We are currently not accepting applications for the American Sign Language - English Interpretation program as the program and admission requirements are being revised.
We anticipate that the acceptance of applications will start early in 2020. Please continue to check this website for further updates.
For information on other programs that might be of interest to you, please contact the program area.
Before applying and submitting your letter of intent, you must ensure you qualify for admission at both Red River College and the University of Manitoba.
Annual application deadline: April 1
Regular Admission Requirements
Deaf Studies Certificate
| English Language Assessment | Minimum Required Levels | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L - Listening, S - Speaking, R - Reading, W - Writing | L | S | R | W |
| AEPUCE (Academic English Program of University and College Entrance ) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language) | 70 | 70 | 70 | 70 |
| CanTEST
(Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees)
RRC Institutional or Official CanTEST accepted EXCEPT for the Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) program. The MLS program requires the Official CanTEST (the RRC Institutional CanTEST will not be accepted). | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| IELTS - Academic (International English Language Testing System) | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| TOEFL-iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet Based Test) | 24 | 23 | 24 | 27 |
Consider enrolling in AEIP if you possess above-average language skills in American Sign Language and English, the languages of study and instruction. You should also have a genuine interest in the study of languages within cultural contexts. Interpreters work in a variety of settings with a variety of people.
This program is academically demanding. You will need to be highly motivated and possess excellent time management skills to effectively balance program and personal responsibilities.
Students may apply for financial assistance through the Manitoba Student Aid program. For general information on applying please call 204-945-6321 or 1-800-204-1685, or visit their website at www.manitobastudentaid.ca, which also includes an online application. For detailed information, please visit one of the RRC Student Service Centres or call 204-632-2327. Applicants requiring financial assistance should complete their student loan applications well in advance of the class start date.
Red River College is a participating institution in the HigherEdPoints program. Through this program, students are able to convert Aeroplan® Miles and TD Points into funds to help cover their tuition. Family members and friends can also contribute to a student’s education by converting their loyalty points - anyone can donate their points to an individual student.
Visit the HigherEdPoints website for more information about the program and/or to set up an account to convert your points.
Program Outline – ASL - English Interpretation Diploma –
Total 77 CR
Term 1 – Fall – 23 CR
Fingerspelling and
Numbering (2 CR)
Ethics 1 (3 CR)
Language Processing: ASL (3
CR)
Interpretation Settings 1 (3
CR)
Consecutive Interpreting (6
CR)
ASL: Applied Topics 1 (3 CR)
ASL 3 (3 CR)
Term 2 – Winter – 22 CR
Community-Based Learning (1
CR)
Special Topics for
Interpreters (3 CR)
Cross-Language Processing (3
CR)
Interpretation Settings 2 (3 CR)
Simultaneous Interpreting (6
CR)
ASL: Applied Topics 2 (3 CR)
ASL 4 (3 CR)
Term 3 – Fall – 21 CR
Cross-Cultural Interactions
2 (3
CR)
Ethics 2 (3 CR)
Special Topics for
Interpreters 2 (3 CR)
Interpretation Analysis (3 CR)
Applied Interpreting (6 CR)
ASL: Applied Topics 3 (3 CR)
Term 4 – Winter – 11 CR
Practicum Preparation &
Debrief Seminar (6 CR)
Portfolio Development (3 CR)
Interpreting Practicum (2 CR)
See a flowchart showing progression through the semesters of the AEIP program at /Catalogue/files/File/catalogue/Visio-AEIPFlowchart.pdf
This is the first course of a three-course language processing series that develops pre-interpretation skills. This first course focuses on English and is designed to develop competencies that are necessary for both consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. Through classroom lectures and lab work, students will develop competencies in text analysis. Modules are as follows: Understanding Meaning, Abstracting, Paraphrasing, Phonemic Shadowing, Clozing, and Phrase Shadowing.
This is the third course of the three-course language processing series that develops pre-interpretation skills. This third course incorporates both English and ASL in that each exercise necessitates the transfer of a source message in one language to a target message in the other language. Exercises are designed to develop competencies that are necessary for both consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. Through classroom lectures conducted in either English or ASL and lab work, students will develop the ability to work between the two languages with competencies in Abstracting, Clozing, Register Shifting, and Translating.
This is the second course of a three-course language processing series that develops pre-interpretation skills. This second course focuses on ASL and is designed to develop competencies that are necessary for both consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. Through classroom lectures conducted in ASL and lab work, students will develop competencies in text analysis. Modules are as follows: Phonemic Shadowing, Understanding Meaning, Phrase Shadowing, Abstracting, Paraphrasing, and Clozing.
This is a practical course in English that develops the students' ability to efficiently think about, organize and express concepts. Throughout the course, students will participate in a variety of individual and group activities that provide practice in processing and conceptualizing information. The English source language materials provided will increase in length and complexity as the course progresses in order to best prepare students for the eventual task of consecutive and simultaneous ASL-English interpretation in a variety of settings. In addition, students will have many opportunities to practice interpreting for one another, learn about how to prepare to interpret, provide peer feedback and reflect on their interpretations. Practice interpretation is an experiential learning component; therefore, interpretations will not be assessed for this course.
This course is designed to further enhance the study of ASL. It provides students with an in-depth exploration of ASL lexicon/grammar and ways of making transitions between ideas through exposure to a variety of ASL language models and styles. Students explore the meaning of content as it is revealed in context. Skills that will continue to be developed are: complex uses of space, use of classifiers, use of body and gaze shift, use of affect, transition markers, and determining appropriate perspective in specific texts. Exercises lead to a decreased dependency on English syntactic structure.
This course is an overview of a variety of settings where interpreters may find themselves working. The class format will include lectures and guest speakers who have expertise in interpreting in the following areas: education, employment, health, legal, meetings, performing arts, recreational, social, and spiritual settings.
This is the first of two courses in ethics for ASL-English interpretation students. The course introduces students to the theories of moral development and branches of ethical study such as applied ethics, descriptive ethics, and meta-ethics. The notion of personal and cultural identity and bias will be explored at length. Students will engage in discussion and activities that address issues in individual, social, and professional ethics and how they apply to the interpreter working between two cultural and linguistic groups. Students will also examine the Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada's Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Professional Conduct from a historical perspective and compare it with current thought and ethical practice.
Interpretation Settings 2 provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate professional and ethical conduct during practical and seminar experiences. Students will have the opportunity to go into the field to accompany trained interpreter-practitioners who are AVLIC-MAVLI members to a number of interpreting assignments in a variety of settings. For each setting experience students can expect to establish goals, and prepare, observe, and interpret part of the assignment when appropriate. Following each assignment students will meet with the interpreter-practitioner(s) to discuss relevant issues. As part of the learning experience, students are also required to actively participate in the weekly seminar.
This is the second of two courses in ethics for ASL-English interpretation students. The course builds on the first with an emphasis on application and exploration of case studies and discussions of ethical issues and/or dilemmas as they arise in student experiences in the AEIP. Additional themes of audism, majority and minority group relations, interpreter self-care, and becoming an ally will be discussed in the context of the interpreter working between two cultural and linguistic groups. Students will develop skills that will enable them as future professional interpreters to identify ethical dilemmas, predict outcomes of various courses of action, and propose resolutions that are in harmony with the Association of Visual Language Interpreters of Canada's Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Professional Conduct.
Students are given guided practice in the tasks of consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. Students work on prepared texts, developing expertise in ASL to English, English to ASL and interactive discourse. Team interpretation and feedback skills are addressed.
Students are given guided practice in the tasks of consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. Students work on prepared texts, developing expertise in ASL to English, English to ASL and interactive discourse. Team interpretation and feedback skills are addressed.
This advanced ASL course is designed to further enhance language skills pertaining to particular subject areas commonly found in interpretation settings. Besides developing ASL vocabulary associated with these areas, students will work on expressive and receptive language skills related to language genre and register such as a medical interview, counselling session, lectures in post-secondary education, technical language used in employment, conference interpreting, and some legal settings.
Students will participate in a variety of live interpretation situations that serve to develop their skills in both consecutive and simultaneous interpretation. Interpreting opportunities will take place both on-campus and in a number of off-campus locations. All interpretations executed by students will be monitored by the course instructors or by qualified interpreter practitioners. In addition to the practical component of this course, students will develop the ability to analyze and assess their own interpretation skills, and to establish and monitor a personal skill development plan.
Practicum Seminar provides an opportunity for students to discuss, further analyze, and synthesize their Practicum experiences with their peers and AEIP faculty. Practicum Seminar topics are the students' key learnings as found in the previous Practica experiences.
Students are placed with a Practicum Host and participate in the daily interpreting activities and job expectations of the host site as determined by the host site's Practicum Coordinator, AEIP Faculty, and the practicum students.
Students look at examples of common errors and miscues that occur in ASL-English interpretations and apply models of interpreting and a variety of methods of analysis. The main focus will be on the examination of students' own interpreted work from Lab 2 (or other sources of practice interpretation) as they develop skills to speculate possible causes for miscues, come up with strategies to improve, and learn to provide supportive and critical feedback to peers. During this process, students will also have the opportunity to re-do and improve upon some of their previous interpreted work.
An introduction to the study of literature with emphasis on the development of reading and writing skills, poetry, prose and drama from various historical periods. Texts for each section will be announced. Students may not hold credit for both 004.120 and 004.124. English 40S or the former English 300 are strongly recommended, but English 40G or the former 301 or 30S will also be accepted.
A survey of interpretation theory including specifics of language use and problems in the transfer of cultural content for both source and target language, the history of language awareness on the part of the interpreter, and the development of theories of interpretation. This course will draw heavily on the field of ASL-English Interpretation for Illustration. Prerequisites: a grade of 'C' or better in LING 1200 (126.120) Introduction to Linguistics or written consent of instructor.
Sentences are complex arrangements of words and other elements, and syntactic structures have long been at the centre of theoretical controversy. A typological survey of syntactic patterns, introducing formal and functional approaches to syntactic analysis, will be covered. Prerequisite: a grade of 'C' or better in LING 1200 (126.120) or written consent of instructor.
Sentences are complex arrangements of words and other elements, and syntactic structures have long been at the centre of theoretical controversy. A typological survey of syntactic patterns, introducing formal and functional approaches to syntactic analysis, will be covered. Prerequisite: a grade of 'C' or better in LING 1200 (126.120) or written consent of instructor.
Students must consult the University of Manitoba Calendar and pursue a 3-credit course that suits their interest and availability.
This course covers the internal structure of words: the traditional distinction between inflection and derivation, types of word structures, word-formation rules, and levels of word-formation. The relationship of morphology to phonology and syntax is explored. Prerequisite: a grade of 'C' or better in LING 1200 (126.120) or written consent of instructor.
Students must consult the University of Manitoba Calendar and pursue a 3-credit course that suits their interest and availability. Note: Students could opt to pursue a 3-credit course that satisfies 3 credits of science as well as the 3-credit mathematics requirement (see AEIU-1007). Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor to identify courses that satisfy this criteria.
Students must consult the University of Manitoba Calendar and pursue a 3-credit course that suits their interest and availability. Note: students could opt to pursue a 3-credit course that satisfies 3 credits of mathematics as well as 3 credits of science (see AEIU-1006). Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor to identify courses that satisfy this criteria.
An examination of ASL as a signed language as opposed to spoken language. Topics include phonetic, phonological, morphological, and syntactic structures. Pre-requisites: a grade of C+ or better in each of 126.1200 Introduction to Linguistics, 126.220 Syntax, and 126.2460 Morphology or written consent of the instructor.
An examination of ASL as a signed language as opposed to spoken language. Topics include phonetic, phonological, morphological, and syntactic structures. Pre-requisites: a grade of C+ or better in each of 126.1200 Introduction to Linguistics, 126.220 Syntax, and 126.2460 Morphology or written consent of the instructor.
Students must consult the University of Manitoba Calendar and pursue a 6-credit course that suits their interest and availability. Students could opt to take two 3 - credit courses in lieu of one 6-credit course. See AEIU-3002 General Elective Option B1 and AEIU-3003 General Elective Option B2.
Students must consult the University of Manitoba Calendar and pursue a 3-credit course that suits their interest and availability. Note: this course will satisfy only one of two required 3-credit general electives. See also AEIU-3003 General Elective Option B2.
Students must consult the University of Manitoba Calendar and pursue a 3-credit course that suits their interest and availability. Note: this course will satisfy only one of two required 3-credit general electives. See also AEIU-3002 General Elective Option B1.
Topics of current interest in American Sign Language are examined. Prerequisite: written permission of instructor.
To be eligible for the Practicum and Practicum Seminar courses of this program, you must complete all regular course work at both Red River College and the University of Manitoba.
You are expected to abide by all regulations governing practicum host sites. You may be required to submit Adult Criminal Record/Vulnerable Sector and Provincial Child Abuse Registry check documents.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process which documents and compares an individual's prior learning gained from prior education, work and life experiences and personal study to the learning outcomes in College courses/programs. For more information, please visit www.rrc.ca/rpl.
Red River College surveys its graduates on an annual basis to collect data related to the graduates’ employment status, salary, occupation and skill use. In addition, graduates are asked to indicate their level of satisfaction regarding the education they received at Red River College.
Visit www.rrc.ca/numbers/reports/graduate-satisfaction for graduate satisfaction and employment reports.
The demand for ASL-English interpreters continues to grow across Canada. Interpreters work in a variety of settings with a variety of people.
Graduates are employed by interpreter referral agencies, video relay centres, or work as freelance interpreters in many areas, such as
For general information about this program or how to apply, contact Enrolment Services at 204-632-2327.
To find out more about the AEIP or this profession, contact:
Rick Zimmer
Program Coordinator
AEIP Program
Red River College
204-632-2196
E-mail: rzimmer@rrc.ca
or
Terry Janzen
Linguistics Department
University of Manitoba
204-474-7081
E-mail: terry.janzen@ad.umanitoba.ca
For information on how to apply to this program, follow the link below.
Every year Red River College surveys students, in all full-time programs, to learn more about their college experience. The questionnaire includes questions about students’ experiences with College programs, facilities, and services offered.
Visit www.rrc.ca/numbers/reports/student-evaluation-of-program for student evaluation of program reports.
Red River College is committed to student success and provides valuable support services to assist in helping students make the most of their time at RRC.
Visit www.rrc.ca/supports for more information.