RID Announces Degree
Requirement Extension for Hearing Candidates for Certification
One Year Extension for
Associate's Degree Requirement to June 30, 2009
March 31, 2008 -- Alexandria, VA
-- The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) announced today it
will be extending the deadline requiring an associate's degree for
hearing candidates for certification from June 30, 2008 to June 30,
2009. The one year extension will enable the national office to
ensure that the proper procedures are in place to handle and assess
alternative pathway requests. (i.e., equivalent alternative criteria
allowable in lieu of the educational requirements)
"As we faced the impending deadline for the June 30, 2008 degree
requirements, it became evident that more time was needed for the
national office to provide potential candidates for certification
the necessary information and guidance they need to seek alternative
pathways to the degree requirement,"
explained Clay Nettles, RID Executive Director.
Heather Trusty, Director of Certification who recently joined the
national office in November 2007, added, "There are interpreters
in the field with decades of experience who do not have an
associate's or bachelor's degree. Yet, these lifetime experiences
may be deemed equivalent or beyond equivalent to an educational
degree. We don't want to penalize these individuals by not having
the alternative pathway clearly defined, which is why we sought, and
were granted, an extension by the board of directors."
A degree is not required for the written/knowledge portion of the
tests. However, individuals will be required to possess a degree in
order to apply and take any interview/performance sections of any
test. This extension will not impact the future deadlines
established in the approved motion. (see below)
History:
At the 2003 RID National Conference, in Chicago, IL, the membership
passed a motion which established the degree requirements. The
following is the text of the motion (C 2003.05) as approved
at conference:
RID adopt and publicize the following schedule for when all test
candidates must have a degree from an accredited institution to
stand for any RID certificate:
Effective June 30, 2008, candidates for RID certification must have
a minimum of an associate's degree. Effective June 30, 2012, Deaf
candidates must have a minimum of an associate's degree.
Effective June 30, 2012, candidates for RID certification must have
a minimum of a bachelor's degree.
Effective June 30, 2016, Deaf candidates must have a minimum of a
bachelor's degree.
By June 30, 2006, the Certification Council shall establish
equivalent alternative criteria allowable in lieu of the educational
requirements such as one or more of the following: Life experience,
years of professional experience, years of education (credit hours)
not totaling a formal degree.
FAQs Pertaining to the
Degree Requirements:
Q. I passed the written
test and have five years to pass the performance test. As a
candidate for certification, do
I still need an
associate's degree after 2009 to take the test?
A. After June 30,
2009, you will need to have the minimum of an associate's degree in
order to take a performance test. If you are already certified at
that time, the requirement will only apply to you if you want to
take additional performance tests.
Q. If an
interpreter already has NIC certification at the certified or
advanced level before 2009, will he or she still need an associate's
degree in order to retest for a higher level?
A. A candidate
must meet all eligibility requirements at the time he or she takes
an exam. Yes, the candidate will still need to have an associate's
degree after June 30, 2009, to sit for additional performance tests.
Q. What is the
latest I could take the written test and avoid the bachelor's degree
requirement? Do I have five full years to attain certification?
A. The bachelor's
degree requirement goes into effect June 30, 2012. You will not need
a degree to take the written test, but you will need a degree to
take a performance exam. When a candidate takes a performance test,
he or she must meet all eligibility requirements. In other words,
after June 30, 2009, in order to take a performance test, a
candidate must still be on his or her five-year timeline and have
the minimum of an associate's degree. After June 30, 2012, a
candidate must still be on his or her five-year timeline and have
the minimum of a bachelor's degree. Certified interpreters will need
to meet the educational requirements in order to take additional
performance exams.
Q. I already hold
CI and CT certifications. Do I still need to have an associate's
degree in order to take further tests, such as the NIC Interview and
Performance test?
A. Yes, in order
to take further performance exams you will need to have the minimum
of an associate's degree after June 30, 2009.
Q. I am already
certified. I heard there would be grandfathering for the degree
requirements. Am I exempt from the requirements?
A. If you are
already certified, you will not need to have a degree in order to
maintain your certification. You will need to have a degree if you
want to take further performance exams.
Q. Is there a substitute to
holding a degree?
A. A substitute
to holding a degree will be defined and clearly outlined in the
alternative pathways that the national office will be researching
and providing to individuals. Information regarding the alternative
pathways will be released in the near future.
For more
information, contact: Heather Trusty htrusty@rid.org
Registry of
Interpreters for the Deaf
333 Commerce St.,
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.838.0030 V
703.838.0459 TTY
703.838.0454 Fax
www.rid.org