Minor in ASL Studies

As of Autumn semester 2020, the ASL Program is offering an American Sign Language (ASL) Studies Minor.  

 The ASL Studies Minor will focus on developing intercultural competencies in a visual language which is not only semantically and grammatically different from the students’ own language, but to also broaden and enrich their knowledge of and their respect for ASL and the communities who use it.  The minor in ASL Studies will foster students’ language development as well as their relationships in the different communities that are part of linguistic minorities both in the United States and globally. The ASL Studies minor will thus provide a key complement to students in a range of majors throughout the College of Arts and Sciences and beyond.

Program Goals and Objectives:

  1. Students will continue to develop their ASL Interpersonal and Interpretive (comprehension) language skills.
  2. Students will understand and appreciate the concepts of intercultural competence and their personal development of intercultural competence throughout the courses.
  3. Students will be able to compare and contrast how ASL is a natural language equal to spoken languages.
  4. Students will be able to differentiate between various types of literature that holds a significant place in the Deaf and ASL communities.

The minor is comprised of 12 credit hours. Students must pass all three of ASL language series courses (1101, 1102, and 1103) with a grade of C- or higher. Students may take ASL 3350 (required course), prior to completing the ASL language series. 

Nine of the credit hours will be satisfied by three required core courses. The final three credit hours will be satisfied by selecting one elective course from a list of options. All of the courses (required and elective) are regularly scheduled during autumn and spring semesters.

The following courses are REQUIRED for the ASL Studies minor (all 3 must be taken):

  • ASL 2104: American Sign Language Conversational Discourse I, 3 credit hours.
  • ASL 3105: American Sign Language Literature, 3 credit hours.
  • ASL 3350: American Deaf Arts and Literature, 3 credit hours. (Taught in English)

The following courses have been identified as ELECTIVES for the ASL Studies minor (select one from this list):  

  • ASL 4189S: Service-Learning Within Deaf Communities, 3 credit hours. (Taught in English.) 
  • CLLC 3301.01S*: Intercultural Competence for Global Citizenship, 2 credit hours.
  • CLLC 3301.02S*: Intercultural Competence for Global Citizenship Summer Camp, 1 credit hour. 
  • CLLC 3302S: Intercultural Competence for Global Citizenship After School Program, 3 credit hours.
  • CLLC 5100: Introduction to Community Interpreting, 3 credit hours.
  • ENGLISH 2277: Introduction to Disability Studies, 3 credit hours.
  • LING 2000: Introduction to Linguistics, 3 credit hours.

*CLLC 3301.01 and CLLC 3301.02 must be taken together to meet elective course requirements. 

 

For more information, contact Kristin Wickham-Saxon, Director of Undergraduate Studies.