Learn ASL. Change Lives.
Speak without words and connect without limits.
Bridge worlds through the American Sign Language (ASL), where every gesture builds connection and understanding. ASL offers both career opportunities and the profound ability to create meaningful change.
The immersive learning environment in Owens’ focused certificate will teach you to be a competent ASL communicator in two semesters. Serve as a vital bridge between the deaf and hard-of-hearing community and essential services in healthcare, education and beyond. Your hands will become a pathway to connection, understanding and opportunity.
Develop professional skills that set you apart:
- ASL fluency: vocabulary, grammar and facial expressions
- Fingerspelling and numbers: spelling names and technical terms, numerical concepts
- Cultural awareness: values, history and social norms of the deaf community
Small Classes. Expert Guidance.
Our instructors are experts who take pride in your success. Combined with our small class sizes, you’ll get one-on-one mentorship and precise technical feedback tailored to your goals.
Award Type
Certificate
Department
Department of Humanities
Required Credit Hours
30-31
By the Numbers
24%
Projected job growth through 2030—3 times faster than average
15
Students per class—small cohorts improve sign fluency
$58,380
Average annual salary for interpreter/translator jobs in Ohio
Learn the Language, Embrace the Culture
This degree will prepare you to communicate with and become part of the deaf communities’ rich cultural tapestry.
Your first semester will build a foundation in ASL. You’ll develop essential signs for vocabulary, grammar, fingerspelling and numerical concepts. Core composition and critical thinking courses will help nurture communication skills that make great interpreters exceptional.
Your second semester will deepen your mastery with advanced-intermediate ASL and crucial receptive skills. You’ll also have real-world workplace opportunities to practice your new skills. Finally, dive deep into deaf culture—the beating heart of the community you’ll serve.
While this certificate gets you workplace-ready, you may also continue your education. Graduates of this program who choose our ASL Interpreter Preparation Program arrive with half their credits already complete—a significant head start on your professional journey.
Career Outcomes
Turn your ASL expertise into a meaningful career—whether facilitating critical conversations as an interpreter, preserving cultural nuances as a translator or empowering students as a teaching assistant or special education teacher.
From courtrooms to classrooms, hospitals to corporate boardrooms, you’ll be the vital link that ensures no voice goes unheard and no story remains untold.
Explore the employment data to understand trends in our area.
In Their Words
“I’ve definitely found something in the profession that’s a special interest for me. If anyone asks me questions, I just ramble because I’m so excited about it.”
Monica Turner, American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter Preparation, ’25
Getting Started at Owens
Begin your high-quality education at an affordable price today!
Enrollment is easy—just fill out an online admissions application to get started. We’ll ask you to submit your transcripts for course placement and college credit.
Upon acceptance, schedule a meeting with your admissions advisor to register for classes. Next, attend an on-campus orientation and meet with your student financial services advisor to discuss ways to pay for college.