Teaching American Sign Language MA

  • Graduate Educator Licensure or Endorsement
  • Master's Degree
Group photo of Teaching ASL master's students, faculty and staff.
Format
  • Hybrid
Location
  • Greeley Campus
  • Online
Concentration
  • Optional Licensure: World Languages (Grades K-12)
Estimated Completion Time

19 Months

Start Date

Summer Term (May)

Tuition Rate

$668/Credit

Credits

30 (42 with Licensure)

Area of Study
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Attend an Online Information Session

A program representative will be available to answer any questions you may have.
The online (Zoom) info meeting will be held Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. Mountain time.

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Become an American Sign Language Teacher

Do you want to teach ASL (American Sign Language)? Our Teaching American Sign Language Master of Arts degree is one of only two programs of its kind in the nation!

This degree is delivered mostly online, and was one of the first programs in the nation to prepare ASL teachers. This program is for you if you already know ASL well and want to learn how to teach it. Note: You must already be proficient in ASL to be accepted.


Katie Moore, graduate and current instructor for the Teaching ASL master’s degree, describes the program and its impact on her life.

What Does Mostly Online Mean?

This is a hybrid program, which means there are some in-person elements.

  • You’ll take classes online for most of the year.
  • You will also visit our campus in Greeley, Colorado, for two weeks in the summer to gain hands-on experience. These in-person sessions provide foundational skills and knowledge that you will build upon in the following semesters.

What You’ll Learn

Course topics include how to:

  • Effectively teach and assess ASL.
  • Teach based on how students learn first and second languages.
  • Develop ASL curriculum.
  • Teach in a variety of cultural and policy contexts.

All courses are fully accessible. By earning your degree through UNC you will also:

  • Become part of a network of educators who are leading the way in ASL education!
  • Receive American Sign Language Teacher Association (ASLTA) Certification or Master-Level Certification. This includes one year of complementary ASLTA Certified membership following graduation.


ASL video summary of American Sign Language Teaching Association certification.

Your ASL Teaching Career

You can take this master's degree with or without the K-12 licensure option. Choose the version that fits your career goals.

Teaching American Sign Language Master of Arts

This degree makes you eligible to teach ASL at colleges and universities, and in some private K-12 schools. ASL teachers also often serve as:

  • ASL specialists in Deaf Studies programs
  • ASL language acquisition specialists in Deaf Education Settings and Schools for the Deaf
  • ASL Tutors
  • ASL Instructors in Interpreter Education Programs
  • Independent Language Educators

Teaching American Sign Language Master of Arts – Licensure: World Languages (Grades K-12)

You can also choose to include the optional Licensure: World Languages (Grades K-12) concentration. Choosing to include this concentration also prepares you to teach ASL in K-12 schools that require teacher licensure.

  • You can earn your initial K-12 teaching licensure and your World Languages (Grades K-12) endorsement.
  • Or if you already have a teaching license, you can add the World Languages (Grades K-12) endorsement.

This program will qualify you for credential requirements in most states. If you plan to work outside of Colorado, please see the Licensure Eligibility by State section below.

ASL video summary of the K-12 Licensure option.

Become a Highly Qualified ASL Teacher

When you graduate, you’ll be highly qualified for a rewarding teaching career. Depending on where you plan to teach, teaching ASL may be known as teaching a world language, modern language or foreign language.

In addition to teaching in colleges, universities and K-12 schools, ASL teachers also teach as:

  • Tutors
  • Independent language teachers
  • ASL specialists in deaf studies programs
  • Interpreter educators

Course of Study

Teaching American Sign Language Master of Arts

The master’s degree without the licensure concentration is 30 credits. It is designed for students interested in teaching ASL in the post-secondary setting, including colleges and universities.

Teaching American Sign Language M.A. – Courses and Requirement Details

Teaching American Sign Language M.A. – Licensure: World Languages (Grades K-12)

This master’s degree with licensure concentration is 42 credits. It is designed for:

  • Those who are also interested in obtaining a K-12 teaching license with World Languages (Grades K-12) endorsement.
  • Licensed teachers who want to add a World Languages (Grades K-12) endorsement to their current license.

This degree is ASL-specific, but the endorsement category for language teaching in many states (e.g. Colorado) is World Languages.

Teaching American Sign Language M.A.: Licensure: World Languages – Courses and Requirement Details

Online + Summer Greeley Visits

These programs are delivered mostly online. You will be able to complete your degree in five consecutive terms (about 19 months).

  • Fall and spring terms feature online courses.
  • There are two summer terms in the course sequence. Each summer you will spend two weeks at our campus in Greeley, Colorado, plus additional time with online instruction. You can preview summer session and TASL-specific summer session information on the ASLIS site.
  • You will complete a mandatory online orientation course in May or early June of the first summer before your first online course. This course will prepare you to succeed in this mostly online program.

To see specific course offerings, visit an example current students page for these programs.

Have Questions? Get in Touch!

Tuition Rate

Simple Per-Credit Tuition Rate

You pay the same rate whether you are in-state or out-of-state.

$668

Per Credit

Rate for the 2025-26 academic year (fall, spring and summer terms).*

No Student / Technology Fees

Certain courses, e.g., field experiences, may include course fees to support added services and materials.

*Tuition for the 2026-27 academic year will be decided mid-June 2026.

Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP): UNC provides a health insurance plan to all degree-seeking graduate students who are enrolled in 6 or more credits for a term. If you have comparable insurance coverage, and do not want to be charged for SHIP coverage, you can opt out of this plan. Please visit the UNC Student Health Insurance pages for more information.

Estimates of additional costs: For the purposes of determining financial aid, UNC follows Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) and federal guidelines to develop an estimated, average Cost of Attendance (budget) for different student classifications. For your personal tuition estimates, we recommend using the program-specific tuition information above. But UNC’s official Cost of Attendance/Student Budgets page can help you identify other estimated expenses for which you may be responsible while completing your program.

Graduate Assistantships

The ASLIS department has Graduate Assistant positions available for some Teaching ASL MA students. These positions include up to $14,000 a year in stipend and tuition support for up to 10 credits a year. This could provide up to $20,000 a year in aid / compensation.

ASL video explaining graduate assistantships and scholarships for the UNC Teaching ASL master’s program.

Federal Financial Aid

Degree-seeking students are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid. Master’s degree students need to be enrolled in a minimum of 5 credits per academic term for financial aid eligibility. Full-time enrollment is based on 9 credits per term.

You will complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The UNC Applying for Aid page provides important dates, including the release date and deadline for each academic year (a Fall-Spring-Summer cycle which begins each August).

  • Late FAFSA submissions are still accepted throughout the academic year, but you may not be considered for the maximum amount of aid.
  • If the priority deadline has passed for the upcoming/current school year, we encourage you to apply for FAFSA consideration as soon as you enroll for your first courses.
  • Depending on the time of year, you may be able to submit an application for the current academic year and an early/priority application for the following academic year.

You can also find helpful information in the Federal Student Aid Resources.

Access the FAFSA Form

Program Eligibility

General Admission Requirements

  • Possess a baccalaureate degree from an institutionally accredited college or university.
  • Have a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or better, on a 4.00 point scale, for the most recent degree earned or current degree in progress.
    • If you are in the process of completing a previous degree or have special GPA considerations, please read the specific requirements for this program type.
  • Note: the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is NOT required for graduate school admission.

Program-Specific Admission Requirements

  • All applicants (including those with ASLPI scores) will be contacted to complete the required screening to demonstrate ASL proficiency prior to acceptance.

Eligibility for Out-of-State Students

Eligibility by State

UNC can offer distance learning in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the major U.S. territories. We check for changes in state rules as needed. Some states may have extra rules for internships, clinical placements, and student teaching. Visit the State Authorization page to learn more.

World Languages Licensure Eligibility by State

UNC’s professional licensure programs are designed to lead to Colorado licensure. Each state sets their own requirements, so a UNC program might not lead to licensure in other states. Visit the UNC Licensure page to learn more about which states UNC programs meet educational requirements for licensure.

It’s important to understand requirements in the state where you plan to work. Visit the State Licensure Boards page to find each state’s licensing agency and contact information. Questions? Contact Licensure@unco.edu.

International Student Eligibility

No student visa: F-1 and J-1 student visas are not available for this program. However, if you are a non-U.S. citizen who will be in the U.S. under another visa category, you may be able to enroll in this program. Before you apply, please check for enrollment or employment restrictions for your visa category.

If you do apply to this program, you will need to provide proof of your English language ability or complete the UNC Intensive English Program. Please visit the International Admissions page for information about:

  • Minimum English language requirements
  • Applying as an international student

Meet with an Enrollment Counselor

Speak with an Enrollment Counselor by phone or video.

Meet with Enrollment Counselor

Faces of our four Enrollment Counselors and a UNC logo

Meet the Program Faculty

Visit the Academic Department

Are You Ready to Apply?

Thank you for your interest in this UNC program! Here are some elements you can check to be sure you are eligible and ready to apply to this program.

Program Eligibility

See the Program Eligibility section above.

Licensure Eligibility by State

This program is related to a state licensure, endorsement or other credential. If you intend to pursue a credential outside of Colorado, please check the Licensure Eligibility by State section above.

International Applicants

Please see the International Student Eligibility section above to check your eligibility for this program.

Application Deadlines

Priority Application Deadline: November 1. Admission is competitive and completed applications will be reviewed as a group beginning in November.

Standard Application Deadline: January 31. If space is available, additional applicants will be considered until this date. Please contact the Program Coordinator about available space. All admission decisions will be made by the end of February.

Application Process Details

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