Chair

Dr. Daniel Roush
(859) 622-4966
Wallace 216

Faculty

B. Bowen, N. Hill, R. Kreutzer, E. Rhoden, D. Roush, T. Stevens, and K. Stinnett.

American Sign Language (ASL) is the indigenous language of culturally-Deaf people used throughout most of North America. Over the last 50 years, linguists have established that ASL is a complete, natural language that has a grammar, lexicon, and semantics that are fundamentally different than spoken English or other signed languages used in other areas of the world. ASL’s indigenous roots stem from the intermixing of Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language, Indian Sign Language, and Parisian French Sign Language when Deaf people came together to form the first school for the Deaf in America, established over 200 years ago. ASL signers from the Deaf community consider themselves to be members of a linguistic minority and their shared visual language is the heart of their unique visual culture.

Developing fluency in ASL as a second language is a considerable challenge and takes years of language immersion and education. To support students in this effort, we offer a full B.S. degree in ASL & English Interpretation and a minor in ASL Studies.

ASL & English Interpretation B.S. 

The goal of the Interpretation B.S. program is to prepare students to become professional interpreters who are language mediators between people who do not share the same language (between ASL signers and English speakers). Interpreters must remain neutral and do not advocate for the ASL community nor express their own thoughts while performing their duties. This program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education.

All students who are accepted by EKU’s Admissions Office and declare their major as ASL and English Interpretation are admitted as “pre- ASL and English Interpretation” majors. However, admission to the University as a “pre-ASL and English Interpretation” major does not guarantee admission to the ASL and English Interpretation program (ITP). Specific admission criteria for the full ITP program are listed under the Admissions Tab within the catalog.

ASL Studies minor

The goal of the ASL Studies minor is to prepare students to communicate directly in ASL in their area of focused service and advocacy.  They are not interpreters, but are highly bilingual and can communicate their own spontaneous thoughts in ASL. Examples of careers where bilingual skills are invaluable include: child development, education, vocational rehabilitation, social work, legal, mental health, medical, recreation, non-profit organizations, tourism, and hospitality, etc.

Transfers from Other Colleges and Universities

Only the freshman and sophomore-level core courses [i.e. courses in ASL (ASL 101 American Sign Language I, ASL 102 American Sign Language II, ASL 201 American Sign Language III, and ASL 202 American Sign Language IV, ASL 225 Introduction to Deaf Studies), and interpreting (ITP 215 Prof. Issues in Interpreting, ITP 220 Processing Skills for Interpreters) with the exception of ASL 205 ASL Discourse & Depiction III] may be transferred from other colleges to satisfy requirements for the ITP major or ASL minor within the Department of ASL and Interpreter Education. Courses for which credit is to be transferred must be essentially equivalent to the courses offered at Eastern Kentucky University. For transfer students seeking full admission to the ASL and English Interpretation program ITP, requests to waive ASL 105 ASL Discourse & Depiction I and ASL 106 ASL Discourse & Depiction II may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Bachelor’s

Minor

Courses