American Sign Language

Courses:


ASL 1-6: (we use the Signing Naturally curriculum)
ASL M115: Enforcing Normalcy (cross-listed under ASL and Disability Studies)

ASL classes are sequential. We recommend not taking them until you can take them in order. We only offer each one once a year, so if you miss ASL 2 in the winter, you have to wait until the following academic winter to take it. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT (EMAIL OR BY PHONE) LECTURER AND/OR INTERPRETER TO REQUEST A PTE NUMBER.

Please note that ASL courses completed at another institution during Winter 2019 and beyond will not transfer into UCLA as exact equivalents to our ASL courses. Students will need to take a placement exam to determine which level of ASL is appropriate for them here at UCLA. 

Lecturer:

Benjamin Lewis
benjaminlewis@ucla.edu
Office – Rolfe Hall 3300E

Interpreter:

Mariam Janvelyan
marrjann@ucla.edu
Phone – 310.825.4631
Office – Rolfe Hall 3300E

Placement / Exemption Exams:

The ASL Placement/Exemption Exams are meant for students with a background in ASL seeking to enroll in an intermediate-level ASL course or a language requirement waiver at UCLA. The ASL Exams are offered free to UCLA students* twice a year – once in the beginning of Fall Quarter and once in the beginning of Spring Quarter. There are 8 slots on each exam date and sign-ups are first come, first serve.

*Non-UCLA students may register for an exam for a $100 fee. Any student (UCLA or Non-UCLA) wishing to register for an exam outside of the designated Fall and Spring exam dates must pay a $100 fee to schedule and take an exam. Exams outside of the designated Fall and Spring dates will be offered on the 2nd Friday of every month.

EXAM DATES

Spring 2024 Exam Date: Friday, April 12, 2024 [CLOSED]

      • Spring 2024 Registration Deadline: Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Fall 2024 Exam Date: TBD

Outside Exam Deadline: 2nd Friday of every month

      • Outside Exam Registration Deadline: 48 hours before exam date

Exams are first come, first serve. Students may only take one exam once (no repeat exams). If you miss your exam appointment, you will have to reschedule the exam and pay the fee.

PLACEMENT EXAM

Students should take the ASL Placement Exam to be placed into ASL levels 4, 5, or 6.

If you are placed into ASL 4, 5, or 6, you may request a PTE number to enroll in your assigned course during the enrollment period. Students who do not place into ASL 4, 5, or 6 should start from ASL 1* if they wish to move forward with ASL courses at UCLA.

*If you have credit for an ASL course(s) taken at another institution and place into ASL 2 or 3, obtaining a PTE for these courses is not guaranteed. PTE numbers may be granted only after all students from from the previous level have enrolled and there are seats available. Keep in mind that there is often limited space available in ASL 1-3 and PTEs will NOT be granted for a full class.

EXEMPTION EXAM

Students should take the ASL Exemption Exam to test out of ASL 1-3 (equivalent to 1-year proficiency) in order to waive the College foreign language requirement.

If you pass the Exemption Exam, your results will be reported to the College to waive your College foreign language requirement. Students who do not pass the Exemption Exam must start from ASL 1 if they wish to move forward with ASL courses at UCLA.

EXAM STRUCTURE

The exam consists of two parts – receptive (30 min) and expressive (30 min). For the receptive portion, students will watch a video and answer questions on a sheet of paper. For the expressive portion, students will sign with the exam administrator in an “interview” style, where they answer questions.

REGISTRATION

Please complete the form below to register for an ASL Placement/ Exemption Exam. Completion of the form does not finalize your registration for the exam. Upon completing the form, you will receive an email from ASL Lecturer Benjamin Lewis (benjaminlewis@ucla.edu) within 1-2 business days confirming your registration and schedule for the exam. Your registration will not be final until confirmed via email. 

PAYMENT

If you are a Non-UCLA student or a UCLA student registering for an exam outside of the designated Fall and Spring exam dates, you must submit a payment of $100 via Cashier’s Check payable to “UC Regents” in order to secure your exam registration. Payment must be submitted to the exam administrator on the day of the exam for an in-person exam and at least one (1) business day in advance for an online exam. Exam results will not be released until payment is processed by the Linguistics Department. Note that the payment is non-refundable. Please provide at least 24 hours’ notice of cancellation from the scheduled exam date.

Availability for the Spring 2024 exam is now full and registration has closed. You may register for an Outside Exam if you are a non-UCLA student or a UCLA student unable to take the Spring 2024 exam. 

  • ASL Placement/Exemption Exam Registration

    Please fill out the following fields to register for the ASL exemption/ placement exam.

    • UCLA students only
    • Please select the option that works best for you.
    • if signing up for an outside exam, please select the dates on which you are available to take the exam:
    • Please select all possible timeslots that you are available.
    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
UCLA Undergraduate Sign Language Club:


Hands On

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a PTE for the ASL course I want to enroll in that is full?

We do not grant PTEs for ASL courses. If the course is full, please join the waitlist. If the waitlist is full, keep monitoring it to see if a spot opens up or attempt to get a seat the next time the course is offered.

I have been unsuccessful at acquiring a spot in ASL 1, what are my options?

ASL 1 is offered once a year in Fall quarter. You may wait to attempt to get a seat the next Fall, but another option is taking our ASL 8 course. ASL 8 is a summer-only course that is offered every year beginning in summer session A and lasts 8 weeks. ASL 8 is equivalent to our ASL 1, 2, and 3 so students will learn all of the material covered in those 3 courses in this 8-week intensive summer course. Students who complete ASL 8 are eligible to enroll in ASL 4 in Fall quarter. Enrollment for ASL 8 opens on February 1st for UCLA students every year.

Does UCLA offer a minor or major in ASL?

At this time, we do not offer a minor or major in ASL.