Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important that I apply for official admission into the Certificate in Interpreting?

You may take courses in the Certificate before applying for official admission. However, you should apply for official admission in the program as soon as possible because, as an admitted Certificate student, you receive many benefits that are unavailable to non-admitted students:

You will be assured that all of your course work will count toward the certificate. Sometimes requirements change.
You will receive relevant updates about the program.
You will be eligible to apply for federal financial aid.
You will have access to academic advising.
You will have an opportunity to register earlier than a student who is not admitted.
You will not be assessed the University of Minnesota Student Services fee if you are admitted to a certificate program and not admitted to a degree program.
You will be assured that the tuition you pay for a course is the approved certificate tuition rate. See the specific certificate for the per credit tuition rate.

Currently, we can only officially admit you into the Certificate if you are an English/Spanish speaker. This is because our bilingual courses depend on student demand, which greatly fluctuates for speakers of other language such as Hmong, Oromo, Russian or Somali. If you speak English and another language other than Spanish and there are not enough students with your language pair for you to take our bilingual classes, you are welcome to take certain Certificate courses that are taught in English (as a non-admitted student). You can complete half the Certificate in this way. For further information see Admission Prerequisites and Procedures for the Certificate in Interpreting.

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What are the admission prerequisites for the Certificate in Interpreting?

Before applying for official admission to the Certificate, you must have a high school diploma or equivalent, and you are expected to demonstrate superior language skills. For further information see Admission Prerequisites and Procedures for the Certificate in Interpreting or speak to program staff.

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What is the admission process for the Certificate in Interpreting?

You must complete and submit a Language Background form before you take Translation and Interpreting (TrIn) courses. There is an additional admission procedure for the Certificate program. For further information see Admission.

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What are the completion requirements for the Certificate in Interpreting?

2.0 or better cumulative GPA.
Minimum grade of C- in Certificate course work (core courses, specialization courses, and elective course).
All 18 required credits must be completed for one specialization OR all 24 required credits must be completed for two specializations.
During the Certificate you will take an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) for your second language (“B” language). If you do not score Advanced-Low or better, we cannot award you the Certificate and you will have to wait six months to retake the assessment (at your own expense). We generally cannot accept other oral proficiency assessments in lieu of the OPI because their rating scales are different and they test for skills (academic English, written English, etc.) which are not necessarily relevant for community interpreting.

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How long will it take for me to complete the program?
You have four years to complete a certificate. If additional time is needed, you may petition for an extension. The process of gaining interpreting skills is a gradual one, and therefore we ask our students to take three ‘core’ courses in sequence (Introduction to Translation, Introduction to Interpreting, and then Consecutive Interpreting). After this, students can complete the certificate by taking an elective course and either legal or health care specialization courses (or both). These specialization courses are not necessarily offered every year, but with a little planning it is possible to complete the Certificate in one and a half years (depending on the year you start and specialization). However, you may take three years or more with breaks between courses.

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Do you offer certification?

No. The University's College of Continuing Education offers a Certificate in Interpreting with specialization in Legal or Health Care Interpreting. The Certificate attests to completion of a course of study. Certification is different; certification is done by professional organizations or government agencies.

At present, no certification is required in order to interpret in Minnesota, with two exceptions. First, state law requires sign language interpreters to be certified by a national professional association. The second exception has to do with court interpreting. Employment as an interpreter in the federal courts (in Spanish and certain other languages) requires certification through a rigorous examination. The Minnesota State Courts have set minimal requirements for having one's name added to the roster of eligible interpreters--this is NOT certification. The State Courts do, however, offer a certification examination in certain languages. Non-certified interpreters may not be employed by the courts if any certified interpreter is available for the required language. If a certified interpreter is not available, non-certified interpreters on the roster may be called. For official information about interpreting in the Minnesota State Courts, please call 651-297-5300.

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Where can I learn more about employment opportunities with this certificate?

If you have taken the three core courses or completed the Certificate, you may choose to have your contact information displayed on our Web page listing for prospective employers. Unfortunately, we do not have the staff power to actively help our students find interpreting jobs. If you are interested in interpreting in health care settings, you should try looking at hospitals and clinics. Some have interpreting departments. You can also contact local interpreting agencies found in the yellow pages. Informal interviews with professors, supervisors, or professionals working in your career of interest are very effective ways to find out more about the field and about necessary skills, experience, qualifications, and how the certificate can best work for you. In addition, the College of Continuing Education Career and Lifework Planning Services offers individual consultations, workshops, and career-related assessments that can help you explore career options.

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What will I receive to show that I have completed the Certificate in Interpreting?

You will receive a University of Minnesota Certificate saying “Certificate in Interpreting.” Your academic transcript will list the specific specialization(s) you completed. University of Minnesota policy is to not list specializations on the certificate document.

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Can I include the Certificate in a degree program?

Your credits earned through this Certificate may be transferable to a degree program. Check with the appropriate degree program adviser to determine if the credits will transfer.

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Can previous credits I have earned elsewhere be used towards the certificate requirements?

With approval, transfer course work completed at an accredited institution can make up 40 percent of the certificate requirements. Such arrangements are at the discretion of the program director. Please address any questions about transferring credits to program staff.

If you have questions, call 612-624-4000 or send an e-mail message to cceinfo@umn.edu.