The Bachelor of Arts degree in American Sign Language presents American sign language as a culture- and community-based language that interacts with other world languages. Through techniques — including immersion and bilingual-bicultural comparison classes, community interaction, research, lab activities and use of digital video technology — students gain documented proficiency in American sign language, validity within the deaf community and networking within the professional community.
American Sign Language - B.A.
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Program Information for American Sign Language - B.A.
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Program Description
Full Description
The Bachelor of Arts degree in American Sign Language presents American sign language as a culture- and community-based language that interacts with other world languages. Through techniques — including immersion and bilingual-bicultural comparison classes, community interaction, research, lab activities and use of digital video technology — students gain documented proficiency in American sign language, validity within the deaf community and networking within the professional community.
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Admissions
for American Sign Language - B.A.
Admission Requirements
The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.
First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the .
First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to »ÆÉ«Ö±²¥’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.
International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.
Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.
Former Students: Former »ÆÉ«Ö±²¥ students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since »ÆÉ«Ö±²¥ may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.
Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's .
Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the program's Coursework tab.
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Learning Outcomes
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Participate in informal conversations with other speakers of American sign language.
- Engage in some formal conversations in American sign language in workplace settings.
- Watch films, plays and other multimedia presentations in American sign language with minimal need to use closed captions.
- Interact in American sign language in culturally-appropriate ways.
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Coursework
On This Page
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Course List Code Title Credit Hours Prerequisite Requirements 1 ASL 19201ELEMENTARY AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I ASL 19202ELEMENTARY AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA) ASL 29201 INTERMEDIATE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I 3 ASL 29202 INTERMEDIATE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II 3 ASL 39201 ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I 3 ASL 39202 ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II 2 3 ASL 39223 SOCIOLINGUISTICS OF THE DEAF COMMUNITY (WIC) 3 3 or ASL 49309 INTRODUCTION TO DEAF STUDIES (ELR) (WIC) or SPED 43309 INTRODUCTION TO DEAF STUDIES (ELR) (WIC) American Sign Language (ASL) Upper-Division Electives (40000 level only) 6 American Sign Language (ASL) Electives, choose from the following: 6 ASL 29212APPLIED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE GRAMMAR ASL 29213FINGERSPELLING, NUMBERS AND DEPICTION Any American Sign Language (ASL) Upper-Division course (30000 or 40000 level)Major Electives, choose from the following: 6 ANTH 48214POLITICS OF CULTURE (ELR) (WIC) 3 ASEI 43100SURVEY OF THE INTERPRETING PROFESSION ASL 19401EXPLORATION OF DEAF CULTURE ASL 29212APPLIED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE GRAMMAR ASL 29213FINGERSPELLING, NUMBERS AND DEPICTION MCLS 30420FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND CULTURE STUDIES MCLS 40095SELECTED TOPICS MCLS 40096INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATION SOC 32570INEQUALITY IN SOCIETIES (DIVD) SPED 43306FUNDAMENTALS OF AUDIOLOGY FOR STUDENTS WITH HEARING LOSS SPED 43307LISTENING, LANGUAGE AND PHONEMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HEARING LOSS Any American Sign Language (ASL) Upper-Division course (30000 or 40000 level)Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA) UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1 6 3 9 6 6-7 6 General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours) 50 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120 - 1
Students with previous study in American sign language should take the American Sign Language Placement Test and enroll in the correct course based on their score. Students who must enroll in any of the prerequisite courses based on their placement test score will earn general elective credit hours toward the degree.
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Students should show documentation of a proficiency level of intermediate or above on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (administered off-site) upon completion of ASL 39202.
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A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.
Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements Summary Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA 2.000 2.000 - To earn the degree, students must successfully show documentation of a proficiency level of either (a) Intermediate or above on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI); or (b) a 2+ on the ASL Proficiency Interview (ASLPI); or (c) a PASS on the Ohio American Sign Language (ASL) Assessment for Teachers of World Languages (Subtests I and II).
Program Note
- Some courses in the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies are offered on a rotating basis, and course availability may change at any time. Please see the program coordinator or your academic advisor for course planning.
Foreign Language College Requirement, B.A.
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 14-16 credit hours of foreign language.1
To complete the requirement, students need the equivalent of Elementary I and II in any language, plus one of the following options2:- Intermediate I and II of the same language
- Elementary I and II of a second language
- Any combination of two courses from the following list:
- Intermediate I of the same language
- ARAB 21401
- ASL 19401
- CHIN 25421
- MCLS 10001
- MCLS 20001
- MCLS 20091
- MCLS 21417
- MCLS 21420
- MCLS 22217
- MCLS 28403
- MCLS 28404
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All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and fewer courses. This may be accomplished by (1) passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level; (2) receiving credit through one of the programs offered by »ÆÉ«Ö±²¥; or (3) demonstrating comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language. When students complete the requirement with fewer than 14 credit hours and four courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.
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Certain majors, concentrations and minors may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular language coursework.
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Roadmap
Roadmap
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
Plan of Study Grid Semester One Credits UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1 ! Prerequisite or Major Elective or General Elective 3-4 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 16 Semester Two ! Prerequisite or Major Elective or General Elective 3-4 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Three ! ASL 29201 INTERMEDIATE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I 3 Major Electives or General Electives 6 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Four ! ASL 29202 INTERMEDIATE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II 3 Major Electives or General Electives 6 Kent Core Requirement 3 Kent Core Requirement 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Five ! ASL 39201 ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I 3 ASL 39223 or ASL 49309
or SPED 43309SOCIOLINGUISTICS OF THE DEAF COMMUNITY (WIC) or INTRODUCTION TO DEAF STUDIES (ELR) (WIC)
or INTRODUCTION TO DEAF STUDIES (ELR) (WIC)3 Major Electives or General Electives 6 General Elective 3 Credit Hours 15 Semester Six ! ASL 39202 ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II 3 American Sign Language (ASL) Elective 3 American Sign Language (ASL) Upper-Division Elective (40000 level only) 3 Major Electives or General Electives 6 Credit Hours 15 Semester Seven American Sign Language (ASL) Elective 3 American Sign Language (ASL) Upper-Division Elective (40000 level only) 3 General Electives 9 Credit Hours 15 Semester Eight General Electives 14 Credit Hours 14 Minimum Total Credit Hours: 120 -
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- In person
- Location:
- Kent Campus
- Delivery:
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Accreditation
for American Sign Language - B.A.
The American Sign Language teacher licensure program (through this major and the Education minor) is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for American Sign Language - B.A.
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Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary
5.7%
faster than the average
30,600
number of jobs
$69,920
potential earnings
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Interpreters and translators
20.0%
much faster than the average
77,400
number of jobs
$52,330
potential earnings
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Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
3.8%
about as fast as the average
1,050,800
number of jobs
$62,870
potential earnings
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Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' . Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.