American Sign Language - B.A. Download to print

The Bachelor of Arts in American Sign Language (ASL) presents ASL as a culture- and community-based language that interacts with other world languages. Through techniques including immersion and bilingual-bicultural comparison classes, community interaction, research, lab activities and use of digital video technology, students gain documented proficiency in ASL, validity within the deaf community and networking within the professional community. 

ASL majors are employed in a number of areas where bilingual skills are valuable.  Graduates who minor in second language education/pedagogy may pursue licensure for teaching American Sign Language in K-12 settings.  Other graduates work in mental health settings, non-profit agencies and Community Centers for the Deaf.  ASL majors may also go on to graduate programs in counseling, psychology, education, special education, medicine, legal studies, vocational rehabilitation and interpreting.

For more information about American Sign Language teaching opportunities, see the minor in Education in the College of Education, Health and Human Services. For more information about additional opportunities for American Sign Language/English interpreting, see the ASL/English Interpreting concentration within the Special Education major in the College of Education, Health and Human Services.

General Admissions for Freshman Students: Admission Requirements at the Kent Campus: The freshman admission policy at the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon the following: cumulative grade point average, ACT and/or SAT scores, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends.

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago. For more information on admissions, visit the admissions website for new freshmen.
 

For more information about admission criteria for transfer, transitioning and former students, please visit the admissions website.

Minimum 120 total credit hours and 42 upper-division credit hours. Minimum 2.000 overall GPA and 2.000 major GPA.

The ASL major at KSU is the only program in the nation to have obtained national recognition and accreditation from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)

Successful community service projects in ASL 29202, 39201 and 39202; documentation of a proficiency level of Intermediate or above on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (administered off-site) and successful completion of the capstone project in ASL 49201.