American Sign Language Certificate of Achievement
Middlesex County College offers a Certificate of Achievement in American Sign Language (ASL) which requires the completion of six courses for a total of 18 credit hours. In three of those courses, students will learn ASL up to an intermediate level. In addition, they will take three other courses that will develop a greater understanding of the Deaf community and culture, as well as exploring the diversity of language and communication modes.
Short Title : American Sign Language I
Course Code : ASL-121
Department Description : ESL, Languages and Culture
Course Description :
This course will cover a general introduction to American Sign Language, its structure, grammatical rules and vocabulary. These areas include topics such as the manual alphabet, basic words, sentences, numbers, phonology, morphology, the use of the space, classifier verbs, adjectives, nouns, pronouns, non-manual, cues and finger spelling. It will also cover issues related to deaf culture and history. There will be assignments outside of the classroom. This course is taught primarily in American Sign Language.
- Credit : 3
- Lecture Hours : 3
Short Title : American Sign Language II
Course Code : ASL-122
Department Description : ESL, Languages and Culture
Course Description :
This course is a continuation of American Sign Language I designed to improve expressive and receptive skills and to expand on vocabulary and grammatical rules. Students will focus on non-manual markers and facial grammar. There will be assignments outside the classroom. This class is taught primarily in American Sign Language.
Prerequisites :
- Credit : 3
- Lecture Hours : 3
Short Title : Intermediate American Sign Language I
Course Code : ASL-221
Department Description : ESL, Languages and Culture
Course Description :
This course enables students to understand complex language functions while developing skills through interactive activities and storytelling. Students will gain further command of ASL advanced grammar, syntax and non-manual behavior.
Prerequisites :
- Credit : 3
- Lecture Hours : 3.0
- Lab Hours : 0.0
- Studio Hours : 0.0
Short Title : Deaf Culture and History
Course Code : ASL-223
Department Description : ESL, Languages and Culture
Course Description :
Examines the unique culture and history of the Deaf community in the U.S. Discussions include the values, norms, identities, traditions and subcultures within the larger Deaf community. The nature of sign language, the education and employment of Deaf individuals and historical treatment of deafness will be explored.
- Credit : 3
- Lecture Hours : 3.0
- Lab Hours : 0.0
- Studio Hours : 0.0
Short Title : Introduction to the Study of Human Language
Course Code : LNC-123
Department Description : ESL, Languages and Culture
Course Description :
The course introduces and explores the areas of language acquisition, dialects, social variations of language, language and ethnicity, language and gender and cross-cultural and multi-cultural perspectives of language. The student will get a broad understanding of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics in the context of English and its history.
- Credit : 3
- Lecture Hours : 3
Short Title : Intercultural Communication
Course Code : COM-115
Department Description : Visual, Performing and Media Arts
Course Description :
This course provides a general orientation to and overview of the communication between cultures. The emphasis will be upon offering insight into how cultural differences and similarities impact upon the relationship between culture and communication. The focus will deal with the challenges of communication in a culturally diverse society and offer techniques for improving communication between members of different cultures.
- Credit : 3
Program Outcomes
Graduates of the Program will be able to:
- Engage in a sustained complete conversation on daily events in ASL for 10 minutes.
- Differentiate between cultural expectations of the Deaf Community and hearing communities.
- Use commands and provide instructions in ASL.
- Appraise and summarize the human language experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I study ASL?
Recently, there has been an increased effort to make classrooms, the work place, health care facilities, and social and cultural events accessible to the Deaf. As a result, schools, businesses, hospitals, theaters, and museums, for example, are more and more interested in employing people who can sign and who are sensitive to the needs of the Deaf community. Earning the ASL Certificate of Achievement can be an attractive credential for many employers. In addition, knowing ASL allows people to make new friends and enhances cross-cultural understanding. Because it is more visual, ASL will also strengthen and enhance one’s mental flexibility.
Can I become an interpreter for the Deaf with the ASL Certificate?
No. This certificate will give you a solid foundation for further studies in ASL, but you will need to continue your studies in an ASL Interpreter training program. You would then need to take the exams through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID). For more information on RID, please visit their website: http://rid.org/rid-certification-overview/
How many of the courses in the certificate require knowing ASL?
Only the three signing courses, ASL 121, ASL 122, and ASL 221 require students to sign. The other three ASL 223 Deaf Culture and History, LNC 123 Introduction to the Study of Human Language, and COM 115 Intercultural Communication are taught in spoken English.
