouthing. All these elements will be practiced, over the semester in increasingly complex ASL discourse.

AEIP 2012 - Discourse Analysis and Translation
This course provides learners with opportunities to analyze ASL and English texts in order to develop an equivalent translation into the target language. Learners will examine various texts and messages for meaning, identifying speaker/signer intent, individual propositions, cultural influences and other contextual elements. Learners move from analyzing messages for meaning, performing simple translations on to more complex translations.

AEIP 2014 - Introduction to Professional Practice
This course is designed to introduce learners to traditional and contemporary perspectives of interpretation and interpreters. History of the field and its implications for today will be explored. Learners will also be introduced to process models of interpretation as well as the factors that influence those processes.

AEIP 2016 - Professional Practice
This course examines the professional practice of interpretation. Learners will have the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the practice and the skills required to work as an interpreter. Learners will develop skills and strategies to support their learning. As well, learners will learn methods for continued personal and professional development.

AEIP 2018 - Language Variation in ASL
This course is a fundamental part of the program. Learners will explore the applications of ASL usage amongst Deaf populations such as children, teen/youth, senior citizens, and other minority groups within the Deaf community.

AEIP 2020 - Pre-Interpreting ASL II
This course helps intermediate ASL users in developing skills in comprehending and using expansion linguistic techniques, use of classifiers and locatives, ASL narrative and ASL mouthing. All these elements will be practiced, over the semester in increasingly complex ASL discourse.

AEIP 2025 - Advanced Discourse Analysis and Interpretation
This course continues to develop an understanding of interpreting theoretical frameworks and practices. It provides students with opportunities to apply theoretical and practical exercises through in-class exercises, peer-to-peer interactions and interpreting practice to further understand process management when producing an interpretation in ASL and/or English from an ASL and/or English source text.

AEIP 2026 - Skills Analysis
This course identifies and develops specific ASL and English interpreting skills required for successful interpretation between ASL and English.

AEIP 2030 - Interpretation Practice and Analysis
This is a third semester course designed to introduce learners to simultaneous interpretation. Unlike consecutive interpretation, simultaneous interpretation requires processing information and transmitting that information into a second language within the same time frame. From this semester on, emphasis will be placed on the importance of being able to work in both modes as learners aim for comfort while switching back and forth, as necessary. Learners will do guided drills in class but also do self-directed interpreting and analysis of interpretations on their own, in small groups. Online discussion of topics on interpretation will also be part of the course.

AEIP 3000 - ASL for Interpreters I
This course is an opportunity to further learners’ refinement of the grammatical principles of American Sign Language. These principles will be practiced, over the semester, in increasingly difficult ASL discourse. Learners will also build vocabulary pertinent to specific interpreter settings such as business meetings and medical settings.

AEIP 3001 - Interpretation I
This course picks up where the spring semester course, Interpretation Practice and Analysis left off, with simultaneous interpreting practice and specifically, more interactive interpreting practice. Occasionally learners will focus on interpreting in one direction, but for the most part mock interactive situations will be used to practice interpreting while managing the entire process (teaming, explaining role, and interrupting).

AEIP 3002 - Interpretation II
This course picks up where the fall semester course, Interpretation I, left off, continuing to practice interpreting. Occasionally learners will focus on interpreting in one direction, but for the most part mock interactive situation will be used to practice interpreting while managing the entire process (teaming, explaining role, and interrupting).

AEIP 3003 - Role and Ethics
This course provides learners with a thorough understanding of the AVLIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Professional Conduct, and the strategies needed to make values-based decisions. This course fosters the application of critical thinking to real world scenarios enhancing learner's abilities to make ethical and sound professional decisions. Participation in discussions is critical.

AEIP 3040 - Applied Interpreting I
This course allows learners to apply their learning and development thus far. Working in a variety of classes on campus, learners have the opportunity to practice interpreting in front of a live audience without being accountable to a Deaf consumer. In addition to this, learners spend time in the community logging time, learning about the Deaf and interpreting communities, as well as themselves. Then later in the semester, learners participate in their first two-week placement, applying their skills and knowledge learned.

AEIP 3050 - Applied Interpreting II
This course provides opportunities for learners to continue practicing professional skills with support and supervision from professional interpreters. Learners will continue to integrate learning and apply what they have been learning in the classroom, while working in real-world situations.

AEIP 4000 - ASL for Interpreters II
This course is designed to refine learners’ use of the grammatical principles of American Sign Language. Learners will have an opportunity to review specific ASL skills. Efforts will go toward increasing comprehension and advancing abilities with ASL structure and non-manual signals. All these elements will be practiced over the semester in increasingly difficult ASL discourse.

AEIP 4007 - Professional and Business Practices
This course is designed to introduce learners to employer expectations and business practices of interpreting practitioners and to assist them in acquisition of skills related to job development, resume preparation, record keeping and reporting, and problem-solving. The function and application of professional standards and ethics as an integral part of business practices will be emphasized. Throughout the semester, a variety of guests will provide specific employment or job-market information. The focus of the course is interpreters as business entities who will need to know and depend on a variety of resources as they graduate into their careers as interpreters. Assignments are designed to further learners' understanding of self in relation to the field.

AEIP 4008 - Presentation Arts
This course is designed to introduce the learner to using their whole body as a tool in communication. Particular attention will be paid to: group dynamics, presentation skills, self-esteem, assertion versus aggression, problem solving as a group, freeing up the body from tension, releasing the individual from the debilitating grip of self conscientiousness, relaxation-observation-focusing-listening skills, constructive versus negative critique, movement and its importance in presentation. This will be accomplished using established theatre games, exercises and techniques.

AEIP 4040 - Interpreting in Educational Settings
This course provides learners with a basic understanding of the complexities of working as an interpreter in Primary (or Kindergarten) to Grade 12 school settings and post-secondary educational settings. Course content will reference the AVLIC Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Professional Conduct and strategies needed to make values-based decisions in the unique settings of elementary, middle and high schools as well as college and university. Learners will have the opportunity to apply critical thinking skills to real world scenarios enhancing learners' abilities to make ethical and sound professional decisions.

AEIP 4500 - Applied Interpreting III
This course provides opportunities for learners to practice professional skills with support and supervision from professional interpreters. Learners will integrate learning and reflect upon their educational, personal and professional experiences through portfolio development.

SAFE 1000 - Introduction to WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems)
This course offers learners basic overview of WHMIS principles and establishes a solid foundation to support workplace-specific training on the safe storage and handling of controlled/hazardous products. Upon successful completion of the course, students receive basic WHMIS certification.

SAFE 1001 - Introduction to NS OH&S Act
This course offers students an introduction to the Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) Act of Nova Scotia, which is required by any person employed in a Nova Scotia workplace. This is a generic, introductory course that provides basic knowledge of the Act for students and is considered to be the basis from which more specific training can be given.