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Associate of Applied Science: American Sign Language, English Interpretation

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies: Policy and Entrepreneurship for American Sign Language-English Interpreters focus is designed to provide a pathway to a bachelor’s degree for American Sign Language-English Interpreters who intend to seek advanced workforce credentials. The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies is an individualized and interdisciplinary program for students who wish to create an individualized curriculum not available in traditional curricular pathways within existing VCU degree programs. This pathway provides an individualized route for aspiring interpreters who want their ASL/IE expertise to be informed by coursework in finance, policy, educational issues, and other topics relevant to the deaf community and the work our students will do after graduation. In our increasingly complex global economy, 21st-century professionals need to have creative and entrepreneurial skills and be agile learners who can navigate the pace of career changes with confidence. The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS) degree is one way to hone those skills as you explore the academic areas that match your passions and future plans.

A majority of full-time ASL-English Interpretation positions in the Commonwealth are found in the K-12 public school setting. The minimum requirement to work as an ASL-English Interpreter in the K-12 setting in Virginia is a VQAS Level III, an EIPA of 3.5 or higher, or National Interpreting Certificate (NIC) certification. Those interpreters who attain NIC certification may also consider freelance and contract interpreting opportunities, including the expanding fields of video relay service (VRS) and video remote interpreting (VRI), which both utilize interactive video technology via the Internet.