Overview

The Interpretation (American Sign Language - English) (Hons) program at George Brown College is the first degree of its kind in Canada. Developed to address the growing demand for qualified Sign Language Interpreters, this degree helps prepare graduates for work in this dynamic field.

An interpreter is a fluent bilingual-bicultural professional, facilitating communication between those who do not share the same language or culture.

To be a sign language interpreter requires manual dexterity, critical thinking skills, visual-spatial recognition, short-term and long-term memory and cognitive processing abilities in order to process information instantaneously at a level of bilingual and bicultural expertise beyond conversational fluency. For non-Deaf interpreters this will also include auditory-processing capabilities.

Over the course of four years, students will continue to improve and hone both their English and American Sign Language proficiencies while studying to become interpreters.

Careers

Graduates will be prepared to work as ASL-English interpreters in a number of private and public environments such as:

educational settings
medical settings
legal contexts
business interactions
social service agencies

A wide range of employment opportunities exist for interpreters. Established interpreters may hold such job titles as:

ASL-English Interpreter
Designated Interpreter
ASL Consultant
Conference Interpreter
Community Interpreter
Translator

Programme Structure

Courses include:

American Sign Language
Deaf Studies
English Communications for Interpreters
Interpreting Profession
Cross-Cultural Studies
Cognitive Processing Skills
Sociolinguistics for Interpreters
Values, Ethics and Professional Practice
Translation and Discourse Analysis

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-09-08 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-10-06 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2027-02-01 00:00:00 , National

More details

National: Apply anytime, but Feb 1 is the equal consideration deadline. Apply by then for competitive programs.

Language

English

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PTE Academic

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Toronto, Canada

Disciplines

Language Studies American and Australasian studies Linguistics View 177 other Bachelors in Language Studies in Canada

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

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PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Applicants are selected on the basis of their academic achievement, including the required courses, and any other selection criteria outlined below.

Ontario Secondary School Diploma with six Grade 12 University (U) or University/College (M) courses, with a combined average of 65% or higher
Grade 12 English (U) with a grade of 65% or higher
Grade 11 Math (M or U) or Grade 12 Math U or Grade 11 Science (U) or Grade 12 Science (M or U)

Non-Deaf applicants:

Basic ASL proficiency level equivalent to approximately 200 hours of ASL instruction and practical use

Deaf Interpreter applicants:

Advanced (native) comprehension and articulation of American Sign Language with awareness of connotative levels of meaning, along with idiomatic expressions and colloquialism use

All applicants:

Mandatory Online information session
Applicant Questionnaire
Mandatory online screening session that evaluates ASL and pre-interpretation skills
Letter of reference

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

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Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at George Brown College and/or in Canada, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

22450 CAD / year

≈ 22450 CAD / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

8655 CAD / year

≈ 8655 CAD / year

Living costs

Toronto

Canada

1502 - 2563 CAD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Interpretation (American Sign Language - English) (Hons).

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Careers

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Student Insurance via Studyportals Partner

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Living costs

Toronto

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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