For Immediate Release
January 13, 2009

UCR Extension offers new introductory class in the basics of legal court interpretation

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Speakers of Spanish and English, who are interested in court interpretation as a career, can learn the basics in the new class, Introduction to Legal Interpretation. This class is offered Mondays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. from Jan. 26 to April 6, 2009 at UCR Extension Center, 1200 University Ave., Riverside. In this class, students learn about the role of the professional interpreter in courtrooms, at crimes scenes and other legal venues.

In Introduction to Legal Interpretation, students study the legal concepts surrounding the U.S. court system, the role of the interpreter, the Code of Professional Responsibility, and the World Class Standards for Interpreters. In addition, students learn the difference between sight translation, consecutive interpretation, and simultaneous interpretation along with required terminology.

Students are asked to bring a recording of their voice, both in Spanish and English (explaining why they would like to study legal translation and interpretation), to be used for language level assessment.

Employment for legal interpreters is expected to increase by 24 percent through 2016, especially in health care and work related to homeland security.

The class fee is $325.

For more information, call (951) 827-5801 or e-mail arts@ucx.ucr.edu. To register for classes, visit www.extension.ucr.edu or call (951) 827-4105. To receive a free UCR Extension catalog, which includes a complete listing of all our current courses and certificate programs, call (951) 827-3806.

UCR Extension is the continuing education division of the University of California, Riverside. Extension offers more than 1,800 courses and certificate programs in a variety of academic programs, including agriculture and landscape, arts and humanities, business and management, education, teacher’s credentialing, English, environmental management, geospatial analysis and technology, health services and behavioral sciences, information technology, languages, law and public policy, Native American studies, natural sciences, forensic investigations and public safety, and yoga.