The Associate of Arts degree in American Sign Language is designed to prepare students to transfer to a four year program in American Sign Language/English Interpreting, or for students who plan to enter another field in which they would work with Deaf people on a regular basis, such as in the medical, educational, early childhood, vocational rehabilitation, and social work settings, or other community agencies.
This program has two areas of focus:
- The study of Deaf Culture and community and its social norms and rules of social interactions; and
- Principles of receptive and expressive ASL to include vocabulary, sign parameters, grammar structure and syntax, semantics and pragmatics while incorporating culturally appropriate body posture, hand gestures and facial expressions.
Program Learning Outcomes
This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
- Communicate effectively in American Sign Language in everyday interactions, using culturally appropriate body posture, signed parameters, facial expressions, hand gestures, and vocabulary.
- Deliver simple presentations on a wide variety of familiar topics in ASL, with or without visual support.
- Navigate social interactions in culturally appropriate ways in everyday situations, sometimes even when there is a simple complication.
- Receptively understand sign language conversations and respond appropriately.
- Recognize the diversity in signing amongst various populations.
- Assess and match the diversity in signing language in order to meet the needs of the deaf individual.
- Communicate effectively in spoken and written English, for an intended audience, using clear, organized language.
- Use critical thinking skills to adapt to changing situations, make ethical decisions, and resolve problems.
- Be prepared for sign language proficiency entry exam/interview for admission to 4 year program or potential employment
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ASL-1010 | Beginning American Sign Language I | 4 |
| ASL-1001 | Fingerspelling | 2 |
| ENG-1010 | College Composition I | 3 |
| PHIL-1000 | Critical Thinking | 3 |
| ASL-1100 | Deaf Culture | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ASL-1020 | Beginning American Sign Language II | 4 |
| BIO-1050 | Human Biology | 3 |
| BIO-105L | Human Biology Laboratory | 1 |
| ENG-1020 | College Composition II | 3 |
| MATH-1XXX | Ohio Transfer 36 Mathematics Elective | 3 |
| PSY-1010 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Summer Session | ||
| ASL-2010 | Intermediate American Sign Language I | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 4 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| ASL-2020 | Intermediate American Sign Language II | 4 |
| COMM-1010 | Fundamentals of Speech Communication | 3 |
| PSY-2010 | Child Growth and Development | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 2-3 | |
| Interpreting I 1 | ||
| Introduction to Speech Pathology | ||
| Credit Hours | 12-13 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| ASL-2412 | Advanced American Sign Language I | 4 |
| ENG-2XXX | Ohio Transfer 36 Approved 2000 Level Literature Elective | 3 |
| SOC-1010 | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
| Ohio Transfer 36 Natural Science Elective | 3 | |
| Ohio Transfer 36 Arts and Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 64-65 | |
- 1
Recommended for students planning to transfer into a 4 year program in Interpreting for the Deaf.
- 2
Recommended for students planning to transfer into a four year program in Speech and Hearing.
MATH-1140, MATH-1141, MATH-1200, MATH-1270, and MATH-1280 can no longer count towards fulfilling the college-level mathematics requirement. These courses were re-classified as developmental mathematics by the state of Ohio in 2016. Tri-C established a 5-year transitioning window for students who had completed these courses prior to 2016 to apply them towards meeting graduation requirements, which expired in Summer 2021. It is highly recommended to see a counselor to determine the appropriate math required for your current major.