ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Legal Interpretation: Spanish certificate program will prepare students for careers in legal translation and legal/court interpretation. It will instruct students in the techniques and procedures of producing an accurate, efficient translation, particularly in the legal field. Students completing this certificate will be well-prepared for a career providing high quality interpretation.
This Program is Perfect For
Bilingual (Spanish/English) people who are committed to removing language barriers for non-English speakers interacting with the legal system.
What You Will Learn
• Students will interpret clearly and accurately between English and Spanish in legal matters or court proceedings between persons with limited English proficiency and lawyers / public officials.
• Students will interpret appropriately and impartially based on knowledge of the US judiciary system.
• Students will be able to perform sight, consecutive, or simultaneous interpretation/translation as necessary.
• Students will be able to apply dramaturgical strategies and stress management principals to effectively deliver moment-to-moment interpreting.
Program Details
To earn the Legal Interpretation: Spanish Certificate you must successfully complete six required core courses.
Prerequisite
You must have at least a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
Students must be fluent in Spanish and English and must provide proof of proficiency in both languages by one of the mechanisms below. If you do not have documents from the list(s) to demonstrate proficiency, you may take the Oral Proficiency Interview by Computer (OPIc) placement exam through Language Testing International.
Please scan and email at least one documents to ce-assistant@unlv.edu. To avoid any potential security risks transferred through unsecured email, please remove references to social security numbers or confidential information on your documents prior to email submission. If you have several documents for one language, please scan them as one file for upload. Files must be received three business days prior to course start. If you started the program prior to August 2018 and have earned a passing grade in any of the six courses, you are exempt from the proficiency requirements.
Acceptable Documents for Evidence of English Proficiency
High school diploma from a high school in the U.S. or other English language country or from an American School abroad.
Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, or any other degree from an institution of higher education in the U.S. or other English language country.
Language testing such as one of the following tests:
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): 570+ on paper; 230+ on computer version; 90+ on iBT.
ELPT (English Language Proficiency Test): 950+
MELAB (Michigan English Language Assessment Battery) 80+
ECPE (Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English): PASS
FCE (First Certificate in English, Level 3): A
CAE (Certificate in Advanced English, Level 4): BCPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English, Level 5): B
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) 7.0
ACTFL Oral Exams (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages): Advanced Mid Level - both the OPI (telephonic) and OPIc (computer recording) are acceptable.
Successful passage of an established interpreter/translator certification exam (that includes a language-specific performance test), such as:
The Federal Court Interpreter Certification Exam (FCICE)
Any National Center for State Court (NCSC) exam
Other national or state certification exams, e.g., ATA, BEI, NAJIT, NBCMI, RID, State of Washington Medical Interpreter Certification.
Acceptable Documents for Evidence of Spanish Proficiency (documents must be translated into English)
High school diploma from a high school in a country where Spanish is spoken
Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, or any other degree from an institution of higher education where Spanish is spoken. 24+ semester college credit hours of Spanish
Language Testing
ACTFL Oral Exams (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages): Advanced Mid Level - both the OPI (telephonic) and OPIc (computer recording) are acceptable.
Time spent studying and/or working where the applicant was required to perform tasks at a professional level in Spanish at least 75% of the time.
Language Testing
If you do not have documents from the list(s) to demonstrate proficiency, you can take English or Spanish language proficiency exams online through our partnership with Language Testing International. Download instructions on how to access and schedule the exam. Please note, you must choose Exam Level 4 or higher to be evaluated for an advanced-mid level rating. You must have access to a computer with internet, microphone, and video capability to take the exam.
Michael Bertetto is the director of marketing and communications at UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law and former director of marketing for several area hospitality and gaming companies.
Students must provide evidence of proficiency in both Spanish and English at least three days prior to starting program coursework.