High School
In high school, interested students should take English and composition courses, as well as foreign language courses. ASL is taught in some high schools and some community learning centers.
Postsecondary Training
Many colleges offer sign language courses, courses in deaf culture, and some offer certificate, baccalaureate, and master's programs in deaf studies. Earning a college degree is highly recommended because it will help you to land better jobs and receive higher pay. A postsecondary education will also provide you with the background and skills necessary for passing the certification exams.
Visit the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf's Web site, https://rid.org/about-rid/about-interpreting/become-an-interpreter, for a database of postsecondary programs that offer interpreter education.
Other Education or Training
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf offers workshops, classes, and other continuing education opportunities. Recent offerings included "I’m Graduating...Now What?," "Best Practices in Interpreting," and "Deaf-Blind Interpreting." The Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers seminars such as "Identifying and Managing Pediatric Hearing Loss" and "Auditory-Verbal Practice: State of the Art." Contact these organizations for more information.
- Addiction Therapists
- Adult Day Care Coordinators
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
- Anthropologists
- Archaeologists
- Behavioral Health Technicians
- Career and Employment Counselors
- Career and Employment Technicians
- Child Life Specialists
- Clinic Managers
- College Professors
- Community Health Nurses
- Community Health Program Coordinators
- Community Health Workers
- Community Nutrition Educators
- Conflict Resolution Specialists
- Contact Tracers
- Creative Arts Therapists
- Cultural Advisers
- Dietetic Technicians
- Directors of Volunteers
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Teachers
- Ethnoscientists
- Foreign Service Officers
- Geriatric Care Managers
- Geriatric Nurses
- Geriatric Psychiatrists
- Geriatric Social Workers
- Grant Coordinators and Writers
- Grief Therapists
- Health Advocates
- HIV/AIDS Counselors and Case Managers
- Home Health Care Aides
- Home Health Care and Hospice Nurses
- Hospice Workers
- Human Services Workers
- Interpreters
- Linguists
- Music Therapists
- Neuropsychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists
- Nonprofit Social Service Directors
- Nursing Home Administrators
- Occupational Therapists
- Occupational Therapy Assistants and Aides
- Orientation and Mobility Specialists
- Personal Care Aides
- Psychologists
- Public Interest Lawyers
- Recreational Therapists
- Rehabilitation Counselors
- Secondary School Teachers
- Social Workers
- Translators
- Tutors and Trainers