Across the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County, the College of Marin features a court reporting program at its Indian Valley campus in Novato. The curriculum began in 1975 and offers an Associate of Science (AS) degree that qualifies a recipient to take the state licensing examination in court reporting. A Certificate of Achievement is also available. Career options for graduates include positions as court reporters, convention reporters, deposition reporters, freelance reporters and transcriptionists for the hearing impaired. Each student must rent or purchase a shorthand machine for use in classwork.
Located in the western region of Silicon Valley in Saratoga, West Valley College has prepared students for court reporting careers for over 30 years. Courses concentrate on the technology needed to meet the current demand for litigation and captioning services, as well as text-video synchronization, webcasting and email transcription. West Valley College offers programs leading to an AS degree or a Certificate of Achievement. Graduates have completed the prerequisite to take the state licensing exam. Each student should strive for a shorthand speed of 200 words per minute.
Although Sage College's campuses are in southern California, online students can earn an Associate Degree or Diploma in court reporting. Sage has prepared students for the field for 37 years. Through academic and speed building courses, enrollees learn to capture over 200 words per minute on a stenotype machine and gain the specialized knowledge required for a career as a court reporter or in a related field.
Another California school offering an online court reporting program is Bryan College. With over 70 years experience in training court reporters, Bryan's requirements for graduation include performing an internship with a local legal firm. Many of the courses focus on preparation for the state and national licensing exams, and career preparation workshops are available before graduation. Afterwards, court reporting alumni are eligible for career-long job placement assistance.