Activities and Events

Due to the longevity of the Kent State Florence program and the reputation that Kent State has in Florence, our program offers unparalleled access to opportunities in the city including:

  • Lecture series
  • Cultural events
  • Cultural activities
  • Academic field trips

Orientation

You will participate in an on-site orientation designed to help you make the most of your experience. Orientation includes walking tours, safety information, health and wellness resources and more!

Travel Information

You can choose to travel to Florence with a group of Kent State Florence students and a group flight leader.  The group flight is coordinated by a local travel agent who handles all the logistics and is on-call during the students’ travel day.   

Most students studying in Florence for a full semester will be required to apply for a visa.  The Kent State Florence program is able to provide guidance through this process and also offers group processing for students committed to the program. 

Orientation Information

Before departure, you can choose to join in on our Flashes to Florentines pre-departure series where you have the opportunity to learn what it’s like to live like a Florentine in the heart of the city center, practice conversational Italian language, and learn about important resources for health and wellness – including coping with culture shock. 

Before you leave and upon your arrival in Florence, you'll participate in an orientation designed to help you make the most out of your study abroad experience.  In orientation, your goals will be to... 

Housing Information

Kent State University arranges housing accommodations on behalf of students prior to their arrival in Florence.  Students stay in apartments throughout the heart of Florence.  Apartments are fully furnished with bed linens, a kitchen, washing machine, tv, and wifi.  Apartments are shared with two to eight other students in the program, gender-inclusive housing is available, and it is possible to submit a roommate request. 

Kent State Student Featured in Upcoming WWII Docuseries

WWII soldiers in a B-26 Marauder

A compelling three-episode docuseries, titled "Marauder Men: In Their Own Words," is set to premiere on PBS Western Reserve channels WNEO 45.1 and WEAO 49.1 starting at 7 p.m. on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. This PBS series, produced by Uniontown resident Steve Mitchell, features Kent State University student Chris Billings, as the on-air host. In the series, Billings wears authentic uniforms reminiscent of the young pilots who flew during World War II. See photos of Billings in uniform from this feature on the docuseries in the Canton Repository.   At the heart of this new loca...

American Sign Language (ASL) Degree – B.A.

Ready to explore a captivating new language and culture? Look no further than the American Sign Language bachelor's degree program. With an innovative curriculum and endless opportunities to connect with a vibrant community, your journey toward fluency starts today.

Program Information for American Sign Language (ASL) Degree – B.A.

Program Description

Full Description

The Bachelor of Arts degree in American Sign Language presents American Sign Language as a culture- and community-based language that interacts with other world languages. Through techniques — including immersion and bilingual-bicultural comparison classes, community interaction, research, lab activities and use of digital video technology — students gain documented proficiency in American Sign Language, validity within the deaf community and networking within the professional community.

Admissions for American Sign Language (ASL) Degree – B.A.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of proficiency of the English language (unless they meet specific exceptions) through the submission of an English language proficiency test score or by completing English language classes at Kent State’s English as a Second Language Center before entering their program. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students who have not attended another institution since Kent State and were not academically dismissed will complete the re-enrollment process through the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center. Former students who attended another college or university since leaving Kent State must apply for admissions as a transfer or post-undergraduate student.

Transfer Students: Students who attended an educational institution after graduating from high school or earning their GED must apply as transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog's Academic Policies.

Students may be required to meet certain criteria to progress in their program. Any progression requirements will be listed on the program's Coursework tab

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Participate in informal conversations with other speakers of American Sign Language.
  2. Engage in some formal conversations in American Sign Language in workplace settings.
  3. Watch films, plays and other multimedia presentations in American Sign Language with minimal need to use closed captions.
  4. Interact in American Sign Language in culturally appropriate ways.

Coursework

On This Page

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
ASL 19201ELEMENTARY AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I 14
ASL 19202ELEMENTARY AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II 14
ASL 29201INTERMEDIATE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I 13
ASL 29202INTERMEDIATE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II 13
ASL 39201ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE: NARRATIVE AND STORYTELLING 3
ASL 39202ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE: PRACTICAL COMMUNICATION 3
ASL 39223SOCIOLINGUISTICS OF THE DEAF COMMUNITY (WIC) 23
or SPED 43309 INTRODUCTION TO DEAF STUDIES (ELR) (WIC)
American Sign Language (ASL) Electives12
American Sign Language (ASL) Upper-Division Elective (40000 level only)3
Major Elective, choose from the following:3
ANTH 48214
POLITICS OF CULTURE (ELR) (WIC) 2
ASEI 43100
SURVEY OF THE INTERPRETING PROFESSION
MCLS 30420
FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND CULTURE STUDIES
MCLS 40095
SELECTED TOPICS
SOC 32570
INEQUALITY IN SOCIETIES
SPED 43306
FUNDAMENTALS OF AUDIOLOGY FOR STUDENTS WITH HEARING LOSS
SPED 43307
LISTENING, LANGUAGE AND PHONEMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH HEARING LOSS
Any American Sign Language (ASL) course
Any Translation Studies (TRST) course
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
American Civic Literacy Requirement 33
Kent Core Composition6
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning3
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each) 36-9
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines) 33-6
Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory)6-7
Kent Core Additional6
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours)42
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
1

Students with a background in American Sign Language, whether acquired informally or through coursework, should contact MCLS@kent.edu to take an ASL placement assessment. Students with prior knowledge of American Sign Language may be able to fulfill one or more of the elementary and intermediate language courses through an Alternative Credit option, or by starting in a higher level course than ASL 19201 via placement and making up the credit hours for any waived courses with general electives.

2

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

3

If students complete the American Civic Literacy requirement by taking HIST 12061, the course will apply to the Kent Core Humanities category. If they complete it with POL 10101, the course will apply to the Kent Core Social Sciences category.

Graduation Requirements
Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000
  • To earn the degree, students must successfully show documentation of a proficiency level of either (a) Intermediate or above on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI); or (b) a 2+ on the ASL Proficiency Interview (ASLPI); or (c) a PASS on the Ohio American Sign Language (ASL) Assessment for Teachers of World Languages (Subtests I and II).

Program Note

  • Some courses in the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies are offered on a rotating basis, and course availability may change at any time. Please see the program coordinator or your academic advisor for course planning.

Foreign Language College Requirement, B.A.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree* in the College of Sciences and Humanities must complete the following:

  1. Elementary I and II of any language (or equivalent) and
  2. One of the following options:
    1. Intermediate I and II of the same language
    2. Elementary I and II of a second language
    3. Any combination of two courses from the following list:
      1. Intermediate I of the same language
      2. One to two college-level course(s) completed outside the United States
      3. Courses: ARAB 21401, ASL 19401, CHIN 25421, MCLS 10001, MCLS 20001, MCLS 20091, MCLS 21417, MCLS 21420, MCLS 22217, MCLS 28403, MCLS 28404

*The Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies is exempt from the foreign language requirement until fall 2028 due to its previous longstanding academic placement in the College of Communication and Information, which does not have a foreign language requirement.

All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer courses. This may be accomplished in one of three ways:

  1. Passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level
  2. Receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University
  3. Demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language

Certain programs may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need a particular language proficiency.

Roadmap

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this program. Students will work with their advisor to develop a sequence based on their academic goals and history. Courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
!ASL 19201 ELEMENTARY AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I 4
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours14
Semester Two
!ASL 19202 ELEMENTARY AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II 4
American Civic Literacy Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Three
!ASL 29201 INTERMEDIATE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I 3
American Sign Language (ASL) Elective 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Four
!ASL 29202 INTERMEDIATE AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II 3
American Sign Language (ASL) Elective 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours15
Semester Five
!ASL 39201
or ASL 39202
 ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE: NARRATIVE AND STORYTELLING
or ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE: PRACTICAL COMMUNICATION
3
ASL 39223
or SPED 43309
 SOCIOLINGUISTICS OF THE DEAF COMMUNITY (WIC)
or INTRODUCTION TO DEAF STUDIES (ELR) (WIC)
3
or Major Elective
 
American Sign Language (ASL) Elective 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours15
Semester Six
!ASL 39201
or ASL 39202
 ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE: NARRATIVE AND STORYTELLING
or ADVANCED AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE: PRACTICAL COMMUNICATION
3
ASL 39223
or SPED 43309
 SOCIOLINGUISTICS OF THE DEAF COMMUNITY (WIC)
or INTRODUCTION TO DEAF STUDIES (ELR) (WIC)
3
or Major Elective
 
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
Semester Seven
American Sign Language (ASL) Elective 3
American Sign Language (ASL) Upper-Division Elective (40000 level) 3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
Semester Eight
General Electives 15
 Credit Hours15
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120

Program Delivery

  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus

Accreditation for American Sign Language (ASL) Degree – B.A.

The American Sign Language teacher licensure program (through this major and the Education certificate) is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for American Sign Language (ASL) Degree – B.A.

Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary

-0.2%

little or no change

26,400

number of jobs

$77,010

potential earnings

Interpreters and translators

1.7%

slower than the average

75,300

number of jobs

$59,440

potential earnings

Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

-1.6%

decline

1,094,500

number of jobs

$64,580

potential earnings

Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
Subscribe to
© 2026 Kent State University All rights reserved.