The World Languages Department is proud to announce that we are enhancing our new language program of American Sign Language by launching the third year course. ASL is a visual language with vocabulary, grammar, idioms, and syntax different from English. This course focuses on the development of conversational sign-language skills and the grammatical structure of American Sign Language. Students are exposed to a variety of sign systems and modes of communication used by the Deaf community. ASL 3 continues the exploration of the history of sign language and the importance of Deaf culture. Class participation is an integral part of the course. Since ASL is a visual-gestural language, students will need to develop unique communication skills. These consist of using the hands, body, face, eyes and space. In order to achieve progress in this class, it is important to become comfortable communicating with your whole body and listening with your eyes.
Prospective students should note that not all colleges and universities have formal policies accepting ASL in fulfillment of the foreign language requirement. That is why we are posting the most comprehensive online list of institutions that accept ASL in fulfillment of GRADUATION requirements. It does NOT address ADMISSION requirements. (The list is maintained from the University of New Mexico's World Language Department and it is updated regularly.) Please note that this is an informal list, and therefore not exhaustive. There may be schools which accept ASL as a foreign language which are not listed. Furthermore, the type of acceptance can vary greatly from school to school. Some institutions have formal policies accepting ASL in fulfillment of the foreign language requirement. Others accept ASL only within certain colleges, divisions, or departments.
Universities That Accept ASL In Fulfillment Of Foreign Language Requirements*
*List updated April 2018
1.Abilene Christian University
2.American University
3.Antioch College (Ohio)
4.Arcadia University
5.Arizona State University
6.Augsburg College (Minneapolis, MN)
7.Augustana University
8.Austin College
9.Bethel College (Indiana)
10.Boston University
11.Bowling Green State University
12.Brandeis University
13.Brigham Young University
14.Brown University
15.Butler University (Indiana)
16.Cabrillo College (California)
17.California State University system: All 23 CSU campuses accept ASL in fulfillment of the foreign language graduation requirement
18.Capital University (Columbus, OH)
19.Catholic University
20.Central Connecticut State University
21.Central Washington University
22.Centralia College
23.Clark University (Worcester, MA)
24.Clemson University
25.College of St. Catherine (MN)
26.College of Southern Idaho
27.College of Staten Island
28.College of St. Rose (Albany, NY)
29.Dallas Baptist University
30.East Central Oklahoma State University
31.Eastern Illinois University
32.Eastern Washington University
33.Elms College (Chicopee MA)
34.The Evergreen College (Washington)
35.Florida A & M University
36.Florida Atlantic University
37.Florida Atlantic University Honors College (Wilkes Honors College)
38.Florida Gulf Coast University
39.Florida International University
40.Florida State University
41.Framingham State University
42.Fresno Pacific University
43.Gardner-Webb University
44.George Mason University
45.Georgetown University
46.Goshen College
47.Holy Cross College (Worcester, MA)
48.Howard University
49.Howard Payne University
50.Illinois State University
51.Indiana University
52.Kent State University
53.Lamar University
54.Linfield College
55.Loyola University
56.Lubbock Christian University
57.MacMurray College (Jacksonville IL)
58.Madonna University
59.Mary Hardin Baylor University
60.Maryville College
61.McDaniel College
62.Messiah College
63.Miami University (Oxford OH)
64.Michigan State University
65.Montclair State University
66.Neumann University (Aston, PA)
67.New College of Florida
68.New Mexico Highlands University
69.New York University (School of Education)
70.National Technical Institute for the Deaf (Rochester, NY)
71.North Greenville University (SC)
72.Northeastern University
73.Northern Arizona University
74.Northern Illinois University
75.Ohio State University
76.Ohio University
77.Oklahoma State University
78.Oregon State University
79.Pacific Lutheran University
80.Portland State University
81.Purdue University
82.Radford University (Radford, VA)
83.Russell Sage College (Troy, NY)
84.Sacramento Community College
85.San Antonio College
86.San Diego State University
87.Saint Francis University
88.Scripps College (Claremont, CA)
89.Southern Connecticut State University
90.Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
91.Southern Methodist University
92.Stanford University
93.SUNY Albany
94.SUNY Brockport
95.SUNY Buffalo
96.SUNY Empire State
97.SUNY Fredonia
98.SUNY Geneseo
99.SUNY Oneonta
100.SUNY Oswego
101.SUNY Plattsburgh
102.SUNY Stony Brook
103.Stephen F. Austin University
104.Tennessee Temple University
105.Texas A&M University - Central Texas
106.Texas A & M University - College Station
107.Texas A & M University - Commerce
108.Texas A & M University - Corpus Christi
109.Texas State University
110.Texas Tech University
111.Texas Wesleyan University
112.Texas Woman's University
113.Truman State University
114.Tufts University
115.University of Akron
116.University of Alaska (Fairbanks)
117.University of Arizona
118.University of Arkansas (Little Rock)
119.University of Buffalo
120.University of Calif. at Berkeley
121.University of Calif. at San Diego
122.University of Calif. at Davis
123.University of California Los Angeles
124.University of Central Florida
125.University of Chicago
126.University of Cincinnati
127.University of Colorado-Boulder
128.University of Connecticut
129.University of Findlay (Ohio)
130.University of Florida
131.University of Georgia (Athens)
132.University of Hawaii (Manoa)
133.University of Iceland
134.University of Illinois-Chicago
135.University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
136.University of Iowa
137.University of Kansas
138.University of Louisville (KY)
139.University of Maryland
140.University of Massachusetts
141.University of Maine at Machias
142.University of Miami
143.University of Michigan
144.University of Minnesota
145.University of Missouri (all campuses)
146.University of Nevada-Reno
147.University of New Hampshire (Durham)
148.University of New Hampshire (Manchester)
149.University of New Mexico
150.University of North Carolina (Asheville)
151.University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill)
152.University of North Carolina (Charlotte)
153.University of North Carolina (Greensboro)
154.University of North Carolina (Wilmington)
155.University of North Florida
156.University of North Texas (Denton)
157.University of Northern Colorado
158.University of Northern Iowa
159.University of Oregon
160.University of Pennsylvania
161.University of Pittsburgh
162.University of Rochester
163.University of San Francisco
164.University of South Florida
165.University of Southern Florida
166.University of Tennessee
167.University of Texas - Austin
168.University of Texas - Pan American
169.University of Texas-San Antonio
170.University of Tulsa
171.University of Utah
172.University of Vermont
173.University of Virginia
174.University of Washington
175.University of West Florida
176.University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
177.University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
178.University of Wyoming
179.Utah State University
180.Utah Valley University
181.Vassar College
182.Virginia Tech
183.Washington State University
184.Weber State University
185.West Virginia University (School of Journalism majors)
186.Western Oregon University
187.Western Washington University
188.William Rainey Harper College (Palatine, IL)
189.William Woods University
190.Wright State University (Ohio)
191.Xavier University (Cincinnati)
192.Xavier University (Louisiana)
193.Yale University
California: All 23 California State University campuses accept ASL in fulfillment of the foreign language graduation requirement
Kentucky: In Kentucky any state college or university that offers ASL must accept it as a modern language credit. When a high school student takes it at the high school level it can satisfy their modern language entrance requirement for any state school.
Maryland: The University System of Maryland (USM) now accepts ASL as a foreign language. This statewide policy will cause Maryland universities and local school boards to adopt similar policies concerning ASL instruction. Montgomery County has been the first to do so.
Washington: Legislation mandates that ASL meets foreign language high school graduation and four-year admission requirements: "Pursuant to any foreign language requirement established by the state board of education or a local school district, or both, for purposes of high school graduation, students who receive instruction in American Sign Language shall be considered to have satisfied the state or local school district foreign language graduation requirement. Minimum admission standards will be established for four-year institutions, including a requirement that coursework in American Sign Language shall satisfy any foreign language requirement the board or the institution may establish as a general undergraduate admissions requirement."