This program will help students develop knowledge about American Sign Language, cultural impacts related to being deaf or hard of hearing and the state of Nevada statutory regulations that govern interpreting. Students will prepare for a variety of careers including teaching, social work, psychology, speech and language pathology or any career that interacts with the deaf.

Please see the Associate of Applied Science page for a list of all courses filling general education requirements.

Mission

The mission of the Western Nevada College Deaf Studies Associate of Applied Science Degree Program is to provide a quality education to students, thus developing their comprehensive expressive/receptive skills in American Sign Language, finger-spelling fluency and knowledge of the history and culture of people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Students are provided a strong foundation in which to enter numerous high-demand professional fields that provide services to deaf or hard-of-hearing people.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the Deaf Studies Associate of Applied Science degree, students will be able to:

  • Produce basic expressive/receptive sign language communicative skills.
  • Demonstrate appropriate ASL linguistic and grammatical structure in signing.
  • Demonstrate functional language aptitude in American Sign Language including expressive/receptive signing.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of linguistic, cultural, educational and social aspects of linguistic aspects in relation to the history of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
  • Demonstrate basic fluency in receptive and expressive pragmatics and production of finger-spelling in ASL.

 

Required Courses


Course Title Units
Total Requirements 60 Units
Program Requirements 36 Units
AM 140* American Sign Language I & II 6
AM 141** American Sign Language III & IV 6
AM 149 American Sign Language V 4
AM 150 American Sign Language VI 4
AM 151 Fingerspelling I 1
AM 152 Fingerspelling II 1
AM 215 Conversational ASL 4
AM 216 Receptive ASL 4
AM 253 Deaf Culture 3
AM 254 Deaf History 3
General Education Requirements 24 Units
English/Communications Requirements:
Must include a writing course
6
Human Relations Requirement 3
Humanities/Social Science Requirement 3
Mathematics Requirement 3
Science Requirement 3
U.S. and Nevada Constitution Requirement 3
General Elective: Recommend: Theatre 105 3
*Students can take AM 145 (4 units) and AM 146 (4 units) in lieu of AM 140 (6 units).
**Students can take AM 147 (4 units) and AM 148 (4 units) in lieu of AM 141 (6 units).

Suggested Course Sequence


DEAF STUDIES - Associate of Applied Science
First Semester Units Third Semester Units
AM 140* 6 AM 149 4
AM 151 1 AM 216 4
AM 254 3 Mathematics 3
English/Communication 3 U.S./NV Constitution 3
Human Relations 3    
Second Semester Units Fourth Semester Units
AM 141** 6 AM 150 4
AM 152 1 AM 215 4
AM 253 3 General Elective
(THTR 105 Recommended)
3
English/Communication 3 Science 3
Humanities/Social Science 3