ASL 1010 and 1020: Elementary ASL I and II (4 Credits)

Elementary American Sign Language

Introduces receptive and expressive ASL skills, including fingerspelling, numbers, basic vocabulary, sentence structure, facial grammar and non-manual type indicators, use of space, classifiers, and basic storytelling and conversational skills. We examine Deaf culture and Deaf people as a linguistic and cultural minority.

Prerequisite for ASL 1020: ASL 1010 or successful completion of placement interview.

ASL 2010 and 2020: Intermediate ASL I and II (4 Credits)

Continues learning in American Sign Language, with the introduction of more vocabulary and a focus on more complex sentence types, classifier usage, idioms, storytelling, and relating of events.  We may consider ASL literary forms such as poetry, theater, and storytelling, as well as Deaf history, culture, and other related topics through our class reading projects.

Prerequisite for ASL 2010: ASL 1020 or successful completion of placement interview.

Prerequisite for ASL 2020: ASL 2010 or successful completion of placement interview.

Completion of ASL 2020 satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences World Language Requirement

ASL 3010: Conversational ASL (3 Credits)

Continues language and cultural instruction with emphasis on everyday conversation. Topics include idiomatic and colloquial expression, advanced classifier usage, relating movies and TV series, and relating events, current topics, and interests.  Students may also interact with invited members of the Deaf and ASL community.

Prerequisite: ASL 2020 or successful completion of placement interview.

Required for the Minor in ASL and Deaf Culture.

ASL 2300: Women and Gender in the Deaf World (3 Credits)

Examines the roles of deaf women inside and outside of the signing Deaf community. Using an interdisciplinary approach, considers such topics as language and cultural barriers, violence against women, sexuality, race, class, education, and work. Investigates disparities between deaf and hearing women and the choices available to d/Deaf women, individually and collectively, in contemporary culture.

No prior knowledge of Deaf culture or ASL is required for this course.

ASL 2450: Deaf People, Society, and the Law (3 Credits)

This course will explore the Deaf community, discrimination, and laws affecting Deaf people in the United States. We will consider the experiences of Deaf people before and after such measures as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 to gain insight into how the law affects social perceptions and people's everyday lives.

No prior knowledge of ASL or Deaf culture is required for this course.

ASL 3015: Language House Conversation in ASL (1 Credit)

This one-hour credit is available to students participating in the Shea Language House ASL community who satisfy the participation requirements.  One credit per semester can be earned with a maximum of two credits/semesters. See the ASL Program Director if you think you might be interested in the Shea Language House program.

ASL 3081: History of the American Deaf Community (Cross-listed as HIUS 3081) (3 Credits)

Examines the history of deaf people in the United States over the last three centuries, with particular attention to the emergence and evolution of a community of Deaf people who share a distinct sign language and culture. We will read both primary texts from specific periods (by writers like Laurent Clerc and Alexander Graham Bell) and secondary sources (such as Douglas Baynton's Forbidden Signs and Carol Padden and Tom Humphries’ Inside Deaf Culture). We will also view a few historical films. Among other topics, we will consider how hearing society has treated deaf people and the reasons for this treatment; how deaf people have explained and advocated for themselves; how the deaf community complicates our understanding of linguistic and ethnic minorities and of disabled people in the United States; the impact of technology; and what changing constructions of deafness reveal about the history of American culture in general. Requirements will include two papers, one midterm exam, one final exam, and active participation

No prior knowledge of Deaf culture or ASL is required for this course.

ASL 3220: Coda Literature (3 Credits)

This course will explore coda literature or “coda stories” (primarily written memoir, but also movies and other forms and media) and examine the issues within them, differences and commonalities between them, and how they may change over time. Through this and by engaging in similar writing and activities ourselves, it’s hoped we’ll discover something more about ourselves and the human experience.

No prior knowledge of Deaf culture or ASL is required for this course.

ASL 3400: Deafness in Literature and Film (3 Credits)

This course will study the contradictory and telling ways that deaf people have been depicted over the last three centuries in addressing the question: What does deafness signify, especially in a western society that is centered upon speech? Our approach will be contrapuntal, juxtaposing canonical texts and mainstream films with relatively unknown works by deaf artists.

No prior knowledge of Deaf culture or ASL is required for this course.

ASL 3410: Contemporary Disability Theory (Cross-listed as ENGL 3840) (3 Credits)

This seminar offers an interdisciplinary approach to disability in the social, cultural, political, artistic, ethical, and medical spheres and their intersections. It also introduces students to critical theory concerned with the rights of the disabled.

ASL 3450: Comparative Linguistics: ASL and English (3 Credits)

Describes spoken English and ASL on five levels: phonological, morphological, lexical, syntactic, and discourse and compares/contrasts them using real-world examples.  Describes major linguistic components and process f of English and ASL.  Introduces basic theories regarding ASL structure.  Emphasizes ASL’s status as a natural language by comparing/contrasting similarities and unique difference between the two languages.

No prior knowledge of Deaf culture or ASL is required for this course.

ASL 3559: New Course in ASL (titles will vary) (1-4 Credits)

A new course offering in the subject of ASL, Deaf Culture, and or the Deaf community.

ASL 4112: Psychology and Deaf People (3 Credits)

This course will consider the psychological development and psychosocial issues of deaf people. Topics covered will include cognition, education, hearing and speech perception, impact of family interaction and communication approaches, influence of etiology/genetics, language development, literacy, mental health, social and personality development, interpersonal behavior, and current trends.

No prior knowledge of Deaf culture or ASL is required for this course.

ASL 4115: Multiculturalism in the Deaf Community (3 Credits)

Explores cultural influences on identity development, family systems, linguistics, engagement with educational and community agencies, and resilience within the Deaf community. The interaction of culture, identity and language will be highlighted and applied to future trends for groups within the Deaf community, such as children of Deaf adults, GLTB community members, ethnic minority groups, women, and persons with disabilities.

ASL 4750: Contemporary Deaf Studies (3 Credits)

Examines such topics as American deaf history; ASL linguistics; deaf education; cultural versus pathological views of deaf people; controversies over efforts to eliminate sign language and cure deafness; ASL poetry and storytelling; deafness in mainstream literature, film, and drama; deafness and other minority identities; and the international deaf community.

No prior knowledge of Deaf culture or ASL is required for this course.

Required for the Minor in ASL and Deaf Culture

ASL 4993: Independent Study in American Sign Language (1-3 Credits)

Independent Study in American Sign Language.  Students can pursue a further interest in a particular topic related to ASL, deafness, Deaf culture, Deaf education, and/or the Deaf community through a project, research paper, or presentation.

Requires Instructor Permission