American Sign Language (ASL)

Program Option:  B.A.

The ASL major at St. Kate’s allows you to study the language and culture of American Deaf people. As an ASL major, you will be constantly striving to increase your communicative competence in ASL as well as your ability to comprehend and appreciate ASL literature. You will also study principles of translation, working from written texts and video texts. All courses you take with an ASL prefix will be taught in ASL, without the use of spoken English. As an ASL major, you will be encouraged to pursue a minor in Language Studies and/or participate in a study abroad program to further your knowledge of language issues. Many ASL majors choose to double major in communication studies, education, nursing or psychology or pursue a master’s degree in ASL or a related field. 

While at St. Kate’s you’ll find many opportunities to use what you learn, both on and off campus. On campus you may participate in the ASL Club, organizing cultural and social events on campus such as an ASL poetry reading or theatrical performance. Students have also participated in the Academic Mentorship Program as research assistants, program assistants and teaching assistants. Off campus, students have found opportunities at local deaf schools, government agencies, theatrical venues, community organizations and political organizations. Nationally, students have attended conferences and internationally, they have participated in volunteer efforts in countries such as Kenya and Jamaica. 

In your senior year, you may complete a community-based internship, which may take place in a variety of settings, including education, government, nonprofit, human services or performing arts. You help determine your placement, working in a setting where you are actively using ASL in meaningful work or you may pursue a project related to ASL linguistics or ASL literature. 

The ability to communicate in ASL and in English is critical to both professional responsibilities and personal relationships, therefore:

A minimum grade of B- (2.667) is required for all pre-requisite courses to be considered for admission into the major.*

A minimum grade of B- (2.667) is required for an ASL or INTP course to be counted toward the major.*

If a student does not receive a minimum grade of B- (2.667), credit toward the major may be gained only by repeating the course and not by proficiency exam. Courses may be repeated once.

*Applies to coursework begun on or after September 03, 2003.

A minor in ASL is also available.

See also: Interpreting.

Major Requirements:

ASL 2010 Introduction to American Deaf Culture
ASL 2500 Fingerspelling Lab
ASL 3020 ASL Linguistics or INTP 2020 Introduction to the Interpreting Profession
ASL 3100 ASL Literature or ASL 4100 Interacting in the DeafBlind Community or other ASL/INTP elective
ASL 3110 Advanced American Sign Language I
ASL 3120 Advanced American Sign Language II
ASL 3130 Conversational ASL
ASL 3330 ASL Classifiers
INTP 3050 ASL & English Text Analysis
INTP 3060 ASL/English Translation
INTP 4210 Senior Seminar

Required supporting course work:*
ASL 1110, 1120 Beginning American Sign Language I & II
ASL 2110, 2120 Intermediate American Sign Language I & II
ENGL 2450 Language in Society
ENGL 3100 Language as Power
One communication studies course and one sociology course, selected with a departmental advisor

*Second major ASL students only need to complete the ASL required supporting courses, not the English, communication and sociology courses.
American Sign Language majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing INTP 4210. You complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with three other writing-intensive courses (CORE 1000 and CORE 3990, and any other writing-intensive course in another department).