Upon completion of the Court Reporting Machine Program, a student shall be able to make a choice of either working with a court reporting freelance company or become an official court reporter working in court each day. Students may also choose a captioning company for Internet captioning both live and delayed broadcast. Graduates may also wish to enter the field of CART and provide real-time assistance to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals attending universities, colleges and high schools both in-house and by remote.

Students may find employment with companies worldwide that provide court reporting services for deposition and seminar conferencing or they may wish to caption for television, financial institutions, hospitals and medical providers, online high school, middle school and grade school programs for deaf and other individuals as well as captioning conventions and seminars.

This program is competency based, student’s progress in the program at their own individual pace and will be tested after each task completion. Students must complete the 906 hours and maintain passing grades in this course to receive diploma and may be tested on a state or national level before or after completion of their training. If a student dos not complete the 906 hours or maintain passing grades they will receive neither diploma nor certification.

Course Subjects:

CT 100 Computerized Machine Shorthand Theory 96 contact hours

This course covers stenographic theory and develops the foundation for machine shorthand writing. The student will focus on learning to adapt to a 24-key machine and learning the principles and rules of writing a phonetic shorthand and an introduction to abbreviations and phrases to utilize in writing. Students will use their textbook and audio recordings and instructor’s guidelines to prepare their assignments. Students will be expected to be prepared when called on in live class and contribute. Every tenth lesson is an examination lesson over the previous nine lessons.

Prerequisite: None. Average completion time: 2-4 months

CT 101 Computerized Machine Speed Development 1 144 contact hours

Students will continue to develop their machine writing technique skills. Each student should devote a minimum of 15 hours of weekly practice time while in this course. Grades for this course will be based on skill, speed, realtime accuracy and punctuation grades on transcribed material tests. They should pass at least three, five-minute timed test at 95% accuracy or better at a minimum of 100 wpm. Students will practice on single and two-voice material at controlled speeds of 60, 80 and 100wpm.

Prerequisite: CT100 Average completion time: 2-3 months

CT 102 Computerized Machine Speed Development 2 144 contact hours

Students will continue to develop their machine writing technique skills. Students must pass skills tests of 95% accuracy in all three categories of Q&A, Jury Charge, Literary timed material. Each student should devote a minimum of 15 hours of weekly practice time while in this course. Grades for this course will be based on skill, speed, realtime accuracy and punctuation grades on transcribed material tests. They should pass at least three, five minute timed tests at 95% accuracy or better at a minimum speed of 160 wpm. Students will practice on single and multi-voice material at controlled speeds of 120, 140 and 160wpm.

Prerequisite: CT101 Average completion time: 2-4 months

CT 103 Computerized Machine Speed Development 3 144 contact hours

This course will continue to develop student writing technique. Students must pass skill tests in QA, Jury Charge and Literary timed materials. Each student should devote a minimum of 15 hours of weekly practice time while in this course. Grades for this course will be based on skill, speed, realtime accuracy and punctuation grades on transcribed material tests. They should pass at least three, five minute timed tests at 95% accuracy or better at a minimum speed of 225 wpm. Students will practice on single and multi-voice materials at controlled speeds of 180, 200 and 225wpm.

Prerequisite: CT102 Average completion time: 3-4 months

CT 500 Machine Court Reporting Internship 42 contact hours

Students begin an on-the-job internship and spend 42 hours of actual time under supervision that will include 12 hours of research and word development and 30 hours of machine reporting in a deposition or court room reporting. Interns will apply all aspects of realtime writing and produce usable transcripts. Students will submit two edited and proofread depositions or court hearings containing no less than 40 pages each to include cover pages for grading. Students may also elect to provide one unedited captioned event in one of the following categories: financial calls, television and government meetings which will be reviewed and graded by the instructor.

Prerequisites: CT 103

VT 400 Technology 1 96 contact hours

Students will learn to operate and write for the computer using the computerized writer, read, translate, edit and print transcript material on CAT, as well as create and use permanent job dictionaries. Students will also perform editing and utility functions and understand computer technology. Basic Windows operating skills will be taught.

Prerequisite: None.

VT 401 English Grammar and Punctuation 1 96 contact hours

This is a course that focuses on the application of punctuation, grammar, spelling, capitalization, vocabulary development and number usage within the context of the spoken English language and proofreading of printed dictated material.

Prerequisite: None.

VT 402 Court Procedures for Court Reporting 48 contact hours

This course is designed to provide students with court room and deposition room knowledge when it comes to swearing in witnesses; marking and handling exhibits; dealing with attorneys and judges in and out of court. This course will provide students with knowledge of court procedures and filing of documents and duties set out for the court reporting.

Prerequisite: None.