General Information
Contact the Sign Language Interpreting Program at 615-353-3033 or forest.sponseller@nscc.edu
A.S/A.A. Advising Checklist (pdf file)
A.A.S. Advising Checklist (pdf file)
A.S/A.A. Advising Checklist (dot file)
A.A.S. Advising Checklist (dot file)
Overview
Nashville State Community College is the only college throughout Middle and West Tennessee that has a degree in American Sign Language, ASL. This degree will provide individuals seeking fluency in the langauge and familiarity with the Deaf culture with the training necessary to attain it. It will also prepare one to enter a baccalaureate program related to the field of deafness or attain the additional skills to become more marketable to potential employers who encounter the Deaf. Classes are comprised of theory, practice, and critical thinking to allow students to better communicate with the Deaf via a challenging but nurturing classroom environment.
The Associate of Science or Associate of Arts (AA or AS) Degree with an Emphasis in American Sign Language Studies requires 43 hours of general education and 17 hours in ASL studies, totaling 60 hours. This degree is designed for students planning to earn a baccalaureate degree at a four-year college or university. After the year 2012, to become a certified interpreter candidate, students must complete a four year degree. (http://www.rid.org/ntsnews.html) Students who wish to use ASL in their chosen major or field may choose this university parallel degree to meet requirements for the first two years of college. Note: Students should consult a catalog from the transfer college/university of their choice. Throughout the advising and registration process at Nashville State, it is very important that students become familiar with requirements of the transfer program they are pursuing.
Program Goals
It is the intent that graduates of the American Sign Language Degree is to be able to:
Demonstrate expressive and receptive competencies in American Sign Language for entry into a baccalaureate program.
Become familiar with the Deaf culture and various aspects related to the community and population.
Day, Evening, Weekend, and Web-Based Classes
American Sign Language and Interpreting courses are offered on the Nashville campus during the day, evenings, weekends, and on the web. Students who work fulltime may be able to complete the degree at night, weekends and on the web. Courses will soon be offered at off-site locations such as Clarksville and Dickson. Most of the theory based courses will be offered on-line at NSCC.
Transfer Information
Students may choose to use this program as a stepping stone into higher levels of education. If a student plans to transfer, the student should consult his/her advisor for a specialized program of study. Failure to do so could result in a loss of credits in the transfer process. Students should consult a catalog from the transfer college/university of their choice. Throughout the advising and registration process at Nashville State, it is very important that students become familiar with requirements of the transfer program they are pursuing.
Volunteering and Community Involvement in the Sign Language Programs
The ASL programs have a strong emphasis upon community involvement for language development and cultural sensitivity. A typical class will require two event to be attended during the course of a semester. A calendar of events can be found at the following link. http://ww2.nscc.edu/sponseller_f/events.htm
Grading Policy for Sign Language Majors
A grade of C or above must be earned in all Sign Language Interpreting courses prior to graduation. The student must receive a C or above in each SLI course in order to meet prerequisite requirements for subsequent courses.
Faculty & Staff Directory
Note: All Course Requirements and Descriptions are located in the catalog.
Check the current Class Schedule for course availability.
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