The Associate in Arts in American Sign Language degree (A.A in American Sign Language) provides students with the foundational knowledge in ASL to prepare them for transfer to four-year universities that offer a baccalaureate program.

Languages are the key to the understanding and appreciation of value systems and social attitudes of different cultures. Furthermore, acquiring communication skills in other languages facilitates the exchange of ideas and transactions, and increases awareness, appreciation and understanding of cultural diversity.

The need for skills in other languages is evident on a daily basis. The global community has reached a level of human relations where languages skills are required for communication in all aspects of life. Whether for recreational purposes, business, or other endeavors such as politics, health, science, education, art, or government, learning another language is imperative.

On a practical level, learning a new language is an intellectual stimulus that helps the learner develop critical thinking and creative skills, while enhancing the individual’s participation in traveling, reading of literature, appreciation of music, fashion, cuisine, cinema, and even sporting events. And last, but not least, opportunities for employment and higher salaries increase when another language is mastered because it gives a bilingual or multilingual person an edge to compete in the global economy.

American Sign Language Courses

American Sign Language, or ASL, is the dominant sign language of Deaf Americans, including Deaf communities in the United States and in some regions of Canada and Mexico. It contains phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax and pragmatics just like spoken languages. It is both a manual and a visual language; the information is encoded with the shape and movement of the hands and other parts of the body and also with facial expressions, including mouth morphemes.

French Program

The French Program offers a sequence of courses in the basic language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. On the intermediate level, courses are designed for specific needs: conversation, grammar review and literature. The Associate in Arts Degree may be obtained through French major.

Spanish Program

The Spanish language courses, as an integral part of the humanities program, prepare students for transfer to a university with strong second language skills and knowledge about the Spanish speaking culture.

In addition to careers in education and business, Spanish provides occupational opportunities in all areas in which it is advantageous to be bilingual in English and Spanish. This skill is especially useful in California. Knowledge of Spanish may complement careers such as foreign service officer, foreign correspondent, travel agent, teacher, international banker, lawyer, export and import employee, legal secretary, receptionist, nurse, interpreter, social worker, government employee and medical doctor.

SBCC offers a Transfer Agreement Guarantee (TAG). A TAG is a contractual agreement between the student, SBCC, and specific four-year colleges or universities. This includes six University of California ( *UC) institutions, six California State Institutions (CSU), seven California private institutions, nine out-of-state institutions, as well as Honors Transfer Agreements with ten institutions and 8 CSUs without campus impaction. Students must enroll in the TAG program and work with a TAG advisor.