Interpreters

High School

If you are interested in becoming an interpreter, you should take a variety of English courses, because most interpreting work is from a foreign language into English. The study of one or more foreign languages is vital. If you are interested in becoming proficient in one or more of the Romance languages, such as Italian, French, or Spanish, basic courses in Latin will be valuable.

While you should devote as much time as possible to the study of at least one foreign language, other helpful courses include speech, business, cultural studies, humanities, world history, geography, and political science. In fact, any course that emphasizes the written and/or spoken word will be valuable to aspiring interpreters. In addition, knowledge of a particular subject matter in which you may have interest, such as health, law, or science, will give you a professional edge if you want to specialize. 

Postsecondary Training

Because interpreters need to be proficient in grammar, have an excellent vocabulary in the chosen language, and have sound knowledge in a wide variety of subjects, employers generally require that applicants have at least a bachelor's degree. Scientific and professional interpreters are best qualified if they have graduate degrees. Many government or high-level positions require a master's degree.

In addition to language and field-specialty skills, you should take college courses that will allow you to develop effective techniques in public speaking. Courses such as speech and debate will improve your diction and confidence as a public speaker.

Hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States offer degrees in languages. In addition, educational institutions now provide programs and degrees specialized for interpreting. Georgetown University (https://linguistics.georgetown.edu) offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in linguistics. Graduate degrees in interpretation and translation may be earned at the University of California at Santa Barbara (https://www.ucsb.edu), University of Puerto Rico (https://www.upr.edu), and Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/). Many of these programs include both general and specialized courses, such as medical interpretation.

Academic programs for the training of interpreters can be found in Europe as well. The University of Geneva’s Faculty of Translation and Interpreting (https://www.unige.ch/fti/en/) is highly regarded among professionals in the field. 

Other Education or Training

The National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators offers continuing education opportunities at its annual conference. Topics include how to use social media, marketing and branding, and advanced language skills. Other organizations that provide webinars, workshops, conference seminars and other learning opportunities include the International Medical Interpreters Association, National Council on Interpreting in Health Care, and the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf. Contact these organizations for more information.