Online Court Reporting Degree
Online Court Reporting Degree
Court reporting has long been a popular college major, preparing students to join the workforce in a career that plays a key role in judicial proceedings, or in one of many other exciting job opportunities outside the courtroom. Generations College in Chicago is proud to offer a new Associate of Applied Science in Court Reporting degree program, offered entirely online.
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 ONLINE MACCORMAC SCHOOL OF COURT REPORTING DEGREE?
When earning your court reporting degree online through The MacCormac School of Court Reporting at Generations College, you will gain the skills and education necessary to jump into a role as a traditional court reporter — transcribing proceedings in federal or state courts anywhere in the country.
There are other career options for someone who earns a degree from an online court reporting school too, such as working as a steno interpreter, a communication access real-time translation (CART) provider, a broadcast or webcast captioner, a convention reporter, and more. Many court reporting degree program graduates also choose to work as freelance court reporters. This option gives them the opportunity to work for themselves — taking only those court reporting or transcription jobs they want.
WHY CONSIDER EARNING YOUR MACCORMAC SCHOOL OF COURT REPORTING DEGREE ONLINE?
When you choose online courses to earn your court reporting associate degree from Generations College, you will be exposed to and have the same valuable information and educational opportunities as students who choose to attend courses at our community college campus in downtown Chicago.
Online learning offers today’s busy students a way to earn their court reporting degrees from the comfort of their homes. It can be difficult to find time to commute to campus, especially for adults who are already in the workforce or who have time-consuming family obligations. With our online court reporting degree option, there is no need to spend time commuting. Simply log online from virtually anywhere in the world to complete your coursework.
WHY CHOOSE THE MACCORMAC SCHOOL OF COURT REPORTING?
While there are other accredited online court reporting schools, Generations College’s MacCormac School of Court Reporting has a history of excellence in court reporting education. In fact, our traditional, in-classroom court reporting program was the first of its kind in the United States. We have been educating court reporters in and around Chicago and across the country since 1912.
Whether you choose to earn your degree on campus or opt for the court reporter online program, you will finish your education having gained valuable, hands-on court reporting experience designed with one primary goal in mind: preparing students to join the workforce. Just like our traditional degree program, our online Associate of Applied Science in Court Reporting degree program is accredited and certified by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). Click here to view the NCRA General Requirements and Minimum Standards for Approved Court Reporting Programs.
Generations College has a reputation for excellence, due in part to our educators’ unwavering commitment to academic success. Students enrolled in online court reporting programs can sometimes feel disconnected from their fellow degree-seekers. At Generations College, we work hard to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Our online court reporting degree program was designed to engage students in nontraditional ways. That’s why we prepare our online students for the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) and state Certified Shorthand Reporter (CSR) exams with the same methods used in the classroom.
CURRICULUM DESIGNED TO HELP GRADUATES SUCCEED AFTER COLLEGE
The MacCormac School of Court Reporting offers an attractive alternative for many students, but that does not mean the program is less rigorous than our on-campus program.
Our court reporting degree program curriculum requires students to demonstrate mastery in a variety of areas, including the following:
- Listening skills, which are critical for accuracy and success in court reporting careers.
- Applying English language spelling, grammar and proper punctuation in transcriptions.
- Understanding common and less well-known words and phrases used in the legal and medical industries, and being able to accurately transcribe them.
- Staying up to date with current events — on the local, national and international stages.
- Speed and theory principles. Successful court reporters have learned to master speed and accuracy.
- Ability to use court reporting technologies effectively.
- Understanding of ethical principles, including the NCRA Code of Professional Ethics.
EXCITING INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES GIVE STUDENTS MORE HANDS-ON PRACTICE
Traditional and online court reporting degree candidates have the chance to gain hands-on experience shadowing and helping court reporters in a variety of exciting settings. This gives you the chance to explore potential jobs while you are still earning your junior college degree, helping you gain experience and confidence in your abilities.
Some of the internship opportunities our students have enjoyed include the following:
- U.S. District Court
- Illinois Circuit Courts
- Jensen Litigation Solutions
- McCorkle Litigation Services, Inc.
- Urlaub Bowen & Associates
- Bridges Court Reporting and Video Services
- Esquire Solutions
- Lake Shore Reporting
- Victoria’s Court Reporting Services
FAVORABLE EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK MAKES COURT REPORTING AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION
Of course, it is important to consider what your job prospects will be after earning your court reporting degree online. Court reporting continues to be a solid career choice. There is a projected growth of 3% in court reporting jobs from 2016 to 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Income potential matters, too. The median pay for court reporters across the country in 2018 was $57,150 per year, or $27.48 per hour, with court reporters in Illinois earning higher than the median.
MACCORMAC SCHOOL OF COURT REPORTING ONLINE PROGRAM FOR COURT REPORTING GOALS
Court reporters play an important role in ensuring materials are transcribed accurately, including depositions, courtroom proceedings and more.
At Generations College, our goal is to prepare online and traditional court reporting degree-seekers for this fast-paced career. We strive to give students the foundational knowledge, technical training and support they need to thrive after graduation. In your court reporter online program, you will learn real-time reporting techniques while also working on professionalism.
If you are exploring affordable online court reporting schools, discover all Generations College has to offer. Earning your court reporting degree online through the MacCormac School of Court Reporting can open doors to an exciting and rewarding future career.
