BA in American Sign Language
Program Requirements
120 credit hours are required for graduation. Students must earn a 2.000 overall GPA, a 2.000 Wichita State GPA, and a 3.000 GPA in their major. Students also must complete graduation requirements for the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the WSU General Education program.
The major in ASL consists of 36 credit hours of coursework within one of the following tracks, each of which includes 12 credit hours of ASL foundation courses and 9 credit hours of upper-division course work in deaf culture, interpreting and nonverbal communication.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required ASL Courses for All Tracks | ||
| MCLL/CSD 270 | American Sign Language I | 3 |
| MCLL 360 | American Sign Language II | 3 |
| MCLL 470 | American Sign Language III | 3 |
| MCLL 480 | American Sign Language IV | 3 |
| MCLL 482 | Intro to Sign Language Interpreting | 3 |
| MCLL/CSD 518 | Deaf Culture | 3 |
| MCLL 520 | ASL: Nonverbal Communication | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 21 | |
The Structure of Language Track (36 credit hours)
The nature of language, language acquisition and ASL linguistics. In addition to the required ASL courses for all tracks, this track includes the courses below. Students in this track are strongly encouraged to pursue additional coursework in structural linguistics.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses for the Structure of Language Track | ||
| LING 151 | Nature of Language | 3 |
| LING 315 | Introduction to English Linguistics | 3 |
| ANTH 352 | Linguistic Anthropology | 3 |
| MCLL 351 | Linguistics and Foreign Languages | 3 |
| MCLL 670 | Interpreting Interaction: Translation and Consecutive Interpretation | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 | |
Language and Culture in Context Track (36 credit hours)
Historical foundations of the profession, deaf culture, deaf studies and social justice concerns. In addition to the required ASL courses for all tracks, this track includes the courses below. Students in this track are strongly encouraged to pursue additional coursework in sociolinguistics.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses for the Language and Culture in Context Track | ||
| LING 151 | Nature of Language | 3 |
| LING 663 | Languages and Language Attitudes in USA | 3 |
| ANTH 352 | Linguistic Anthropology | 3 |
| MCLL 351 | Linguistics and Foreign Languages | 3 |
| MCLL 670 | Interpreting Interaction: Translation and Consecutive Interpretation | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 | |
Interpreting Methods Track (36 credit hours)
Theories of interpretation and translation along with ethics and protocols for interpreting in legal, medical and educational settings. In addition to the required ASL coursework for all tracks, this track includes the courses below. Students in this track are strongly encouraged to pursue additional coursework in translation and interpreting.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses for the Interpreting Methods Tracks | ||
| LING 151 | Nature of Language | 3 |
| MCLL 351 | Linguistics and Foreign Languages | 3 |
| MCLL 370 | American Sign Language Elocution | 3 |
| MCLL 570 | American Sign Language and English Translation | 3 |
| MCLL 670 | Interpreting Interaction: Translation and Consecutive Interpretation | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 15 | |
Applied Learning
Students in the BA in American Sign Language are required to complete an applied learning or research experience to graduate from the program. The requirement can be met by successful completion of MCLL 670 Interpreting Interaction: Translation and Consecutive Interpretation or MCLL 570 American Sign Language and English Translation, a course that allows students to experience how English and ASL, as discrete sign systems, convey messages in business, medical and educational settings among others.