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#IOLchat Report: Finding Professional Development OpportunitiesEach week we meet via Twitter for #IOLchat to discuss current issues related to online learning. Participants include students, instructors, eLearning companies, schools, publishers, and instructional designers. As we approach the summer months, …
Criminal Justice and Law Degrees: Court Reporting
What Will I Learn in a Court Reporting Degree Program?
If you'd like to learn about the way court reporting works and build the skills to work as a legal transcriptionist, a degree in court reporting is a great option. In this degree program, you will learn about courtroom and legal proceedings, machine shorthand, legal and medical terminology, as well as transcription. Your courses may include writing, social studies, government and computers. You will also develop an advanced knowledge of the English language to ensure that you can effectively understand spoken words.
What Can I Do With a Court Reporting Degree?
Court reporters will often work within courts, but there are a number of other employment opportunities available to those with a legal transcription degree. Captioning broadcast programs, government agencies, the United Nations, state legislatures and Congress all offer excellent careers for transcriptionists. This career may take you to attorney offices, legislatures, courtrooms and conventions, or you may even decide to work at home as an independent contractor. In all settings, you will create verbatim transcripts of spoken words, including conversations, meetings, speeches and legal proceedings. You may also find that you'll be required to organize and search official records, or even become a part of courtroom administration.
What Is the Career Outlook for Court Reporting Degree Students?
Broadcast captioning, translating and transcription services are in high demand, and employment for transcriptionists is expected to grow by 18 percent over the next decade or so. There are plenty of new jobs for court reporters, thanks to an increasing number of civil and criminal cases. Although there are some technological advances that may reduce demand for court reporters, overall those with legal transcription skills will remain valuable and can expect excellent job opportunities. Those with an associate's degree in court reporting will find that job opportunities will be especially plentiful. The salary for court reporters typically ranges from about $25,000 to $83,000.
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