UNH Today

The University of New Hampshire at Manchester is partnering with Northern Essex Community College to offer NECC students a pathway to a Bachelor of Science in American Sign Language/English Interpreting at UNH Manchester.

Located in Haverhill, Mass., NECC is the first out-of-state institution to offer an academic pathway to UNH Manchester, which has built more than 30 pathways to UNH bachelor’s degrees from New Hampshire community colleges.

“We are excited to partner with an institution that shares our commitment to making higher education more affordable and accessible,” said Mike Decelle, dean of UNH Manchester. “The ASL/English Interpreting pathway is the beginning of a broader relationship with NECC.”

After completing a two-year A.A. in Deaf Studies or Deaf Studies – Interpreting at NECC, students will be able to smoothly transfer into UNH Manchester’s B.S. in ASL/English Interpreting, the nation’s first accredited interpreting program and one of only 14 in the country. Students from New Hampshire, which make up around 12 percent of NECC’s population, will pay in-state tuition for their two years at UNH. UNH Manchester offers the only bachelor’s-level ASL/English Interpreting degree in the region, so NECC students from any other New England state will pay a reduced tuition rate under the New England Regional Student Program. Students who complete their NECC associate degree with an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher will be guaranteed acceptance into UNH Manchester’s bachelor’s degree program.

The demand for skilled interpreters is on the rise, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 18 percent growth in the interpreting field between 2016 and 2026. This pathway represents a unified goal among educators, said NECC President Lane Glenn.

“NECC is the only community college in the region to offer ASL/English interpreting, and the curriculum and reputation of UNH Manchester’s bachelor’s program is a natural fit for our students,” Glenn said. “Our duty as public institutions is to prepare students with the skills and education for careers, and this partnership does just that.”

The two institutions hope to expand their academic partnerships to more programs in the future.

INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN INTERPRETER?
Learn more about the ASL/English Interpreting program