Deaf Studies
Associate of Arts
The Deaf Studies degree will prepare students for transfer to a bachelor's program/degree in Deaf Studies or a related academic field. Courses 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 which govern interpreting.
Salary: $36,180–$75,100 / year (Nevada)
Career Outlook: Faster than average growth
Good To Know: Interpreters may be paid by the day, often by the courts, schools or health care facilities. New laws may require more interpreters.
WNC Academic Division: Communications and Fine Arts
Total Requirements: 60 Units (Credits)
| Program Requirements | 24 Units (Credits) | |
|---|---|---|
| AM 145 | American Sign Language I | 4 |
| AM 146 | American Sign Language II | 4 |
| AM 147 | American Sign Language III | 4 |
| AM 148 | American Sign Language IV | 4 |
| AM 151 | Fingerspelling I | 1 |
| AM 152 | Fingerspelling II | 1 |
| AM 153 | Deaf Culture | 3 |
| AM 154 | Deaf History | 3 |
| General Education Requirements | 36 Units (Credits) | |
|
English/Communications Requirements |
6 | |
|
Fine Arts Requirement Recommended: THTR 105 |
3 | |
| Humanities Requirement | 6 | |
|
Mathematics Requirement MATH 120 or higher |
3 | |
| Science Requirement | 6 | |
| Social Sciences Requirement | 9 | |
| U.S. and Nevada Constitution Requirements | 3 | |
| A list of all courses filling general education requirements for the Associate of Arts can be found on the Associate of Arts page. | ||
Suggested Course Sequence
1st Year
First Semester: 16 Credits
- AM 145: 4
- General Education Courses: 12
Second Semester: 16 Credits
2nd Year
Third Semester: 14 Credits
Fourth Semester: 14 Credits
Mission and Outcomes
Mission: The mission of the Western Nevada College Deaf Studies AA Degree Program is to provide quality education to students, developing their comprehensive expressive/receptive skills in American Sign Language, fingerspelling 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 Arts program, 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
- Produce basic expressive/receptive signing of personal heredity and cultural traditions
- Produce basic expressive/receptive signing of biographic and autobiographic events
- Produce basic expressive/receptive signing of number systems - functional & abstract
- Produce basic expressive/receptive signing of major life activities and special occasions
- Demonstrate knowledge of linguistic, cultural, educational and social aspects of people who are deaf or hard of hearing
- Demonstrate basic knowledge of historical, political, audiological, educational and linguistic 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 fingerspelling in ASL
Download the Student Learning Outcomes/Course Matrix [ PDF / 203 KB ]