Cert in American Sign Language

The American Sign Language certificate gives students a working base for communicating with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people. It suits learners from any field, and especially people whose jobs involve serving customers. Coursework covers Deaf culture, fingerspelling, signed numbers, vocabulary and the grammar structures needed for simple conversation. Students also look at different approaches to ASL and learn to choose suitable signing for varied settings. The certificate can be earned in two semesters and is delivered online. It does not train people to work as interpreters, though graduates may move on to an interpreting program for ASL if they wish to pursue that career. Tuition is charged per credit, and the college lists a separate per-credit rate for fully online courses. Eligible students may also look into the North Star Promise program, which provides free tuition.