Catalog Home College of Liberal Arts and Sciences American Sign Language

American Sign Language

Chair

Richard Hurtig

Professor

Richard Hurtig

Associate professor

Douglas Baynton

Adjunct instructor

Tim Sheets

Lecturers

Freeman Harper, AmyRuth McGraw, Shannon Marsh, Kelly Neppl

Undergraduate nondegree programs: Certificate in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies; Minor in American Sign Language
Web site: http://www.uiowa.edu/~asliowa

The American Sign Language Program offers a four-semester course sequence in American Sign Language (ASL), the undergraduate certificate in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies, and courses for teacher licensure. Classroom instruction is supplemented by video materials and interactive software in the Language Media Center.

Undergraduate students may use the American Sign Language sequence 158:011 American Sign Language I, 158:012 American Sign Language II, 158:013 American Sign Language III, and 158:014 American Sign Language IV to complete the foreign language component of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program.

Certificate

The Certificate in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies requires 34 s.h. The interdisciplinary program teaches students about the history, culture, and language of the American deaf community.

Through the study of American Sign Language, students come into contact with a language that is semantically and grammatically very different from their own and that operates in a different sensory channel as well. Students who undertake the program encounter a rich and complex culture, including a rapidly growing literature recorded on film and videotape since the early 20th century.

The certificate program permits students to link study in three or more disciplines into an organized investigation of a language and culture. The Certificate in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies serves as a valuable confirmation for employers and graduate schools of a student's specialized knowledge in the field.

Any undergraduate student pursuing a degree from The University of Iowa may earn the certificate. Holders of University of Iowa bachelor's degrees who are not enrolled in graduate or professional programs may return to complete the certificate.

Students may earn the Certificate in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies, or a minor in American Sign Language, but not both.

Students may use each course required for the certificate to satisfy only one certificate requirement. But they may use a course to satisfy both a certificate requirement and a requirement for a major or for a minor in another discipline.

Courses used to satisfy certificate requirements may not be taken pass/nonpass.

A maximum of 6 s.h. of transfer work may be accepted toward certificate requirements, with the approval of the American Sign Language and deaf studies advisor.

REQUIRED COURSES

The Certificate in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies requires completion of the sequence 158:011, 158:012, 158:013, and 158:014, or demonstration of equivalent proficiency, and a total of at least 18 s.h. of approved courses in three or more different disciplines. At least 6 s.h. must be chosen from the following core courses.

158:100/16A:104 History of the American Deaf Community	3-4 s.h.
158:101 Topics in Deaf Studies	3 s.h.
158:102 American Deaf Culture	3 s.h.
158:103 American Sign Language Literature	3 s.h.
158:104 Issues in ASL and Deaf Studies	3 s.h.
158:106 Introduction to ASL Interpreting	3 s.h.
158:110/07U:110 Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students	3-4 s.h.
158:111 American Sign Language Conversation	3 s.h.

Certificate students also complete at least four courses (12 s.h.) in two or more of the following disciplines. They may petition to have courses that are not listed below approved for certificate requirements.

Anthropology

113:014 Language, Culture, and Communication	3 s.h.
113:173/103:150 Language and Gender	3 s.h.

Communication Sciences and Disorders

003:117 Psychology of Language	3 s.h.
003:185 Hearing Loss and Audiometry	3 s.h.
003:244 Rehabilitative Audiology	3 s.h.

Education

07U:100 Foundations of Special Education (requires admission to the Teacher Education Program)	3 s.h.
07U:110/158:110 Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students	3-4 s.h.
07U:133 The Culturally Different in Diverse Settings	3 s.h.

History

16A:104/158:100 History of the American Deaf Community	3-4 s.h.
16A:106 Disability in American History	3 s.h.

Linguistics

103:011 Language and Society	3 s.h.
103:100 Introduction to Linguistics	3 s.h.
103:150/113:173 Language and Gender	3 s.h.

Minor

The minor in American Sign Language requires 15 s.h. of ASL course work, including 12 s.h. in courses numbered 100 or above taken at The University of Iowa, excluding 158:106 Introduction to ASL Interpreting, which does not count toward the minor. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Course work in the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. The minor must include 158:014 or demonstrated equivalent proficiency. Students may count a maximum of one course taught in English toward the minor (158:100 History of the American Deaf Community or 158:110 Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students) and must enroll in the 4 s.h. option with discussion conducted in ASL.

Hearing Impaired Endorsement for Teachers

The American Sign Language Program offers courses that fulfill requirements for the Hearing Impaired Endorsement offered by the College of Education. The University of Iowa currently is the only institution in Iowa that offers this endorsement program. Holders of the endorsement are authorized to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing students from birth to age 21. Applicants to the program must hold or be in the process of completing requirements for an elementary or secondary teaching license.

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