Deaf Communication Studies (DCS)

DCS 104. American Sign Language I (MOTR LANG 105). 4 Credit Hours.

American Sign Language I provides intensive exposure to basic ASL expressively and receptively. This course is an immersive environment language. The course introduces fingerspelling and numbers to 100. Syntax covers statements, questions, negation, commands, spatial agreement, and modifying verbs. Topics include family, relationships, living arrangements, personal activities, duration and frequency, and giving directions. Discourse includes narration, description, and contrast. Deaf cultural norms include attention-getting, introductions, negotiating a signing environment, and feedback for confirmation or clarification. Creative works include jokes, history, and narratives.
Prerequisites: Reading Proficiency

DCS 105. American Sign Language II (MOTR LANG 106). 4 Credit Hours.

American Sign Language II expands on ASL I and provides intensive exposure to intermediate ASL. This course is an immersive environment language. Topics include advice, opinions, goals, plans, knowledge and abilities, clothing, years, months, time, prices, states, and provinces. Syntax includes negation, locative classifiers, temporal aspects of verbs, role shifts, and perspective shifts. Discourse includes narration, comparison, and requests. Deaf cultural norms include greetings, leave-taking, and biographies of accomplished Deaf individuals. Creative works include fables.
Prerequisites: DCS 104 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 106. American Sign Language III. 4 Credit Hours.

American Sign Language III provides continued intensive exposure to intermediate American Sign Language, allowing the development of broader and more accurate expressive and receptive skills. Instruction is delivered in total immersion. Emphasis is on receptive skills and text structure (narration, listing, analysis of a whole into parts, comparison and contrast, exemplification, and explanation). Topics include describing and locating items in the house, spatial agreement, temporal aspects of verbs, and 3-digit numbers. The course includes an introduction to literary genres such as handshape stories, cheers and songs, signed poetry, legends, and drama, and to some accomplished Deaf individuals of the past or present. Functional skills include getting and directing attention, controlling the pace of conversation, and asking for clarification of fingerspelling.
Prerequisites: DCS 105 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 107. Fingerspelling and Numbers. 3 Credit Hours.

Fingerspelling and Numbers provides the theory and practice necessary for students to recognize and produce the American Sign Language (ASL) manual alphabet and numeric systems. Instruction is delivered in total immersion. Topics include what must be fingerspelled, what may be fingerspelled, proper names, fingerspelled loan signs, American Sign Language numeric systems, numeral incorporation, and standard fingerspelled abbreviations.
Prerequisites: DCS 104 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 108. The Interpreting Profession. 2 Credit Hours.

The Interpreting Profession introduces students to interpreting as an occupation and profession. Topics include a brief history of the profession, models of interpreting, roles and responsibilities of the interpreter, introduction to professional ethics, demand-control schema, interpersonal skills, professional standards, interpreter certification and licensure, and business practices.
Prerequisites: Reading Proficiency

DCS 109. Grammar and Vocabulary for Interpreters. 3 Credit Hours.

Grammar and Vocabulary for Interpreters instructs students in the principles of vocabulary building and avoiding common grammatical errors. Vocabulary emphasizes Latin and Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes, English idioms, word denotations, connotations, and usage, equivalent American Sign Language vocabulary, contextual clues to word meaning, and registers of discourse. Grammar review includes parts of speech, syntax, agreement, verb tenses, and drawing inferences from printed texts.
Prerequisites: Concurrent or prior enrollment DCS 106 with a minimum grade of "C", concurrent or prior enrollment in ENG 101 with a minimum grade of "C" , and Reading Proficiency

DCS 110. Deaf Theatre Studies. 3 Credit Hours.

This course addresses the special considerations of sign language performance. Emphasis is placed on developing theatrical sign and mime skills. Lectures and field trips are included. The course is open to Deaf and non-Deaf students.
Prerequisites: Department permission and Reading Proficiency

DCS 111. American Sign Language Linguistics. 3 Credit Hours.

American Sign Language Linguistics presents the phonetics, morphology, semantics, and syntax of American Sign Language in contrast to English. Topics include origins of American Sign Language, basic linguistic terminology of both languages, common sentence types in both language, and features unique to American Sign Language such as spatialization, directionality, role shifting, classifiers, fingerspelled loan signs, multiple methods of negation, sign variation, and non-manual features.
Prerequisites: Concurrent or prior enrollment in DCS 104 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 115. Introduction to Deaf Culture. 3 Credit Hours.

Introduction to Deaf Culture surveys Deaf history, the physiology of the ear, causes and types of hearing loss, social and psychological aspects of deafness, adaptive technology, access to non-Deaf society, historical and current approaches to Deaf education, common features of Deaf culture, and careers related to deafness.
Prerequisites: Reading Proficiency

DCS 116. American Sign Language Semantics. 3 Credit Hours.

American Sign Language Semantics expands students' knowledge, recognition, and understanding of American Sign Language semantic units (signs and idioms) and their denotations, connotations, and usage. Focus is on advanced intermediate ASL vocabulary (100+ signs), translating ASL idiomatic expressions to equivalent English meaning and usage, and reinforcing common ASL syntactic patterns. Expressive and receptive ASL skills acquired in other courses are reinforced and further developed in the course.
Prerequisites: Concurrent or prior enrollment in DCS 105 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 118. Sign Seminar. 3 Credit Hours.

Sign Seminar provides additional interactive opportunities for students to expand American Sign Language vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and semantics. Instruction is delivered in total immersion. Students interact with signers from the local Deaf community, on a variety of topics. Instructional approaches include discussion, expansion, and explanation in the target language. Colloquialisms, registers of discourse, and socially restricted vocabulary are included. (Credit is only allowed for either DCS 118 or DCS 514.)
Prerequisites: DCS 105 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 121. American Sign Language IV. 4 Credit Hours.

American Sign Language IV provides intensive exposure to advanced American Sign Language (ASL) developing expressive and receptive skills. Instruction is delivered in total immersion. Receptive skills are emphasized by focusing on signed narrations. Textual structures include analysis, listing, comparison, exemplification, and process analysis.
Prerequisites: DCS 106 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 122. Translation. 3 Credit Hours.

Translation is a foundational course that introduces students to the knowledge and skills necessary for converting meaning from one language to another, given ample time and resources. Frozen source texts are converted to frozen target texts. The languages to be translated are American Sign Language and English. Topics require broad extralinguistic knowledge of Deaf and non-Deaf American cultures.
Prerequisites: Concurrent or prior enrollment in DCS 106 with a minimum grade of "C", concurrent or prior enrollment in DCS 109 with a minimum grade of "C", and Reading Proficiency

DCS 124. Concept Associations in American Sign Language. 2 Credit Hours.

Concept Associations in American Sign Language explores the evolution of signs and how they change over time. This course examines the development of individual sign in American Sign Language. Strategies will be investigated to increase retention of individual signs.
Prerequisites: Concurrent or prior enrollment in DCS 104 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 206. Interpreting I. 3 Credit Hours.

Interpreting I is an intermediate skills-based course. Students practice the skills necessary to interpret from spoken English source text to signed target text. Target texts include both American Sign Language (ASL) and Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE). Source texts increase in length and complexity throughout the semester. Professional standards in the interpreting field will also be discussed.
Prerequisites: DCS 122 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 207. Simultaneous Interpreting. 3 Credit Hours.

Simultaneous Interpreting introduces basic skills necessary to simultaneously transliterate Contact/PSE to English or English to Contact/PSE. The course is built around sequencing of drills and exercises and incorporates videos and deaf signers. The Code of Ethics will be reinforced in context.
Prerequisites: DCS 106 and DCS 109 with minimum grades of "C" or permission of department and Reading Proficiency

DCS 209. Interpreting/Transliterating Lab. 1 Credit Hour.

Designed to reinforce concepts discussed in DCS 206/207 within individualized and small group settings. Additional lab hours required.
Prerequisites: Reading Proficiency
Corequisites: DCS 206 or DCS 207

DCS 210. Sign to Voice Interpreting I. 3 Credit Hours.

Sign to Voice Interpreting I is an intermediate skills-based course. Students practice the skills necessary to interpret from signed source texts to spoken English target texts. Source texts include both American Sign Language and Conceptually Accurate Signed English. Source texts include a variety of topics and discourse patterns.
Prerequisites: DCS 122 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 211. Specialized Interpreting. 3 Credit Hours.

Specialized Interpreting surveys settings and topics which may include legal, medical, mental health, employment, religious, platform, rehabilitation, Deaf-Blind, or performing arts. Students are exposed to specialized topics, and experience the interpreting demands inherent in them, for the purpose of exploring professional interests. The course also introduces students to specialized communication techniques such as those used for clients who are Deaf-Blind, oral, or high-visual.
Prerequisites: DCS 206 with minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 212. Deaf History and Culture. 3 Credit Hours.

Deaf History and Culture teaches historical and current values and traditions within the American Deaf community. Values include the importance of community and clubs, approaches to Deaf education, adaptive devices and technology, interpreter services, and the preservation of American Sign Language. Traditions include humor as a coping technique, honoring successful Deaf leaders, role models, and innovators, and behaviors of empowerment. Instruction is delivered in total immersion.
Prerequisites: DCS 121 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 213. Professional Issues and Ethics. 2 Credit Hours.

Professional Issues and Ethics explores the role of ethics and decision-making in professional practice. Topics include general theories of ethics, self-analysis of students' current ethical development, ethical standards of the interpreting profession as defined by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Code of Professional Conduct and by Missouri's Ethical Rules of Conduct for Interpreters, application of ethical theories and standards to hypothetical situations, and ethical business practices.
Prerequisites: DCS 220 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 214. Interactive Interpreting. 3 Credit Hours.

This skill development course will provide students with the opportunity to practice skills associated with interactive interpreting situations. Students will use both consecutive and simultaneous interpreting methods. Interactive interpreting refers to the process of initiating an interpretation both manual and verbal during a variety of interview and one-on-one situations (mental health, medical, employment, educational and business). Students will begin working with isolated cognitive subtasks (critical listening, analyzing the information, constructing the interpretation and generating the interpretation) of interpretation and work to integrate component skills to perform an interactive interpretation.
Prerequisites: DCS 210, DCS 216 and DCS 217 with minimum grades of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 215. Interpreter Seminar. 2 Credit Hours.

Interpreter Seminar provides additional optional time on task for students to continue development of interpreting skills. Students practice sign to voice and voice to sign interpreting, in English, American Sign Language, and Conceptually Accurate Signed English on a variety of topics. Instructional approaches include discussion, expansion, and comparison and contrast. In addition, the course focuses on cross cultural mediation and discourse analysis.
Prerequisites: DCS 206 and DCS 210 with minimum grades of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 216. Educational Interpreting. 3 Credit Hours.

Educational Interpreting presents the principles of interpreting in kindergarten through post-secondary settings. Topics include federal and state laws, deaf children's linguistic, psychological, and social development, strategies for interpreting in educational settings, the interpreter's role in facilitating communication between Deaf individuals and peers, instructors, and staff, and the interpreter as a member of an educational team. Employment aspects of educational interpreting are considered. Students interpret signed and spoken texts from kindergarten through post-secondary topics.
Prerequisites: DCS 206 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 217. Translation Applications of ASL. 3 Credit Hours.

This is a skill development course based on English written text analysis and American Sign Language equivalent meaning and appropriate interpretation with conceptual accuracy. Students will engage in the analysis, discussion and translation of ASL and/or English texts from one language into the other. Student demonstration of translations will be used to discuss meaning of message and degrees of equivalency. The discourse style of American English and Sign Language usage will be analyzed to distinguish the patterns of low and high context usage, linguistic structure and cultural differences.
Prerequisites: Concurrent or prior enrollment in DCS 216 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 218. Interpreter Field Experience. 2 Credit Hours.

Interpreter Field Experience is an intermediate school-to-work course. Students interpret in settings that do not require a professional interpreter. Practicum interpreting is combined with instruction to prepare and debrief assignments. Topics include professional organizations, state certification, qualifications, preparation time and resources, practical situational factors, and professional presentation and behavior.
Prerequisites: Concurrent or prior enrollment in DCS 213 and DCS 222 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 219. Workplace Learning: DCS. 3 Credit Hours.

Workplace Learning: DCS is the culminating school-to-work course. Students engage in practicum interpreting, applying theory and skills learned in the classroom and previous practicum assignments, and explore career possibilities while supervised by a faculty member. Students accumulate a minimum of 150 hours in the workplace throughout the semester. (Credit is only allowed for either DCS 219 or DCS 208.)
Prerequisites: DCS 213 and DCS 218 with minimum grades of "C" , and Reading Proficiency

DCS 220. Interpreting II. 3 Credit Hours.

Interpreting II supports students in developing interpreting skills from spoken English source text to signed target text. Source texts include a variety of topics and discourse patterns that increase in length and complexity throughout the semester. Target texts include American Sign Language (ASL) and Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE). Students learn techniques to recognize and repair errors, and to analyze and improve interpretations.
Prerequisites: DCS 206 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 221. Sign to Voice Interpreting II. 3 Credit Hours.

Sign to Voice Interpreting II supports students in developing interpreting skills from American Sign Language (ASL) or Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE) source texts to spoken English target texts. Source texts include a variety of topics and discourse patterns. Source texts increase in length and complexity throughout the semester. Students learn techniques to recognize and repair errors, and to analyze and improve interpretations.
Prerequisites: DCS 210 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 222. Advanced Interpreting. 3 Credit Hours.

Advanced Interpreting prepares students for the state interpreting certification performance evaluation. Students take six mock state tests, including voice to sign transliterating, voice to sign interpreting, sign to voice interpreting, and sight translation. Mock tests are scored in the same manner as the state test. Students self-critique mock tests to analyze successes and challenges and develop action plans to improve interpretations.
Prerequisites: DCS 211, DCS 216, DCS 220, and DCS 221 with minimum grades of "C" and Reading Proficiency

DCS 223. Interpreter Field Experience I. 1 Credit Hour.

Interpreter Field Experience I is an introductory school-to-work course. Classroom instruction is combined with up to 50 hours of field experience. Classroom activities include completing required professional documents, preparing for field experiences, debriefing field experiences, and creating a practicum portfolio. Field experiences include observing, shadowing, and/or interviewing professional interpreters, and the opportunity to interpret assignments for which a professional interpreter is not required by law.
Prerequisites: DCS 211 with a minimum grade of "C" and Reading Proficiency
Recommended Preparation: Students should have passed the Missouri Interpreter Certification System Test of English Proficiency (TEP). The TEP is a prerequisite for taking the state interpreting skills evaluation