Liberal Arts: Deaf Studies Major, A.A. | Northern Virginia Community College Academic Catalog

Location(s):

AN

Annandale Campus
8333 Little River Turnpike
Annandale, VA 22033
United States of America

CIP Code: 24.0103 | 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

Plan of Study Grid
1st Semester		Credits
ASL 101	Beginning American Sign Language I ¹	4
ENG 111	College Composition I	3
Select one of the following CST Electives:		3
CST 110	Introduction to Human Communication
CST 100	Principles of Public Speaking
CST 126	Interpersonal Communication
CST 229	Intercultural Communication
Select one of the following: ²		3
MTH 154	Quantitative Reasoning
MTH 155	Statistical Reasoning (or Higher)
SDV 100 or SDV 101	College Success Skills or Orientation to:	1
	Credits	14
2nd Semester
ASL 102	Beginning American Sign Language II ¹	4
ENG 112	College Composition II	3
Select one of the following: ^{2, 3}		3
MTH 245	Statistics I (or Higher)
General Education Elective
ART 103	History of Far Eastern Art I
ART 200	History of Non-Western Art
HIS 231	Introduction to Latin American History
HIS 241	History of Russia I
HIS 251	History of Middle East Civ I
Physical or Life Science Elective w/Lab		4
	Credits	14
3rd Semester
ASL 201	Intermediate American Sign Language I	3
ASL 202	Intermediate American Sign Language II	3
	Credits	6
4th Semester
ASL 125	History of the U.S. Deaf Community	3
ASL 261	Advanced American Sign Language I	4
ENG 2XX - Literature Elective ⁴		3
Select one of the following:		3-4
Physical or Life Science Elective w/Lab
General Education Elective
	Credits	13-14
5th Semester
ASL 220	Comparative Linguistics: ASL/English	3
ASL 262	Advanced American Sign Language II	4
HIS Elective		3
HUM 298	Seminar And Project	1
Social/Behavioral Sciences Elective		3
	Credits	14
	Total Credits	61-62

Electives should be chosen with the advice of an academic advisor to meet the requirements of the intended transfer institution.

¹: Placement testing determines initial foreign language level. Students who place directly into intermediate level foreign language or ASL may take any General Education course(s) to meet the required number of credits. Waivers or credit by exam for prior experience is available for some languages. See the ‘World Language Credit and Waiver’ section of the [Credit for Prior Learning Manual]. Students must earn 60 unique and applicable credits to be awarded the Liberal Arts degree.
²: Credit will not be awarded for both MTH 155 Statistical Reasoning and MTH 245 Statistics I.
³: Students may choose any course listed under General Education Electives or from the additional courses provided.
⁴: ENG 225 or higher literature course satisfies this requirement.