The American Sign Language Studies Program offers an array of courses to prepare students to work with the Deaf community.  Students completing this program will have a deeper understanding of American Sign Language (ASL), Linguistics, Deaf History, Deaf Literature and Deaf Culture with an emphasis on the rich language and cultural diversity of the Deaf community as well as the social justice issues impacting their lives.

Several objectives will be covered during the program, such as Deaf culture, Deaf folklore, and Deaf literature, and the relationship between the signing community and the non-signing community. This program also covers linguistic components with several course offerings in ASL as well as specialized skill areas of ASL, such as a focus on grammatical structure and an overview of linguistic components.

Professions that find this program an enhancement to their work include (but are not limited to): interpreting, health care, criminal justice, education, exceptional education, psychology, social work and more.   Many of the courses offered through this program also satisfy certain GER requirements for the general student population such as foreign language (ASL I-IV) and cultural diversity (Deaf Culture or Deaf History).   All students start with ASL I however if a student has previous experience with the language, they may be placed into higher classes by taking the American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI)  and may be eligible for retroactive credits if they meet all requirements.  

Requirements

General Education Requirements (GERs)

UW-Milwaukee has General Education Requirements that must be met in order to earn a bachelor’s degree. Some of the requirements of your program may fulfill the campus GERs. Please review the requirements and consult with your academic advisor.  

Program Admission Requirements

Program Core

Additional Requirements for Graduation

• Minimum grade of C or better in all professional coursework.
• At least 30 program credits must be earned in residence at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, following admission to the program.
• Completion of a minimum 120 degree credits.

Advance to Major

Program Admission Requirements

• GER: OWC-A: Completion of Oral-Written Communication part A competency.
• GER: QL-A: Completion of Quantitative Literacy part A competency.
• Completion of COMMUN 101 or COMMUN 103 , with a grade of C or better.
• Completion of ASL GER requirements.
• Maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA.

Undergraduate Advising

Our purpose is to provide collaborative, mentoring relationships which promote educational, career, and professional development. We value a student-centered, holistic, and ethical approach to advising based on strong partnerships with students, faculty and staff, and the larger campus community. We are committed to creating a respectful and supportive environment. We encourage students to be self-reliant through informed decisions and choices based upon dissemination of accurate information. We value our own continuous professional development to enhance the quality of the advising experience.

How to Prepare for an Advising Meeting

• Review your Advisement Report in PAWS.
• Come prepared with questions or topics for discussion.
• Make a list of courses you think you should take.
• Investigate opportunities to prepare for the job you want.
• Keep a record of your academic progress.
• Understand you are ultimately responsible for creating your educational, life, and career plans.
• Maintain honest and open communication with your advisor.
• Take responsibility for choices you make as a student and member of the UW-Milwaukee community.

Scheduling an Appointment

Office of Student Services
Enderis Hall, Room 209
(414) 229-4721
soeinfo@uwm.edu

Graduate Advising

If you are a School of Education graduate student, you may schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor by contacting your faculty advisor directly. Faculty contact information can be found in the Directory. Your faculty advisor will be listed in your PAWS account. 

College of Community Engagement and Professions Dean's Honor List

GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.

Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction

Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.

Commencement Honors

Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).

Final Honors

Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.