Frequently Asked Questions

To take an ASL course, students must have adequate English reading and writing skills. The ASL courses are open to anyone who is eligible to take ENGL 1100 or higher. This eligibility is determined by taking the Columbus State Community College Placement Test. (For more information visit Placement Testing). If you are starting at Beginning ASL I (ASL 1101) you do NOT need to take an ASL placement Test.
 
Or, if you have successfully completed a Beginning Composition course at another college, have your transcript sent to CSCC to see if it meets the requirement. 

No, students do not have to be an “Interpreting Major” to take ASL classes. Anyone who meets the requirement in #1 above can register for ASL courses.

We offer Beginning ASL (IEP 1101), Beginning ASL II (IEP 1102), Intermediate ASL I (IEP 1103), Intermediate ASL II (1104) and Advanced ASL I (IEP 1105) .  All courses are offered every semester.

ASL 1101, 1102 and 1103 courses are three credit hours. ASL 1104 and 1105 are two credit hours.

ASL courses meet for four hours each week - usually 2 hours  twice a week in autumn and spring semesters which are 16 weeks long.

During the summer semester, classes meet 2 hours and 40 minutes twice a week.

On CSCC's home page, go to Programs & Courses, then to Course Description & Schedules. Select the semester you are interested in, and on the next page select IEP in the drop box to find the specific course.

Be sure that you are ready to register prior to the first day of registration.  Our courses fill VERY quickly (sometimes within 20 minutes!), so be ready to register as soon as registration begins. Watch the CSCC home page for registration dates or check the Academic Calendar. You may register on Cougarweb, by phone 614-287-5353, or in person at Student Central ora Regional Learning Center.

Here are some reasons why students have problems registering:

• You have not applied to the college and/or sent in transcripts- contact Records and Registration
• Not knowing pertinent information: Know your Cougar ID number, and be familiar with the process of using your CougarWeb account - contact the Help Desk for assistance (614.287.5050)
• Perhaps you have an outstanding fine - a parking ticket, or overdue library  material - check the Cashier's Office
• Check to see that you have met the prerequisites and corequisites for the course you are trying to register for - check the course description for each course
• Be sure that your transcripts have been processed so that the CSCC computer knows you are eligible for the course you want to register for - contact Records and Registration
• Perhaps there is a financial aid restriction on your account - contact the Financial Aid Office
• Check that you are not on academic probation - contact Records and Registration
• Be sure the computer sees from your Placement Testing score that you have placed into ENGL 1100 or have already completed an equivalent English course - contact Records and Registration

Yes, these courses fulfill your foreign language credit here at CSCC. If you plan to transfer the credits to another college / university, be sure to check with them to confirm their transferability.

ASL courses at CSCC are conducted mainly in the target language of ASL. This helps prepare students for the visual / gestural mode of ASL. It is very important that students be present in class - excessive absences will not help a student learn the language.  Many students say that learning ASL is the most challenging, and exciting thing they have ever done. It's not like taking a history class where you might memorize information and then write a paper about it. Students must be actively engaged in EVERY aspect of learning, EVERY day, and work hard to learn vocabulary, a unique grammatical structure that is very different than English, and be open to experiencing a different set of cultural norms and values. Learning any new language requires additional practices outside of class time.

Yes, we offer an ASL Proficiency Exam. The ASL Proficiency Exam is designed for people who have moderate to advanced skills using ASL. This skill may be from interacting with a family member who uses ASL (NOT Sign English/ NOT signing and talking at the same time), or someone who has taken a course in ASL in high school or college. You should have a good command of signs, cultural knowledge, and ASL grammar.  Community ASL classes, offered at a church, library or worksite, will not be advanced enough for you to take the ASL Proficiency Exam. You will receive Proficiency credit if you test into a higher level course. If you are not sure if the ASL Proficiency Exam is appropriate for you, contact the Interpreter Education coordinators, Dr. Royce Carpenter and Assitant Professor Sara Yurkovic at InterpreterEducation@cscc.edu. 

Yes, all students with formal classroom credit from either a high school or college must take the ASL Proficiency Exam.  Some colleges/university have Transfer Assurance Guides (TAG) credit and are tranferable but that does not guarantee success in the next level ASL class.  A Proficiency test is still HIGHLY recommended to ensure you are placed in the appropriate class for your skill level and for your success. For more information contact the Interpreter Education Program coordinators, Dr. Royce Carpenter and Assitant Professor Sara Yurkovic at InterpreterEducation@cscc.edu. 

If you feel that the ASL Proficiency Exam is appropriate for you to take, contact the Interpreter Education Program coordinators, Dr. Royce Carpenter and Assitant Professor Sara Yurkovic at InterpreterEducation@cscc.edu.  to set up an appointment to take the exam.
 
To take the exam, you must be admitted to the CSCC, have a Cougar ID number, and have sent in your transcripts (if applicable). If you have ever taken a class at CSCC, you most likely are still considered a student at the college. If you have not been admitted to the College, please see the admissions process on the CSCC website at www.cscc.edu. You must have your Cougar ID number with you on the day of the test. If you have already been admitted to CSCC but don’t know your Cougar ID number, please contact the Registrar’s Office. You can find their contact number on the CSCC website.
 
Once you have your Cougar ID number, contact the Interpreter Education coordinators, Dr. Royce Carpenter and Assitant Professor Sara Yurkovic at InterpreterEducation@cscc.edu and establish a day and time to take the test. Finally, after the test, go to the Cashier’s Office in Rhodes Hall and pay $50.00 for a “proficiency test”. You must send the receipt to Dr. Royce Carpenter and Assistant Professor Sara Yurkovic if you place above ASL 1101 at InterpreterEducation@cscc.edu.
 
During the ASL Proficiency Exam you will be asked to review some ASL grammar, review English sentences and then sign them using grammatically correct ASL. You may also be asked to have a conversation in ASL. The test takes approximately 30 minutes.
 
There is really no way to study for the exam. We want to see your general knowledge and skill of ASL at the time you take the exam.
 
Remember, you must have your Cougar ID number. Please remember to bring your Cougar ID number and be prepared to pay the “proficiency test” fee after the exam.

If you have any questions about the ASL Proficiency Exam, contact the Interpreter Education coordinators, Dr. Royce Carpenter and Assitant Professor Sara Yurkovic at InterpreterEducation@cscc.edu. 

The Deaf Studies Certificate was created for people who want to learn how to communicate with Deaf people who use ASL. The certificate also introduces you to the culture of the Deaf community. People who are interested in the Deaf Studies Certificate may want to learn ASL because they work with Deaf people, or have Deaf friends or family members. Some people who work as nurses, teachers, police officers, etc. want to learn ASL to communicate with Deaf people they may meet in their jobs. The Deaf Studies Certificate is NOT an interpreting certificate.

Here is a schedule of the courses one must successfully complete to receive the ASL / Deaf Studies Certificate:
 
IEP 1100    Introduction to the Deaf Community (2 credit hrs)

IEP 1101    Beginning ASL I (3 credit hrs)  Pre-req: Placement into ENGL 1100)
  
IEP 1102    Beginning ASL II (3 credit hrs)    Pre-req: IEP 1101

IEP 1103   Intermediate ASL I (3 credit hrs)

IEP 1104   Intermediate ASL II (2 credit hrs)

IEP 1150    Linguistics of ASL & English  (2 credit hrs)  Co-req: IEP 1102

IEP             Special Topics (Varies)
  

To receive the Deaf Studies Certificate form contact Dr. Royce Carpenter and Assistant Professor Sara Yurovic at InterpreterEducation@cscc.edu and return the forn to the same email. We will confirm the completion of your coursework and process your request. You should receive your certificate in the mail in 4-6 weeks.

Absolutely NOT! The coursework of the Deaf Studies Certificate does not prepare you to work as an interpreter.