Established in 1993, the ASL-English Interpretation Department at Columbia College offered the first Bachelor of Arts in Interpretation in the state of Illinois. The four-year major is designed for students who want to pursue careers as interpreters. The core curriculum provides a coherent plan of study through courses in American Sign Language, deaf culture, linguistics, the theories and skills involved in interpreting and transliterating, multicultural issues, and a two-semester interpreting and transliterating practicum, which includes interpreting fieldwork supervised by professional mentor interpreters.

In order to be successful interpreters, students in the major at Columbia will need to acquire mastery of standard American English, fluency in American Sign Language, and familiarity with public speaking techniques, as well as sensitivity to multicultural issues and challenges in interpersonal communication.

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