American Sign Language Studies

Contact Us

ASL Studies

Kara Gournaris

ASL Studies Program Coordinator

Office: RWEC 132

Phone: 503-838-8324

Email: gournark@wou.edu

Our mission is to create and transmit knowledge of American Sign Language (ASL) in a climate that promotes respect for Deaf culture, Deaf history and Deaf Community.

See what it’s like to be a student with us in this video:

Learning outcomes

Demonstrate the ability to express and comprehend ASL.
Portray the ability to recognize and analyze ASL linguistics features.
Practice sensitivity and understanding toward diverse Deaf
communities.
Develop foundational skills suitable for pursuing higher education
and careers that use ASL.

ASL course rotation

ASL 101: ASL I

ASL 102: ASL II
Prerequisite: ASL 101

ASL 103: ASL III
Prerequisite: ASL 102

ASL 201: ASL IV
Prerequisite: ASL 103

ASL 202: ASL V
Prerequisite: ASL 201

ASL 203: ASL VI
Prerequisite: ASL 202

ASL 205: Introduction to ASL Studies

ASL 215: Visual / Gestural Communication
Prerequisite: ASL 103

ASL 301: ASL VII
Prerequisite: ASL 203

ASL 302: ASL VIII
Prerequisite: ASL 301

ASL 303: ASL IX
Prerequisite: ASL 302

ASL 315: American Deaf Culture
Prerequisite: ASL 203

ASL 320: Deaf Women: Sociolinguistic, Historical and Contemporary Issues
Prerequisite: ASL 203

ASL 325: ASL Literature
Prerequisite: ASL 203

ASL 330: Special Topics in ASL
Prerequisite: ASL 203

ASL 340: Introduction to the Deaf Latino Community
Prerequisite: ASL 203

ASL 353: Linguistics of ASL
Prerequisites (or corequisites): ASL 303, LING 310

ASL 360: Black Deaf Culture
Prerequisite: ASL 203

ASL 407: Seminar
Prerequisite: ASL 203

ASL 409: Practicum

ASL 413: ASL Cherology / Phonology
Prerequisites: ASL 303, ASL 353

ASL 414: ASL Morphology
Prerequisites: ASL 303, ASL 353

ASL 415: ASL Syntax and Semantics
Prerequisites: ASL 303, ASL 353

ASL 420: Sociolinguistics of Deaf Communities
Prerequisites: ASL 303, LING 310, GenEd Writing Course

ASL 429: American Deaf History

ASL 440: Mental Health in the Deaf Community

ASL 456: First and Second Language Acquisition: Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Prerequisites: ASL 303, ASL 353

ASL 460: Black American Sign Language
Prerequisite: ASL 353

ASL 470: DeafBlind Culture Community Guiding

View Course Plan for ASL Major

View Course Plan for ASL Minor

ASL Certificates

The ASL Studies: Beginner certificate is designed to prepare students and community members to incorporate basic ASL comprehension and expressive skills in their field of study and careers.
The ASL Studies: Intermediate certificate is designed to prepare students and community members to incorporate comprehension and expressive skills and knowledge in history and culture of the Deaf community in their field of study and careers.
The ASL Studies: Culture certificate will equip students and community members in developing cultural competencies and in-depth knowledge of the diversity in the Deaf communities as it pertains to their field of study and careers.
The ASL Studies: Linguistics certificate is designed to prepare students and community members to broaden their perspectives on the study of ASL as a language and to incorporate linguistic knowledge as it pertains to their field of study and careers.

Careers

Opportunities for our graduates include deaf rehabilitation counseling, deaf education, ASL teacher, linguistics, research specialist, consultant, advocate, deaf/hearing interpreting, and more.

Successful graduates are prepared in ASL linguistics and deaf culture, and are sought after for non-interpreter positions where they must interact in ASL, for example, in schools and other programs for the deaf, video relay services and other businesses catering to deaf clientele.

The ASL degree also prepares students for graduate programs where this language and cultural knowledge is required, for example, in rehabilitation counseling and teacher education.