Apr 09, 2025  
2025-2026 NOVA Catalog 
    
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2025-2026 NOVA Catalog

Liberal Arts: Deaf Studies Major, A.A.

Location(s): AN

CIP Code: 45.0101

NOVA Code: 648-05

Purpose: The goal of the Deaf Studies Major is to introduce students to the multidisciplinary study of human culture, language, experience, society, and history, with a focus on analyzing and understanding the contributions of Deaf people in America and around the globe. This curriculum is designed to provide students with conversational-level fluency in ASL to allow them to engage with members of the Deaf community in a variety of settings. Graduates may use their skills to work in human service fields. Graduates from the program can also transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a program that requires a background in American Sign Language and the Deaf community. Possible majors include a wide variety of fields, such as ASL instruction, Deaf education (parent-infant programs, elementary education, secondary), linguistics, Deaf studies (e.g. history, literature, research, etc.), speech-language pathology and audiology, sociology, communication sciences and disorders, media, government, and social work. 

Students may be able to waive the ASL requirement if they have prior experience in ASL. To demonstrate ASL competency, students must receive a score on the Sign Communication Proficiency Interview (SCPI) or the Gallaudet University American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (GU-ASLPI) of “Intermediate” or higher.

Two Years

1st Semester

Total 14 credits

2nd Semester

Total 14 credits

3rd Semester

Total 6 credits

4th Semester

Total 13-14 credits

5th Semester

Total 14 credits

Total credits for the A.A. Degree in Liberal Arts with a Major in Deaf Studies: 61-62 credits

Electives should be selected with advice of a counselor or academic advisor to meet requirements of the transfer institution.

1 Placement testing determines initial foreign language level. Students who place directly into intermediate level ASL may take any General Education course to meet the required number of credits. Waivers or credit by exam for previous experience are available for some languages. See the ‘World Language Credit and Waiver’ section of the [Credit for Prior Learning Manual]. Students must take sufficient General Education Electives  courses so that they can apply at least 60 credits toward the Liberal Arts degree. 

2 Select from the following: CST 100 , CST 110 , CST 126 , or CST 229 . 

 

3 Credit will not be awarded for both MTH 155  and MTH 245 . Students should consult with an advisor to ensure mathematics courses meet their intended transfer institution requirement.

4 Select any course under General Education Electives  or any of the following: ART 103 , ART 200 , HIS 231 , HIS 241 , HIS 251 , or HIS 256 . 

5 See physical and life science courses listed under  General Education Electives .

6 Any 200-level literature course with an ENG prefix satisfies this requirement. 

7 See courses listed under General Education Electives . 

8 Select any HIS course listed under social/behavioral sciences in General Education Electives .

9 See non-HIS social/behavioral science courses listed under General Education Electives .