Welcome to the American Sign Language (ASL) Program, housed in the Humanities Council’s Program in Linguistics!
ASL is the primary sign language in the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world. Students who learn sign language for the first time not only acquire a new language but also a completely new way of communicating—through hands, facial expression, body movement, and spatialization. They also encounter a new culture with a rich history, literature, and traditions: Deaf culture. Indeed, learning ASL and Deaf culture broadens one’s understanding of what language can do and the diversity of human abilities.
Our program offers introductory ASL courses (ASL 101, 102, 105, and 107), which may be used to fulfill the University’s language requirement. We also offer advanced ASL and Deaf studies courses for students who have completed or been placed above ASL 107. Additionally, we offer courses on ASL and Deaf culture that are open to all students, including those who have no ASL knowledge.
One of our ultimate goals is to be not just a program but a community where students, faculty, staff, and members of the Deaf community learn and appreciate together what ASL and Deaf culture have to offer our society. As part of this goal, we partner with the student-run ASL club, the Princeton Center for Language Study, the Program in Community Engagement (ProCES), and other programs to host ASL tables in Residential College dining halls, ASL social events, field trips, volunteer opportunities at Deaf schools, public lectures on ASL and Deaf culture, ASL immersion retreats, and much more.
Read more about the ASL program on the pages below:
- Meet our ASL faculty
- Explore ASL courses
- Learn about the ASL program objectives
- Get involved in ASL activities
We look forward to connecting with you!
