American Sign Language (ASL) Minor

Program Director: Michael Dunham

The American Sign Language (ASL) minor is designed for students interested in acquiring intermediate expressive and receptive ASL skills with in-depth understanding of Deaf Culture. The program plan includes four required classes and one elective (5-courses total). Emphasis on engaging with native signers from varied backgrounds is a foundation of the program. Throughout the sequence, experiential learning connects to the rich Deaf Culture in the DMV area known for one of the nation's largest Deaf communities. Participants develop communication skills while examining accessibility for greater advocacy and inclusivity. The core classes focus on sign language skills, Deaf Culture, and immersive community experiences. Electives include offerings in linguistics, world languages, education, and hearing and speech sciences.  The coursework, immersion opportunities, and capstone project will benefit students in all fields of study.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Develop competency of expressive and receptive American Sign Language (ASL) skills (e.g., visual gestures, facial expressions, fingerspelling) at the intermediary level.
2. Recognize intersectionality of identities in Deaf community through exposure to multiple dialects and signing styles.
3. Demonstrate understanding of Deaf culture, history, and community through responsive and respectful interactions.
4. Engage in advocacy and accessibility efforts aligned to goals of Deaf led organizations (e.g., accessible spaces).
5. Students Planning to Continue Studies Post Graduation: Following completion of the American Sign Language Proficiency Assessment achieve a score of 2.0 or higher (pragmatics and linguistics).

Program plan includes four required classes and one elective (5-courses total).