American Sign Language and Deaf Studies
The American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Studies program offers formal transfer requirement courses in ASL and Deaf cultures. The program is designed to teach students to communicate effectively in ASL, to understand and appreciate Deaf cultures, and to provide a pool of candidates to fill positions in the community.
ASL 1 4 units
American Sign Language 1
72 hours lecture, 18 hours laboratory
Grading: letter grade or pass/no pass.
Formerly SIGN 1A and SIGN 1B. This course introduces the fundamentals of American Sign Language. Topics include conversational methods, vocabulary related to exchanging personal information, hobbies, activities, family relationships, providing directions, basic grammar, syntax, fingerspelling, numbers 1 -100, and an introduction to Deaf Culture and history.
Transferable to both UC and CSU; see counselor for limitations ASL 2 4 units
American Sign Language 2
72 hours lecture, 18 hours laboratory
Prerequisite: ASL 1
Grading: letter grade or pass/no pass.
Formerly SIGN 2 and SIGN2B. This course continues further study of American Sign Language (ASL), focusing on comprehension skills, grammatical structures, and practice in sign production (expressive) aspects of the language as well as further exposure to Deaf Culture, including cues/behaviors. Students will build upon vocabulary learned in ASL 1 and be able to create narratives in which they use inflective verbs and depicting verbs and provide spatial information involving themselves and other people/things.
Transferable to both UC and CSU; see counselor for limitations ASL 3 4 units
American Sign Language 3
72 hours lecture, 18 hours laboratory
Prerequisite: ASL 2
Grading: letter grade or pass/no pass.
Formerly SIGN 3. This course focuses on developing intermediate comprehension skills as well as conversation skills used in everyday discussions and grammatical structures with continued emphasis on expressive skills in narrative. Students will build upon vocabulary learned in ASL 2. Aspects of Deaf culture will be studied and discussed.
Transferable to both UC and CSU; see counselor for limitations ASL 4 4 units
American Sign Language 4
72 hours lecture, 18 hours laboratory
Prerequisite: ASL 3
Grading: letter grade or pass/no pass.
Formerly SIGN 4. This course focuses on intermediate to advanced expressive and conversational skills in American Sign Language, along with continued focus on grammatical and cultural features. Students will build upon vocabulary learned in ASL 3.
Transferable to both UC and CSU; see counselor for limitations ASL 24 3 units
American Deaf Cultures
54 hours lecture
Grading: letter grade.
Formerly SIGN 24. This course will explore the experiences of Deaf people in the United States. This course will foster the investigation of the issues of language, consciousness, cultures, self-representation, identity, and social construction within and between Deaf groups. Focus will be on cultural oppression, power, contributions of folklore, literature, plays, Deaf art, and the impact of modern technology on multiple discourses of Deaf cultures within America.
Transferable to both UC and CSU; see counselor for limitations