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Please note:

Financial support is available to eligible applicants in the form of a leadership education grant and leadership travel grant. Apply online at ecegrants.on.ca.

About the program

This program is designed for bilingual individuals who wish to work as spoken language interpreters in the legal, health care, social service and domestic violence prevention sectors in Ontario. Integrating theory, principles and concepts with practical application and skills development, the program aims to assist individuals in developing the introductory level competencies, skills, knowledge and attitudes required for proficient practice as language interpreters. The program will benefit individuals who wish to begin a career in interpreting, as well as those already working as interpreters who wish to upgrade their skills and obtain a college credential.
This 180-hour program, consisting of six courses, provides an introduction to spoken language interpreting, with skills development practice in the major constituent tasks of interpreting - consecutive interpreting, sight translation and note taking, simultaneous interpreting, and a focus on setting-specific interpreting. Note: Students are required to successfully complete an interpreter's competency test (ILSAT: Interpreter Language and Skills Assessment Tool) administered by a Provincial Agency before eligible for graduation.

Admission requirements

  • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, OR 19 years of age or older
  • Fluency in English as well as a second language

Admission procedures

  • Submit a completed Conestoga College Program Application Form.
  • Attach proof of Admission Requirements.
  • Final selection is made following an assessment of the admission requirements.

Program requirements

  • Attendance at a Program Information Session is highly recommended.

Graduate opportunities

For more details on related occupations, job market information and career opportunities, see the Government of Canada website: https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/home

Program outcomes

  • Display, in a variety of typical interpreting settings, listening, memory retention and note taking skills which contribute to accuracy and fidelity in interpreting.
  • Incorporate setting-specific vocabulary and terminology in both languages of interpretation to support accuracy in a variety of typical interpreting settings.
  • Perform introductory level consecutive interpreting which preserves the meaning of the source utterance in a variety of contexts and modes.

  • Perform sight translation, in a variety of typical interpreting settings, which maintains the integrity of source information.

  • Perform introductory level simultaneous interpreting and whispered simultaneous interpreting from English to the other language in a group setting.

  • Comply with the professional standards of practice and ethical principles for spoken language interpreting in typical interpreting settings.

  • Apply appropriate problem solving and communication strategies in responding to typical challenges which arise in providing interpreting and sight translation services.

Program related resources

Program contact

Continuing Education
Upcoming registrations

Mark your calendar with our registration dates, so you can plan your future.

Winter registration: Opens November 4, 2024
Spring registration: Opens March 17, 2025