American Sign Language (ASL)

ASL 101 is an introductory course designed to develop a basic syntactic knowledge of American Sign Language, including basic vocabulary and conversational skills using everyday situations as a context for communication. All classes will be conducted in the target language (ASL) to further develop receptive and expressive language development skills. The student will begin with visual readiness activities and then progress through a group of targeted lexical items, taught within meaningful contexts, that stress use of questions, statements, commands, and conversational rules, such as attention-getting and turn-taking. Basic fingerspelling skills will also be stressed. This course is designed to help the emerging signer develop basic skills and knowledge in American Sign Language and Deaf culture. This is a five-credit course intended for true beginners in the language with no, or very limited, exposure to ASL.

ASL 102 is the second term of the first course in American Sign Language (ASL). It is designed to further develop a basic syntactic knowledge of ASL, grammatical structures and conversational skills in American Sign Language using everyday situations as a context for communication. This course also introduces culture and communication/language issues within the Deaf Community. Total language immersion is used to enhance the learning process. All classes will be conducted in the target language (ASL) to further develop receptive and expressive skills - there will be NO use of spoken language allowed in the classroom.

The one credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps transition to UB through an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 198 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.

The three credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps students with common learning outcomes focused on fundamental expectations for critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and oral communication, and learning at a university, all within topic focused subject matter. The Seminars provide students with an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 199 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.

ASL 203 builds on skills learned in American Sign Language (ASL) 102, adding more complex ASL grammatical features and vocabulary, short stories, narratives, dialogues and elementary ASL literature. The course will include description of general surroundings, appropriate sequencing, temporal aspects, and conditionals. Students will increase fluency and accuracy in finger spelling and numbers. Information about the Deaf Community and Deaf Culture will be incorporated. Total language immersion is used to enhance the learning process. All classes will be conducted in the target language ( ASL) to further develop receptive and expressive skills- there will be NO use of spoken language allowed in the class room.

ASL 204 builds on skills learned in American Sign Language (ASL) 203, adding more complex ASL grammatical features and vocabulary, short stories, narratives, dialogues and elementary ASL literature. The course will include description of general surroundings, appropriate sequencing, temporal aspects and conditionals. Students will increase fluency and accuracy in fingerspelling and numbers. Information about the Deaf Community and Deaf Culture will be incorporated. Total language immersion is used to enhance the learning process. All classes will be conducted in the target language (ASL) to further develop receptive and expressive skills there will be NO use of spoken language allowed in the classroom

This course introduces students to the history, culture, and language of Deaf people at the national and international levels. Using an interdisciplinary approach, topics such as audism, education, literature and arts, politics, technology, biomedical ethics, and social justice will be addressed. This course will be conducted in American Sign Language (ASL) with voice interpretation.

This course is designed to introduce students to the main structural features of American Sign Language (ASL) such as phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. The linguistics of ASL and spoken languages will be compared. Additional topics will include the definitions of language and linguistics, variation and historical change, discourse, bilingualism and language contact, and language as art. Research articles pertaining to ASL and other signed languages in the world will be read and criticized. This course is designed for the students who are already proficient in ASL.