Program Overview

American Sign Language Studies Program

The American Sign Language Studies program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf culture. The program offers a major in ASL Studies, which requires the completion of 120 credits, including 24 credits in the major and 12 credits in related courses.

Major Requirements

To complete the major, students must satisfy the following requirements:

• Complete 15 credits of core courses, including:
  • ASLN 3305 Advanced American Sign Language I (Fall)
  • ASLN 3306W Advanced American Sign Language II (Spring)
  • ASLN/LING 3800 Structure of American Sign Language (Spring, odd years)
  • LING 2850 Introduction to Sociolinguistic of the Deaf Community (Fall)
  • LING 3850 Cultural and Linguistic Variation in the Deaf Community (Spring, even years)
• Complete one of two concentrations: Deaf Studies or Interpreting ASL and English
  • Deaf Studies Concentration: Students must complete a minimum of 9 credits, with a minimum of 6 credits from Group A.
    • GROUP A:
      • ASLN 3266 Methods of Teaching American Sign Language (TBD)
      • ASLN/WGSS 3254 Women and Gender in the Deaf World (Spring)
      • ASLN 3650 Deaf Writers and ASL Literature (Spring, odd years)
      • ASLN 3360 Deaf Art and Artists (TBD)
    • GROUP B:
      • ASLN 3293 Foreign Study*
      • ASLN 3290 Field Study
      • ASLN 3292 Experiential Learning
      • ASLN 3295 Special Topics
      • ASLN 3298 Variable Topics
      • ASLN 3299 Independent Study
  • Interpreting ASL and English Concentration: Students must complete courses in Group A (12 credits) with an additional 3 credits from Group B.
    • GROUP A:
      • ASLN 2500 Introduction to the Profession of Interpreting (Spring)
      • ASLN 2600 Process of Interpreting (Fall)
      • ASLN 2700 Interpreting in Various Settings (Fall)
      • ASLN 2800 Consecutive Interpreting (Spring)
    • GROUP B:
      • ASLN 3293 Foreign Study*
      • ASLN 3290 Field Study
      • ASLN 3292 Experiential Learning
      • ASLN 3295 Special Topics
      • ASLN 3298 Variable Topics
      • ASLN 3299 Independent Study
• Complete 12 additional credits of related courses, which can include:
  • Any modern or classical language course
  • Any English, linguistics, psychology, or philosophy course
  • Any course that is directly related to second language acquisition
  • Any human rights courses or any courses covering disability-related topics
  • Any history, political science, art history, anthropology, sociology, economics, or geography course that focuses on Deaf culture or people who are Deaf

Program Details

The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of ASL and Deaf culture, as well as the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a career in interpreting or related fields. The program is available only at the Storrs campus, and students must meet the minimum graduation requirements, including the completion of 120 credits and an overall grade point average of at least 2.0.