American Sign Language (ASL) is a valuable language to learn as an estimated 2 million people speak ASL in the United States and parts of Canada. A minor in ASL from Portland State will help you develop the vocabulary and receptive and expressive skills you'll need to become effective communicators with deaf and hard-of-hearing ASL users.
Gaining proficiency in ASL can prepare you for a variety of fields where sign-language interpretation skills are increasingly in demand, including education, medicine, law, and artistic performances.
PSU's popular ASL program boasts the third-largest enrollment of languages in the World Languages and Literature department.
Our experienced faculty recognize the difficulty in learning a distinct and complex language like ASL and are prepared to assist you every step of the way and provide a wealth of opportunities to practice in a supportive environment.
In your ASL courses, you'll develop fluency in receptive and expressive skills for a variety of settings and contexts, and broaden your understanding of the current attitudes, movements, policies, and trends that affect the Deaf community as a linguistic minority.
Being able to communicate with the Deaf community can open the door to exciting careers in teaching and translation/interpretation. Opportunities abound in government offices, social-service agencies, hospitals, courtrooms, schools, churches, banks, offices, and retailers.
U.S. News & World Report says sign-language interpreters should expect an employment boom, thanks to the popularity of video relay, a service that enables people who are deaf to communicate with interpreters online.