Arts & Humanities
American Sign Language
CertificateA closer look.
Certificate [catalog reference unavailable] The certificate in American Sign Language (ASL) provides language training and cultural enrichment for people who wish to learn ASL and the uniqueness of deaf culture. This program will not prepare students to become interpreters but is designed to introduce students to the language and culture. This program is particularly useful for parents of deaf children and students pursuing careers such as allied health, nursing, early childhood education and teaching, where clients may be deaf. The program is designed to allow students to complement their degrees with an ASL certificate offered as a part-time program. This certificate also serves as the language foundation and pre-requisite for the Associate's degree American Sign Language/English Interpreter Training Program. Students who have not been continually enrolled in ASL courses must have the permission of the instructor to enroll in courses beyond [course reference unavailable] Upon successful completion of the program, the graduate will: Apply basic language skills to produce ASL in a variety of ways in order to communicate effectively with Deaf adults and children who depend on visual communication. Demonstrate conversational Proficiency in ASL with an emphasis on sign parameters, grammatical accuracy, vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. Use classifiers through directionality, word signs, noun placements and non-manual signals. Produce intermediate receptive comprehension and expressive information. Recognize the diversity of the Deaf culture through theory discussion, guest presenters and local events.
Program requirements
What you’ll study
6 listed courses ASL 101 Elem ASL 1
4 Credits
Elem ASL 1
This course develops the basic skills of receiving and expressing American Sign Language. Class participation includes exercises in articulation, reception, translation, grammatical patterns and description of objects and events. The course requires students to practice and apply skills by completing projects outside the classroom.
View course source ASL 102 Elementary ASL 2
4 Credits
Elementary ASL 2
This course continues to develop the basic expressive and receptive skills of American Sign Language (ASL). Class participation includes exercises in articulation, reception, translation, grammatical patterns and description of objects and events. The course requires students to practice and apply skills by completing projects outside the classroom.
Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in ASL-101 or permission of the instructor. - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
View course source ASL 104 Visual Gestural Comm
3 Credits
Visual Gestural Comm
Visual Gestural Communication (VGC) provides a means of bypassing vocabulary and strict grammar rules of a language and aiming directly at other very important components of effective communication. These include: cohesion, or the sequencing of relevant pieces of communication so that they hang together and make sense; monologic discourse, which involves rules of building sequences to a point of climax and resolution in narratives; dialogic discourse with the rules for turn taking and interrupting; and stylistics that include the confidence, character and personality expressed while communicating. All of these variables are essential for fluent language use and can be practiced via VGC, even though VGC is not itself a language. The course requires students to practice and apply skills by completing projects outside the classroom. Credits:
Prerequisites: ASL-101 recommended. - Recommended to be taken either prior to or at the same time as this course, but is not required.
View course source ASL 109 Deaf Culture
3 Credits
Deaf Culture
The Deaf community is a complex and diverse community with a rich heritage and prosperous future. This course focuses on three aspects of the deaf community and culture: historical perspectives and cultural norms within the Deaf community, diversity within the Deaf community and artistic expression and humor. The course culminates with a student translation and performance of a play written by a Deaf author. The course requires students to practice and apply skills by completing projects outside the classroom.
Prerequisites: Complete ASL-101. - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
View course source ASL 201 Intermediate ASL 1
3 Credits
Intermediate ASL 1
This course increases the students' basic expressive and receptive skills of American Sign Language (ASL). Students study translations, grammatical patterns, cultural and literary materials, dialogues and conversational activities. The course requires students to practice and apply skills by completing projects outside the classroom.
Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in ASL-102 or permission of the instructor. - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
View course source ASL 202 Intermediate ASL 2
3 Credits
Intermediate ASL 2
This course builds upon ASL 201 by increasing students' skills of receiving and expressing American Sign Language (ASL). Students study translations, grammatical patterns, cultural and literary materials, dialogues and conversational activities. Students study components of visual gestural communication in this course. The course requires students to practice and apply skills by completing projects outside the classroom.
Prerequisites: A grade of "C" or better in ASL-201 or permission of the instructor. - Must be completed prior to taking this course.
View course source