Course Descriptions

THEORY ONE

TH-100-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: none
TH-100-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: none

This course will introduce the student to the basic operation of the stenotype machine and the principles of writing a conflict-free theory. Students will receive instruction and demonstration in the proper setup of the machine, threading of paper, correct writing posture and finger position and maintenance and care of the stenotype machine. Students will develop skills involved in mastering the keyboard of the stenotype machine and learn theory principles for writing words. Abbreviations are a part of this course, as well as fingering exercises and alphabet and number drills on the machine shorthand keyboard.

There is an introduction to transcribing machine shorthand notes into the English format and beginning computer dictionary building. Students are expected to develop and demonstrate fluid note reading, transcription and punctuation skills. During this phase of the course, students will also be introduced to real-time technology by visiting the CAT lab for demonstrations of real-time writing and translation, as well as interaction with the technology instructor in the form of lecture and hands-on application.

BASIC ENGLISH

ENG-100-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: none
ENG-100-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: none

Concentration and focus are placed on sentence structure, parts of speech, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization. Basic grammar, proofreading and vocabulary skills are incorporated within the instruction. A variety of current events are highlighted, especially as examples of vocabulary sufficiency.

THEORY TWO

TH-102-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: TH-100-D
TH-102-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: TH-100-N

In this course students continue developing skills learned in Theory I but with an emphasis on writing the more difficult vocabulary required of a practicing reporter/captioner. More multistroke words are mastered and new phrases are introduced. Students are further instructed in developing skills required in producing professional-quality transcripts. Students will be expected to maintain proper posture and writing techniques and to demonstrate fluid note reading.

During this phase of the course, students will be involved with real-time technology through regularly scheduled time in the CAT lab for hands-on real-time writing and personal dictionary enhancement, including interaction with the technology instructor in the form of lecture and hands-on application.

LAW & LEGAL TERMINOLOGY

LEL-100-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: none
LEL-100-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: none

The course focuses on spelling and defining legal terms used in American civil and criminal law. An introduction to the American judicial system and methods of researching legal citations are also included in the course. Current events germane to this course are consistently available and are highlighted as they attain prominence.

THEORY THREE

TH-103-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: TH-102-D
TH-103-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: TH-102-N

In this course students continue developing skills learned in TH 101-D&N (Theory One) and TH-102-D&N (Theory Two) but with an emphasis on writing the more difficult vocabulary required of a practicing reporter/captioner. More multi-stroke words are mastered and new phrases are introduced, including jury charge phrases. Students are further instructed in developing skills required in producing professional-quality transcripts. Students will be expected to maintain proper posture and writing techniques and to demonstrate fluid note reading. Beginning speedbuilding will be introduced, and skills with Q/A testimony will be developed further during this semester. Students will progress to a writing speed of 60 words per minute, while still maintaining an emphasis on accuracy.

During this phase of the course, students will be involved with real-time technology through regularly scheduled time in the CAT lab for hands-on real-time writing and personal dictionary enhancement, including interaction with the technology instructor in the form of lecture and hands-on application.

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

MED-100-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: none
MED-100-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: none

Concentration is focused on learning to analyze, build, spell and pronounce medical words that relate to the human body through learning medical suffixes and prefixes and attaching them to root words. Emphasis will also be placed on learning to identify and research generic versus brand-name prescription medications for use in transcripts.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 80/100 wpm

MSS-100-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: TH-103-D

This course includes 80/100-wpm timed dictation speed drills on Q&A testimony, jury charge and literary. Students will be expected to develop and improve 80/100-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and to demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling, and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 80wpm

MSS-80-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: TH-103-N

This course includes 80-wpm timed dictation speed drills on Q&A testimony, jury charge and literary. Students will be expected to develop and improve 80-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and to demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling, and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 100wpm

MSS-100-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: MSS-80-N

This course includes 100-wpm timed dictation speed drills on Q&A testimony, jury charge and literary. Students will be expected to develop and improve 100-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and to demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling, and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation.

COMPUTER AIDED TRANSCRIPTION

CAT-200-D (Day Division); Prerequisites: TH-101-D & TH-102-D & TH-200-D
CAT-300-N (Night Division); Prerequisites: TH-101-N & TH-102-N & TH-200-N

This course is designed to give the student a working knowledge of the technology and practices involving the use of court reporting computer software. This course concentrates on computer-aided transcription, real-time application, litigation support, and software packages used in court reporting.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 120/140 wpm

MSS-140-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: MSS-100-D

This course includes120/140-wpm timed dictation speed drills on Q&A testimony, jury charge, literary and congressional record. Students will be expected to develop and improve 120/140-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and to demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling, and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 120 wpm

MSS-120-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: MSS-100-N

This course includes120-wpm timed dictation speed drills on Q&A testimony, jury charge, literary and congressional record. Students will be expected to develop and improve 120-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and to demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 140 wpm

MSS-140-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: MSS-120-N

This course includes140-wpm timed dictation speed drills on Q&A testimony, jury charge, literary and congressional record. Students will be expected to develop and improve 140-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and to demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling, and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation.

ENGLISH FOR COURT REPORTERS

ENG-300-D (Day Division); Prerequisites: ENG-100-D & MSS-100-D
ENG-300-N (Night Division); Prerequisites: ENG-100-N &MSS-100-N

Concentration and focus are placed on proofreading and editing legal documents. Professional level vocabulary skills are heavily emphasized. Basic grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, sentence structure and parts of speech are incorporated within the instruction. Current events are highlighted as demonstrative of topics typically keen for real-time and close-captioned reporting.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 160 wpm

MSS-160-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: MSS-140-D
MSS-160-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: MSS-140-N

This course includes 160-wpm timed dictation speed drills on Q&A testimony, jury charge, literary and congressional record. Students will be expected to develop and improve 160-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and to demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling, and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation. Current events germane to this course are continually demonstrated and are incorporated as they acquire significance.

COURT PROCEDURES (I, II & III)

CP-203-D, CP-303-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: MSS-140-D
CP-301-N, CP-302-N CP-303-N (Night Division) ; Prerequisite: MSS-120-N

This course will be divided into two semesters for the day program and three semesters for the night program. Concentration and focus are placed on the role of the court reporter in trials, depositions and administrative hearings. Techniques for interrupting speakers, obtaining spelling of names, identifying speakers in multi-speaker situations, reporting the polling of juries, handling oaths and affirmations, recording voir dire examinations, indexing and storing notes, reporting nonverbal actions, certifying questions, marking and handling exhibits, and noting sidebar and off-the-record discussions will be taught. Preparation and production of transcripts and their inherent proofreading skills, as well as the library and reference materials used to produce them, are integrated in the course. The profession, its ethics, benefits of professional associations, continuing education, and related job opportunities are highlighted. The steps in typical criminal and civil trials will be examined to a substantial degree. Current events and related issues germane to the court reporting profession are focused on and discussed as they become significant.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 180 wpm

MSS-180-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: MSS-160-D

This course includes 180-wpm timed dictation speed drills on Q&A testimony, jury charge, literary and congressional record. Students will be expected to develop and improve 180-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and to demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling, and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 180-A wpm (NIGHT DIVISION ONLY)
MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 180-B wpm (NIGHT DIVISION ONLY)

MSS-180A-N; Prerequisite: MSS-160-N
MSS-180B-N; Prerequisite: MSS-160-N

This course includes 180-wpm timed dictation speed drills on Q&A testimony, jury charge, literary and congressional record. Students will be expected to develop and improve 180-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and to demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling, and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 200 wpm

MSS-200-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: MSS-180-D
MSS-200-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: MSS-180A&B-N

This course is used in conjunction with materials dictated in Machine Shorthand 180. Students will be expected to develop and improve 200-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation.

MACHINE SHORTHAND SPEEDBUILDING 225 wpm

MSS-225-D (Day Division); Prerequisite: MSS-200-D
MSS-225-N (Night Division); Prerequisite: MSS-200-N

This course is used in conjunction with materials dictated in Machine Shorthand 160, 180, & 200. Students will be expected to develop and improve 225-wpm skills required to produce professional-quality transcripts and demonstrate fluid note reading, typing, spelling, and punctuation skills. Class time is provided for transcribing speed tests under a pre-set time limitation.

INTERNSHIP

INT-303-D (Day Division); Prerequisites: MSS-180-D & CP-303-D
INT-403-N (Night Division); Prerequisites: MSS-180-, & CP-303-N

Students complete 45 verified hours in a freelance office, a courtroom, or a real-time environment, observing and participating in the role of the court reporter, using machine shorthand technology in the judicial or educational process. These hours will begin after the student has passed the 180-wpm official speed tests. Students transcribe 100 pages from notes taken during internship and submit a narrative report summarizing the internship experience during the remaining 45 lab hours. These 100 pages are the equivalent of a professional, legal and saleable transcript. Ninety (90) pages may be transcribed without supervision. However, excess errors may require a rewrite. The last ten (10) pages must be transcribed within two hours under test conditions at the school, and excess errors may require a rewrite.