Essential Information
Stenographers, most commonly known as court reporters, are responsible for the accurate transcription of spoken or dictated material. The skills students are likely to develop in a certificate or associate's degree program in this field include shorthand, typing, proofreading and editing. Students will also learn how to operate stenography equipment. Graduates of certificate and associate's degree programs are prepared to provide their services to attorneys, law offices, courts or captioning services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
Both certificate and associate's degree programs require a GED or high school diploma, as well as minimum typing speed and accuracy.
Certificate in Stenography
Program requirements for a stenography certificate provide students with a firm grasp of English grammar and mechanics and keyboarding skills. A great deal of class time is also spent learning shorthand, a method where representative key combinations, sometimes determined by the user, are entered into a stenotype machine and translated by transcription technology into legible text. In subsequent courses students focus on building typing speed and accuracy.
Topics include proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. Students also learn how to operate computer-aided transcription or stenotype technology. Required courses may include the following:
- Shorthand
- Legal terminology
- Medical terminology
- Transcription
Associate of Applied Science in Real-time Reporting
Like the certificate program, requirements for the associate's degree cover the basics of shorthand and keyboarding skills. A two-year degree program, however, allows students to choose an area of specialization. Students may learn legal terminology and the basics of court proceedings or the transcription techniques applied to reporting services for the deaf and hard-of-hearing, such as captioning and Communication Access Real-Time Translation. The extra coursework required for an associate's degree also gives students the opportunity to complete internships before graduating.
In addition to general education requirements in the sciences and humanities, courses focus on developing equal parts composition and reporting skills. Deaf culture and communications law are just a few sample topics included in the following courses:
- Editing
- Proofreading
- Transcription
- Captioning
- Judicial procedures
- American Sign Language
Popular Career Options
The job skills of a stenographer are applicable anywhere the spoken word is translated into a written record. Stenographers can find entry-level positions captioning a live broadcast for the deaf or hard-of-hearing, transcribing a syndicated news magazine or reading back a witness testimony from trial proceedings. Possible job titles are listed below.
- Court reporter
- Captionist
- Real-time reporter
- Scopist
- Judicial reporter
Employment Outlook and Salary Info
In May 2020, court reporters earned a median annual salary of $61,660, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only a 9% job growth is expected from 2019 through 2029 for court reporters, though there will be a greater need for captioning outside of legal proceedings (www.bls.gov).
Stenographers often learn the skills needed to use stenography equipment and transcribe spoken material from either a certificate program in stenography or an associate's degree program in real-time reporting.