Court Reporting
Court Reporting Degree Program Chicago
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE
Court reporters play an important role in our judicial system, capturing, protecting, and preserving records of court proceedings and pre-trial depositions. The MacCormac School of Court Reporting at Generations College is an industry-leading college of court reporting. In fact, our Chicago court reporter program was the first in the nation. Graduates of our Associate of Applied Science in Court Reporting degree program will learn how to transcribe and create complete and accurate legal records while taking advantage of exciting internship opportunities and learning skills they can transition from the classroom to the courtroom.
Court Reporters are the professionals who capture, protect, and preserve the court’s record by recording the verbatim proceedings in court or during pretrial depositions, which they translate into a transcript for use by court officials and attorneys.
WHAT CAN COURT REPORTING STUDENTS EXPECT FROM MACCORMAC’S SCHOOL OF COURT REPORTING?
Court reporting is a non-traditional course of study in that it requires a performance-based outcome. The length of the program is largely determined by the individual, based on their progression through the speed levels. MacCormac’s School of Court reporting will prepare you for an entry-level position in the field; however, there will still be lots to learn on the job once you graduate. Some states, like Illinois, require you to pass a state exam or that you hold certifications through the National Court Reporters Association. These requirements vary from state to state.
COURT REPORTING MISSION STATEMENT
It is the mission of the Court Reporting Associate of Applied Science degree program to provide a strong foundation consisting of academic knowledge and technical expertise that will prepare the student for a career as a professional judicial reporter in a variety of venues, including administrative, governmental, and judicial.
COURT REPORTING VISION STATEMENT
Foremost among the attributes we strive to develop in our Court Reporting students is a firm sense of–and appreciation for–professionalism at all times, thereby favorably informing students’ time to degree, graduation rates, and transition to the workplace.
COURT REPORTING GOALS:
- Students will complete a supervised externship affording them an opportunity to define career goals, gain experience, and acquire self-confidence.
- Students will be well-prepared for the state Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) and the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification exams.
- Students will obtain experience with Realtime reporting during core classes.
COURT REPORTING LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Court Reporting graduates will be able to demonstrate:
- Listening and concentration skills to aid in machine shorthand writing.
- Proficiency in writing legal, medical, and technical terminologies.
- The ability to apply all punctuation, grammar, and spelling principles in transcription work.
- Knowledge of local, national, and international current events.
- Expertise in the appropriate speeds and all theory principles.
- Knowledge and understanding of the NCRA Code of Professional Ethics.
- Knowledge of technology as it is used in all aspects of the profession.
*The student shall pass three (3), (5) five-minute tests with 95 percent accuracy at each of the following speeds: 225 words per minute testimony ((2) two-voice), 200 wpm jury charge, and 180 wpm literary. - The student shall complete at least 40 verified hours of actual writing time during the internship experience.
- Click here to view the NCRA General Requirements and Minimum Standards.
WHAT CAN CR STUDENTS DO TO INCREASE THEIR CHANCES OF EXCELLING?
- Simply put, practice, practice, and do more practice. Practice in addition to your academic coursework. One of the greatest distinguishing factors between students who progress quickly and those who do not is the amount of time they spend practicing. At a minimum, you are required to practice 18 hours a week for full-time students and 9 hours for half-time students.
- Best practices have shown the greatest success when students practice 18-25 hours per week. The more you practice, the better the results. Creating a designated quiet area where you can go to practice and dedicating a specific time to practice each day will make it easier for you to meet the minimum standards.
- Accessing all resources, consultations with instructors, all available means of dictation, job shadowing, peer review, mentoring, internships.
- Participating in the development of your own Individual Development Plan with your school outlining speed-building path and goals.
- Take responsibility for your success.
- Seek feedback from instructors on a daily/weekly basis.
- Join NCRA, ILCRA, or your state association to surround yourself with positive encouragement.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH AN ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE IN COURT REPORTING?
Many Generations College graduates become official court reporters for state and federal courts operating in the greater Chicago area and around the country. However, your associate degree in court reporting can also open doors for you to work as a freelance court reporter, a convention reporter, a steno interpreter or CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) provider for consumers who are hearing impaired, a webcast captioner or a broadcast captioner.
WHY EARN YOUR COURT REPORTING DEGREE FROM GENERATIONS COLLEGE?
While there are many institutions that offer degree programs for court reporters, The MacCormac School of Court Reporting at Generations College is the court reporting school Chicago residents choose when they’re looking for quality education, value and hands-on experience designed to help court reporting professionals succeed in the workplace.
When choosing Generations College, you can be confident that your instructors are committed to academic success and are prepared to provide the hands-on, skills-based education you’re looking for in a court reporting program. We’ve earned a reputation for excellence among court reporting colleges and have been training court reporters for more than a century. Generations College is proud to have the distinction of establishing the first court reporting program of its kind in the United States in 1912.
We offer small class sizes of no more than 15 students, which helps ensure each student gets individual instruction and fully understands what he or she is being taught. During their core program court reporting classes, community college students gain valuable experience in real-time reporting. Our dedicated stenographer school instructors prepare students for the state Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) and the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification exams.
With any type of higher education, certification and accreditation matter. Our Associate of Applied Science in Court Reporting degree program is certified by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). Click here to view the NCRA General Requirements and Minimum Standards for Approved Court Reporting Programs.
MACCORMAC SCHOOL OF COURT REPORTING DEGREE OVERVIEW
When graduating from our two-year court reporting degree program, you will have firsthand knowledge and practice you can apply to your post-graduation court reporting role. Our learning outcomes are designed to give our graduates the necessary foundation to add value as court reporters. In order to graduate from stenographer school, Chicago MacCormac School of Court Reporting major students must be able to demonstrate they have mastered the following:
- Proficiency in legal, technical and medical terminologies to allow the reporter to accurately record this information. You will be exposed to terms and phrases with which many people simply are not familiar and expected to document them correctly.
- Listening and concentration skills that can help with machine shorthand writing. Successful court reporters are good listeners and observant — both of which help ensure official records are accurate and complete.
- The ability to accurately punctuate and apply English language spelling and grammar principles in transcriptions.
- Expertise in appropriate speeds and theory principles. Court reporting and transcribing are fast-paced and exciting for professionals with the skills to keep up.
- Knowledge of current events — including local, national and international happenings. You will be encouraged to read and watch the news and generally stay informed. Doing so can help guarantee accuracy of transcribed and recorded information.
- Working knowledge of technologies commonly used in the court reporting profession.
- A solid understanding of the NCRA Code of Professional Ethics.
As a court reporting major in Chicago, your classes will include a variety of fast-paced and exciting courses including shorthand, speed building, software applications, terminology and more. For a comprehensive look at required core and general education courses to earn your Associate of Applied Science degree in Court Reporting, view the complete program outline.
EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK AND EARNINGS POTENTIAL FOR COURT REPORTERS
Whenever court is in session or depositions are being taken, and whenever materials need to be transcribed, there are opportunities for court reporters. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of court reporters in the U.S. will grow at 7% between 2018 and 2028. It also predicts that those who learn real-time captioning and CART skills to help people who are hearing impaired will have the most favorable job prospects.
The national median annual wage for court reporters in 2018 was $57,150. In Illinois, the annual mean wage was higher at $68,560.
HANDS-ON LEARNING — INCLUDING SUPERVISED INTERNSHIPS
One of the reasons the Generations College Court Reporting program is so respected is because of its focus on providing skills-based training graduates can use in the workplace.
An important part of training for a new career is understanding what the job entails. Every court reporting degree-seeking student at The MacCormac School of Court Reporting at Generations College completes a supervised internship. This provides an exciting opportunity for students to try potential career options before graduation, to hone and fine-tune their skills, and to become more confident with the processes and technologies they will use when joining the workforce.
We offer a variety of internships — including (but not limited to) the following opportunities:
- U.S. District Courts
- Illinois Circuit Courts
- Bridges Court Reporting and Video Services
- Esquire Solutions
- Jensen Litigation Solutions
- Lake Shore Reporting
- McCorkle Litigation Services, Inc.
- Urlaub Bowen & Associates
- Victoria’s Court Reporting Services
These opportunities are just some of the many reasons Generations College has earned a reputation as a court reporting school that Chicago court reporters trust and respect.
COMMITTED TO MEETING OR EXCEEDING OUR PROGRAM GOALS
Our program mission is to provide a strong foundation for junior college students, to prepare them for careers as professional judicial reporters. Whether you choose to work in an administrative, governmental or judicial venue, as a Generations College graduate with a court reporting major in Chicago, you will have the academic knowledge and technical expertise to succeed as a professional court reporter.
Court reporting degree-seeking students obtain experience with real-time reporting techniques and technology during their core courses. Our curriculum is also designed to prepare graduates to pass the Illinois Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) and the national Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) exams. More than simply teaching technological proficiency or helping students pass exams, The MacCormac School of Court Reporting degree program is designed to instill professionalism in our graduates.
Earning your Associate of Applied Science degree in Court Reporting from The MacCormac School of Court Reporting at Generations College can position you for a career that offers independence, flexibility, exciting work and rewarding compensation. Get a court reporting degree that Chicago-area employers recognize and respect.
To get more information, contact us today.
