American Sign Language and Human Services, BS

Website

Lori Whynot, PhD, CI, CT, SC: L, CoreCHI, NAATI
Professor and Director, American Sign Language and Interpreting Education Program
L.whynot@northeastern.edu

617.373.8425
857.366.4204 (Videophone)

American Sign Language (ASL) is estimated to be the third most used language in the United States and its visibility in society is on the rise in recent years. There are roughly 500,00 to 2,000,000 Deaf, DeafBlind, or hard of hearing people in the United States who use ASL as their primary language, and a large number of non-Deaf signers use or learn ASL as a second language. A disproportionate percentage of Deaf people experience socioeconomic disadvantage due to their dual status as members of both a cultural linguistic minority group and a disability group. As a result, there is a broad societal misunderstanding of Deaf, signing people’s minority language and culture—their lived experience—which creates barriers to educational and economic opportunity. While state and federal legislation enables improved civic engagement by Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind individuals, there is continued need to elevate quality of life, equity, and the rich contributions of the diverse members of the American Deaf communities.

The Bachelor of Science in American Sign Language and Human Services is an integrated program of study dedicated to preparing individuals to interact in a positive and supportive manner with members of the American Deaf Community. The curriculum is designed to assist students in acquiring competence in ASL, developing an understanding of the diverse American Deaf communities and Deaf culture, and applying linguistic and sociocultural skills and knowledge to the discipline of human services, in order to contribute to civic engagement and social justice for Deaf people.  

The combined major offers a wide array of courses as well as volunteer, internship, and practicum opportunities to learn from Deaf people's lived experiences through community and industry connections. The program  provides opportunities that will allow students an opportunity to acquire the linguistic, cognitive, and ethical decision-making skills as well as the sociocultural knowledge necessary to work in Deaf Community, sign-language-related disciplines. Students pursuing a combined major in human services integrate their foundation in ASL and the Deaf Community with human service organizations. 

---

• Concentrations and course offerings may vary by campus and/or by program modality.  Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for the course availability each term at your campus or within your program modality. 
• Certain options within the program may be required at certain campuses or for certain program modalities.  Please consult with your advisor or admissions coach for requirements at your campus or for your program modality. 

---

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

Universitywide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

American Sign Language Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
American Sign Language
AMSL 1101	Elementary ASL 1	4
AMSL 1102	Elementary ASL 2	4
AMSL 2101	Intermediate ASL 1	4
AMSL 2102	Intermediate ASL 2	4
AMSL 3101	Advanced ASL 1	4
AMSL 3102	Advanced ASL 2	4
Social and Cultural World
DEAF 1500	Deaf People in Society	4
DEAF 2500	Deaf History and Culture	4
Linguistics
LING 1150	Introduction to Language and Linguistics	4
DEAF 2700	ASL Linguistics	4
Performance Interpreting
INTP 3500	The Interpreting Profession	2
Interpreting
INTP 3510	Interpreting Inquiry Texts	4

Human Services Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Human Services
HUSV 1101	Social Change and Human Services	4
HUSV 2300	Counseling in Human Services	4
HUSV 2970	Research Methods for Human Services	4
HUSV 3570	The Nonprofit Sector, Philanthropy, and Social Change	4
HUSV 3900	Social Policy	4
HUSV 4700	Senior Seminar in Human Services	4
Human Services Electives
Complete two courses in the HUSV subject area.		8

Integrative Requirement 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
INTP 4940	Interpreting Research Capstone	4
HUSV 4994	Human Services Internship	6

Combined Major GPA Requirement

Minimum 2.750 GPA required in all ASL courses

Minimum 2.500 overall GPA required

Combined Major Credit Requirement

Complete 88 semester hours in the major.

Experiential Liberal Arts

All students in this College of Social Sciences and Humanities program are required to complete the Experiential Liberal Arts Requirement.

Program Requirements

128 total semester hours required

Four Years, No Co-op

Year 1
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer 1	Hours	Summer 2	Hours
AMSL 1101	4	AMSL 1102	4	Vacation		Vacation
DEAF 1500	4	MATH 1215	4
HUSV 1101	4	HSVC elective	4
ENGW 1111	4	Elective	4
	16		16		0		0
Year 2
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer 1	Hours	Summer 2	Hours
AMSL 2101	4	AMSL 2102	4	Vacation		Vacation
LING 1150	4	DEAF 2700	4
Elective	4	HUSV 2300	4
INTP 3500	2	Elective	4
	14		16		0		0
Year 3
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer 1	Hours	Summer 2	Hours
DEAF 2500	4	HUSV 2970	4	Vacation		Vacation
INTP 3510	4	Elective	4
AMSL 3101	4	ENGW 3315	4
HSVC elective	4	AMSL 3102	4
	16		16		0		0
Year 4
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
HUSV 3900	4	HUSV 4700	4
HUSV 4994	6	INTP 4940	4
Elective	4	Elective	4
Elective	4	Elective	4
	18		16
Total Hours: 128