A Mostly Online Bachelor's Degree For ASL & English Interpreting

The American Sign Language English Interpretation (ASLEI) program is an accredited bachelor's degree that prepares you to provide competent interpreting services between individuals who are deaf and use ASL as their primary means of communication and individuals who are not deaf and do not know sign language.

You will study with students and faculty from across the United States and the world, and learn to interpret in both the community and educational environments.

  • Community interpreting involves working in settings with primarily adult communicators.
  • Educational interpreting involves working in school settings, including academics and extracurricular activities.

Designed to Prepare Confident Interpreters

The ASLEI program addresses 34 competencies distributed over five domains necessary to become a competent and autonomous practitioner. The ASLEI program is based on the newest research available with input from multiple, expert sources. The degree has been designed for the purpose of preparing confident interpreter candidates who can achieve national certification and enter the profession as a competent practitioner.

  • ASL courses (ASL V-VIII and the ASL Self-Directed Lab) are taught by qualified Deaf instructors who use ASL as their primary language.
  • Interpreting skills courses are taught by qualified hearing instructors who are practicing interpreters.

Only Online CCIE-Accredited Program

The ASLEI program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education (CCIE) and it is the only distance-delivered interpretation bachelor’s degree in the nation to have achieved this distinction

We also encourage you to visit the extensive ASLEI bachelor's degree information available on the Department of American Sign Language & Interpreting Studies (ASLIS) website.

Visit the Department's Program Page

Photo of UNC student learning the ASL sign for "No"

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Degree Details

  • This bachelor's degree is a 120 credit (73 credits within the major + plus university-wide course requirements) program requiring 11 consecutive semesters (fall, spring, and summer) to complete. The interpreting courses are sequenced and offered once per year, so if you need all 80 credits of ASL & INTR courses, it will take the full 11 terms to complete the program.
  • If your ASL competency places you above ASL V and you have transferable courses within the major, you may be able to complete the program in less than four years. If you are a working interpreter holding interpreting credentials (RID, ED:K-12, or 4.0+ on the EIPA performance and passed the EIPA written) and have 21 or more LAC credits to transfer in (see below), the most common entry point is Intro to Consecutive Interpreting: Skill Development in the summer of Year 2. This entry point may allow you to complete the program in as few as seven semesters.
  • Upon being accepted into the program, you will be assigned an advisor who will assist you in determining your personalized plan of study based on your ASL competency and any credits being transferred in to UNC.
  • Year 1 and 2 focus on developing your ASL and English skills.
  • Year 3 and 4 focus on developing your interpreting skills.
  • You must pass all major courses (INTR course prefixes) with a B or better.

Year-Round Mostly Online Program

  • Online Courses in Fall and Spring: ASLEI courses are fully online in the fall and spring semesters. You will participate in structured courses using an online learning management system with assignments and due dates. The time of day you do coursework is up to you as long as your work and your interactions with peers and staff are completed on time.
  • Hybrid Courses in Summer: Additionally, you will take accelerated hybrid ASLEI courses in the summers. This consists of two weeks online in June followed by four weeks on campus in Greeley, CO. You will take 6-7 credits providing intensive language, knowledge, and/or interpreting preparation. While on campus during the summer semester, you will be in face-to-face classes from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM on weekdays with daily and weekend assignments.
  • All on-campus and online students will receive an annual Summer Logistics Packet providing information on traveling to Colorado and UNC, on-campus accommodations, and other resources to help you plan a four week on-campus visit. Most out-of-state students stay in one of UNC's residence halls (approximately $1,000 for the month) and purchase a meal plan through dining services. 

Courses and Requirements for Graduation

This UNC bachelor's degree program requires 120 total credit hours. For full program requirement details, see the official program listing in the UNC Undergraduate Catalog.

ASLEI Program and Overall Plan of Study

  • Example 4-year plan of study
  • To see the upcoming courses in the ASLEI program, visit this program's Current Students page.
  • See the Eligibility & Transfer Credit tab for details about transferring your previous college credit, including the LAC coursework.

Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Coursework

UNC's Liberal Arts Curriculum provides students with a grounding in the liberal arts that is infused with critical and creative inquiry, and which also satisfies the six general education areas required for undergraduate degree programs at all public higher education institutions in the state of Colorado.

Many of these courses will potentially be fulfilled from your transferred credit.

View the current LAC requirements and policies. Course requirements by category (with links to list of eligible courses)  are available at the bottom of the page.

Please note: ASLEI online students will need to transfer in some LAC coursework because UNC does not currently have a full mix of LAC requirement coursework online.

Waiver of Liberal Arts Curriculum Requirements

Individuals with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or a Bachelor’s degree (regardless of date of completion) from a regionally accredited institution will have their Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements waived. See the Undergraduate Catalog for more information about LAC waiver and transfer evaluation policies.

Taking Prerequisite or LAC Courses Online

Some options if you need this additional coursework:

  • The UNC Course Search – use the "Go to schedule of classes" button (many LAC course offerings are during Summer sessions; UNC does not currently have online LAC courses in the following subjects: Math, and Science with lab).
  • You can also search for online courses at Colorado Community Colleges Online or peruse options at any community college, particularly one near you (tuition is often lower for local residents).

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What Our Students Say...

The ASLEI program is top notch and I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of it! The instructors are AMAZING and the amount of time they invest in each student by providing detailed feedback, support and encouragement is a true gift. This program has challenged me to strive to be the best interpreter that I can be for those that I have the privilege to work with.

– Sharnett Thomas Barker, ASLEI online program student

Sharnett Thomas Barker, ASLEI online program student

As a working educational interpreter, this program was the best fit for me professionally! The content discussed in each class applied to my work and the professors were phenomenal. They challenged me to set high standards for myself and encouraged me along the way. If anyone is considering this bachelors program – go ahead and take the plunge, you will not be disappointed!

– Jenna Thornwall, ASLEI online program graduate

Jenna Thornwall, ASLEI online program graduate

I grew up interpreting within my family. When I decided to become an interpreter, I felt that I should understand the theory, the culture and the language, so that I would be able to grow in my career and not plateau.

– Janina Witteborg, ASLEI online program graduate

Janina Witteborg, ASLEI online program graduate

I had a good support system with my peers, and the educators are well known through the interpreting community, so their reputation preceded them. They all have published work and I was able to really connect with several of them.

– Tiffany Harding, ASLEI online program graduate

Tiffany Harding, ASLEI online program graduate

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