Minor: Students considering a minor in deaf studies should begin the study of American Sign Language in their first or second year at Holy Cross and should also plan to enroll in DFST 109: Introduction to Deaf Studies.
Courses
DFST 101
Elementary American Sign Language 1
Common Area: Language Studies
Introduces students to the basic expressive and receptive skills in ASL, including conversation strategies, spatial referencing and facial expressions. Questions, commands, and simple sentences are covered, leading to basic conversational skills in ASL. Awareness of Deaf culture is included. Attendance in ASL lab practicum is required in addition to the class time. One and one-quarter units.
DFST 109
Introduction to Deaf Studies
Common Area: Cross-Cultural Studies
This course covers issues relating to deafness, deaf people and the Deaf community, focusing on the cultural and linguistic aspects of deafness rather than the medical condition. It explores such questions as whether deafness is something to be “fixed” or celebrated, and it considers alternative ways of looking at members of society who are “different” in some way. It considers policy making, and explores the way that the “hearing” community influences opinions, decisions, and policies that affect the Deaf community. This course is a requirement for students proposing a CIS Student-Designed major or minor which includes Deaf Studies as one of its disciplines. Taught in English. One unit.