American Sign Language Education Graduate Certificate

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus

Distance Education

Graduate Certificate Type

Add-On

Stand-Alone

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• Applicants can be currently admitted to a degree program at UTK or can apply solely for the ASL Education Certificate through the Graduate Admissions Office.
• Applicants must demonstrate an advanced or higher level on the Sign Language Proficiency Inventory (SLPI) or a 3+ or higher on the American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI).
• Students must be admitted to the certificate program prior to completing six graduate credit hours toward the certificate.

Academic Standards

• Students must maintain a 3.00 graduate grade point average (GPA) once in the program and complete the requirements of the certificate to be awarded the graduate certificate.

Credit Hours Required

• 12-15 graduate credit hours
  • 12 graduate credit hours to meet American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA) requirements.
  • 15 graduate credit hours to add an ASL Education PreK-12 endorsement to an existing TN teaching license.

Required Courses

• ASL 521 - History and Culture of the Deaf
• ASL 522 - Deaf Literature and ASL Folklore
• ASL 535 - Linguistics of American Sign Language

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  Elective Courses:

• ASL 545 - Teaching of American Sign Language: Grades PreK-5

Non-Course Requirements

• For students earning a graduate degree concurrently with the ASL Education graduate certificate, at least three (3) credit hours for the certificate must be earned outside of the requirements of the degree.
• For those students who are concurrently enrolled in a Master’s or doctorate program, the graduate certificate will be awarded the same semester as the degree. Certificates will be awarded at the normal times when degrees are awarded.
• For independent, stand-alone graduate certificates (those when a student is not concurrently enrolled in a Master or doctorate program), the certificate is awarded upon completion of required courses and submission of application for graduation.
• Persons adding the ASL Education PreK-12 endorsement to an existing TN license must complete all required and elective courses, including ASL 521, ASL 422, ASL 435, ASL 455, and ASL 545.