Penn Language Center

Contact:  Jami Fisher, ASL Program Coordinator  jami@sas.upenn.edu

Introduction:

American Sign Language (ASL) is used by deaf communities throughout the United States and parts of Canada.  It is a naturally formed, complex language that relies on manual and facial expressions.  ASL, like other signed languages from around the world, uses expressive properties to produce language in three dimensions. The unique nature of signed language and of its development within deaf communities gives remarkable potential for insight into how human beings are equipped to access, form, and develop languages naturally.

ASL Program Mission and Courses:

The mission of the American Sign Language (ASL) Program is to provide ASL and deaf cultural learning opportunities to members of the Penn community and beyond. 

Students may take a host of courses in ASL.  The first four courses in the sequence (LING 071-074) satisfy world language requirement.  Students may take advanced ASL courses to work toward an ASL Certificate and/or the American Sign Language/Deaf Studies minor.  Course descriptions and requirements are listed below.  ASL Minor requirements are listed in the Department of Linguistics Undergraduate Minor in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies webpage.

Course Offerings in American Sign Language at Penn (offered through Penn Language Center):

• LING 071—Introduction to ASL, Part I
• LING 072—Introduction to ASL, Part II
• LING073—Intermediate ASL, Part I
• LING074—Intermediate ASL, part II

Advanced Courses:

• LING075—Advanced ASL (every other Fall)
• LING 076—Deaf Literature, Performance, Art, and Film (every other Fall)
• LING 077—Academically Based Community Service in ASL/Deaf Studies
• LING 078—Deaf Culture (satisfies the Cultural Diversity in the U.S. requirement)
• LING 092—American Sign Language for Medical Professionals (cannot be used to satisfy the world language requirement)

Penn ASL Student Group

The ASL Program also works in collaboration with the SAC-approved, student-run group, Penn-In-Hand.  This group hosts many ASL activities including “silent” dinners/meetings, discussion groups, and other gatherings.  To find out more information, see their webpage: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/penninhandasl 

For more information, please contact Jami Fisher, ASL Program Coordinator in the Department of Linguistics: jami@sas.upenn.edu