American Sign Language Minor

  • Minor
Format
  • In-Person
  • Online
This program is also offered through Extended Campus.
Location
  • Greeley
  • Online
Tuition Rate

Tuition & Fees

Department(s)

American Sign Language and Interpreting Studies

Credits

18-24

Area of Study
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Program Overview

The American Sign Language minor is offered as a variable plan of study totaling 18 to 24 credit hours. At a minimum, you must complete 12 credit hours of upper division ASL courses and 6 credit hours of knowledge courses. At a maximum, you will complete 18 credit hours of ASL courses and 6 credit hours of knowledge courses.

American Sign Language (ASL) is the visual language of the Deaf community, who use their eyes to listen, and their hands, face and bodies to communicate. ASL is one of today’s most studied modern/foreign languages at the college level. UNC offers more than 20 ASL courses in the fall and spring semester, with the minor in ASL designed to accompany most UNC majors. The ASL minor includes six language classes and two knowledge courses; two language courses—ASL 1 and 2—must be transferred in or completed on campus, but the remaining classes are offered on campus and online.

With UNC’s ASL minor, you’ll work with accessible, dedicated faculty. Develop your language fluency through classes taught by native ASL users—Deaf faculty who use ASL as their method of communication—and gain knowledge of the Deaf culture in classes taught by content experts with ties to the ASL and Deaf community.

Program Notes

If a student begins the minor at ASL 101, it will require 24 credit hours versus a student beginning at ASL 201 which would be a total of 18 credit hours. Six credit hours must be upper division courses.

Up to six semester credit hours of the courses listed may be used to satisfy the Liberal Arts Curriculum.

Students completing a major in ASL-English Interpretation and a minor in ASL are exempt from the University policy that a minimum of 12 credits hours can be shared between a major and minor.

Advising with faculty advisor for the ASL minor is required before registration.

A challenge exam can be discussed with an advisor that can include retroactive ASL credit for successful demonstration of language competencies.

American Sign Language courses are conducted in ASL.

Students are encouraged to enrich their ASL language-related cultural awareness through participation in program-sponsored activities. Consult program advisor.

Students must maintain a minimum of a ‘B’ grade or better in those courses that count toward the minor and that are taken at UNC.

View Full Minor Requirements

The ASL minor is versatile and integral, with application across all disciplines, from interpreting and nursing, to theater and business. For students wishing to focus on ASL and Interpreting program UNC also offers:

American Sign Language English Interpretation BA

Your Future in American Sign Language

An ASL minor will enrich any major area of study and provide language fluency that will be an asset to your career choice.

You’ll learn:

  • ASL as a full, natural language
  • Deaf history and culture

Consider UNC’s ASL Minor if you:

  • Enjoy languages
  • Have an interest in the Deaf community
  • Want to communicate directly with ASL users

Sample courses:

  • ASL I-VI
  • Deaf Culture & Community
  • Intercultural Communication (INTR 312 only)
  • Foundations of Deaf Education

Where can your minor take you?

As a student in the American Sign Language minor, you will take your fluency and knowledge of ASL and the Deaf community into the study of your major and your future career. Being able to communicate in ASL allows you to connect and relate to D/deaf patients, consumers, clients, students, and colleagues. Some interactions will need to be mediated by ASL-English interpreters. Yet, nothing beats direct communicate.

Two college students smiling and practicing American Sign Language together in a classroom.

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