Major: Court Reporting
Sure, you could sit on your couch and watch a courtroom drama unfold by turning on the TV. But if you want a ringside seat in a real courtroom -- day after day -- you may want to consider a major in court reporting.
In this program, you’ll learn to speak legalese and use the tools you’ll need to serve as the court’s official record-keeper. These include computer-aided transcription software and shorthand machines. But be prepared to make your fingers fly, because in this profession, speed and accuracy are everything.
Students of court reporting learn how to record trials and other courtroom proceedings.
Did You Know?
- Most programs also include training in real-time captioning -- that is, providing captions for live broadcasts.
Are You Ready To...?
- Practice typing fast -- up to 200+ words per minute
- Learn to use a computer-aided transcription (CAT) machine
- Master phonetic sound patterns
- Memorize legal and medical terms
- Attend class in a mock courtroom
- Join or start a court reporting club
- Complete an internship
It Helps to Be...
A speedy typist who knows his grammar. An interest in the legal system helps, too, as well as the ability to pay attention to the dullest of details: you wouldn’t know it from TV, but plenty of trials are actually a bore.
College Checklist
- Is the program approved by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA)?
- Are classrooms equipped with the latest transcription machines?
- Does the program offer a degree in court reporting only, or can you specialize in related areas, such as broadcast captioning or rapid text entry?
- Will you have the chance to serve an internship in which you’re supervised by a practicing judicial reporter?
- Will the program help you find work after graduation?
Did You Know?
- Charles Dickens’ early years as a court reporter became a subplot in his novel David Copperfield.
Course Spotlight
So you thought typing 65 words per minute was fast? Wait until you take a machine shorthand class, where you may be asked to transcribe a two-voice testimony at over 200 words per minute.
Of course, with a steno machine, you’ll be able to strike multiple keys at once, recording syllables and phrases instead of individual letters. But it’s still a challenge, because you’ll be expected to work at 95 percent accuracy. Professional conduct is also expected during mock depositions and trials, so be warned: chewing gum in class may get you thrown out of court.
