American Sign Language and Deaf Studies
American Sign Language and Deaf Studies is a program that will help you build and develop basic American Sign Language (ASL) skills through daily immersion in the language and culture. As such, the training is very interactive in the classroom setting.
As a student in this program, you will spend a significant amount of time learning the language, studying Deaf culture and community, practicing your ASL skills and developing your ability to communicate in ASL both with your classmates and your instructors.
Learn more about the American Sign Language and Deaf Studies Program
Deafblind & Intervenor Studies
The Deafblind & Intervenor Studies program is a new one-year certificate that will teach you the specialized skills you need to communicate with and for individuals who have Deafblindness.
This program is delivered primarily online with semester one classes fully online, and semester two classes delivered in a hybrid format of both online and in-person classes.
You will study an adapted form of American Sign Language used for those with both hearing and vision loss. As an Intervenor, you will participate in a variety of personal moments in your clients lives. For this reason, you will learn about professionalism, values and ethics and the important role that each of these play in the work that you will be doing. You’ll also develop an understanding for the different types of Deafblindness — congenital and acquired. Individuals with Deafblindness are often medically fragile individuals, so you’ll study health and aging.
A significant part of your learning will take during field experience. Placements can be completed across Canada and within your community through one of George Brown’s many partnerships.
If you are a strong communicator, have a flexible attitude, have a creative flair and are trustworthy, consider becoming an Intervenor. It’s a rewarding career that can have a significant impact.
Learn more about the deafblind & intervenor studies program
Honours Bachelor of Interpretation (American Sign Language – English)
Our Honours Bachelor of Interpretation (American Sign Language – English) is a four-year degree program that provides rigorous training to prepare you to work as an ASL-English interpreter. Graduates of the program may choose to pursue graduate studies. The class sizes are kept small so that faculty can provide ongoing and meaningful feedback.
This program uses a combination of both onsite and offsite learning environments to support your learning.
Onsite, you'll study in our ASL lab facility that includes individual video practice stations that allow you to record and review your ongoing development of ASL in addition to reviewing yourself interpreting. The process of recording will help you develop and hone your interpreting skills in a safe and controlled environment.
As you gain confidence in your skills, the learning environment expands to incorporate supervised offsite interpreting opportunities. You'll have the chance to provide interpreting services for one of our valued community partners like the Royal Ontario Museum.
The program's most significant learning opportunity takes place in year four when you will complete a 420-hour unpaid internship. This will involve shadowing a working interpreter throughout their daily appointments. During this time, you'll experience the variety of day-to-day appointments that make up an interpreter's work day. Not only will you gain extensive hands-on experience, but you'll start to develop your own network within the Deaf and interpreting communities.
Learn more about the Honours Bachelor of Interpretation program
