B.A. in Deaf Studies for Online Degree Completion Program

This course covers areas of vocabulary, semantics, grammar and organization of ASL and English. Students look at the linguistic aspects of both languages and compare the two. The class also covers word classes and sentence structure of both languages. To assist students in understanding the structure of both languages, discussion of how languages work is included.

This is an introductory survey to the field of Deaf Studies that highlights cutting edge concepts and theories at use in this field. The course will show how deaf people and sign languages are integral aspects of human diversity and how societies have responded to this diversity across different social, temporal, and cultural moments and movements.

This course investigates how culture shapes the way people see the world. Students will explore cultural readings and examine various texts around us to understand how culture, identity and history frame experiences. Traditional courses in cultural studies assume that the meanings in this world are central in creating us -- individually and collectively. Students will examine how culture transmits a view of the world and power through critical analysis.

This course will begin with developing an understanding of the concept of 'culture' and then will focus on the complexities and varieties of Deaf cultural experiences. Students will be asked to engage course materials through multi-disciplinary approaches in order to gain a critical appreciation of Deaf lives within historical, political and global contexts.

This course examines various forms of oppression by looking across different cultures and communities, then examines possible parallels occurring within the deaf community.

The dynamics of oral cultures and their traditions will be introduced in this course by studying the development of oral literature and literary artists in other cultures. Then using this as background, attempts will be made to study ASL literary tradition by looking at life histories, narratives, and poetry performances.

This course will introduce students to the field of Disability Studies. As an emerging interdisciplinary field of study, Disability Studies does not approach disability as a ''medical condition, but as a human condition'' (Charlton). Instead of studying the causes and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities, we will explore the historical, social, political, religious, philosophical, and cultural influences that ''construct'' the category of ''disability.'' We will also examine how persons with disabilities construct their own meanings and identities.

This course primarily examines black deaf people in America including the Caribbean Islands and Africa. The course is organized to focus on the history, education, community and culture, language, and psychosocial forces that influence black deaf people's experience. It will concentrate on the social, political, and cultural development of a unique group of people that is a part of the general deaf community and the black community.

This course will explore how the field of women's studies came into being by way of the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention. Issues faced by both hearing and deaf women will be investigated: career, educational opportunities, reproduction, and patriarchy, among others.

This course will focus on cultural issues, values, behaviors, identities and language of Deaf people from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds. Students will examine autobiographies, documentaries, films, videos, and academic literature to help understand the contributions and historical development of the emerging majority of the Deaf community that is underrepresented in the United States and the world. Course may be repeated as topics change.

This course will introduce students to several research methodologies, particularly ethnographic and historical, that are commonly used by Deaf Studies scholars. Students will begin their Senior Thesis projects in this course by producing a proposal and an annotated bibliography and completing an IRB Application if applicable. These projects will be continued to DST498 in the following semester.

This course is an extension of DST 497 (Senior Thesis I) where the majors have begun preliminary research steps towards their Senior Thesis. The preliminary steps include a Proposal, an Annotated Bibliography and an IRB application where applicable. In this course, the students will begin data collection and analysis to create a final research product.

An examination of the people and the historical processes that brought together deaf individuals to form a cohesive community in the United States.

An introduction to the major features of languages and to the structure, use, and variation in the sign languages and sign systems commonly used in the United States. The course will cover four major topics: (1) Language: The nature and definition of languages, the uniqueness of language, and contrasts between language and other forms of communication; (2) Language and Culture: The role of language in human society, with special focus on language acquisition, language identity, and bilingualism; (3) American Sign Language Structure: A survey of the major features of the linguistic structure of ASL. Topics are: Phonology: the structure of the physical signals; Morphology: the basic structure and composition of meaningful units of ASL; Syntax: word order and nonmanual syntactic signals in ASL sentences; (4) Language Variation: Language variation and language contact in the deaf community, including discussions of contact varieties of signing and systems for representing English.

This course provides an introductory overview of the major linguistic structures of American Sign Language. Major topics are: phonology, morphology, syntax, language use, and linguistic applications. Some comparisons with English and other spoken and signed languages will be examined.