American Sign Language Classes in the SF Bay Area
Anupam_ts, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr
Below you'll find a comprehensive listing of places to take ASL classes in the San Francisco Bay Area. If you know of other classes or resources not listed, please let me know in the comments section at the bottom of this page.
The two schools with the most comprehensive ASL programs are Ohlone College in Fremont and Berkeley City College. In addition to courses on signing, both programs offer courses on ASL linguistics and deaf history and culture. If you’re committed to studying ASL for the long term, you’ll want to take a closer look at these programs.
Ohlone College
Ohlone College’s Deaf Studies Division offers the widest selection of courses on signing and deaf culture in the bay area. The division offers Certificate of Achievement and Associate in Arts degrees in American Sign Language and Deaf Culture, which includes two years of ASL coursework as well as courses in Deaf education, Deaf culture, and ASL linguistics. The division also offers an ASL-English interpreter preparation program for students interested in pursuing careers in interpreting.
ASL Flash Cards
Berkeley City College
Berkeley City College offers Associate in Arts and Certificate Programs in American Sign Language. Students working toward the degree or certificate program take courses on Deaf history and culture, study ASL linguistics, and have the opportunity to participate in occupational work experience in ASL.
While not having the wide selection of courses offered by Ohlone and Berkeley, a number of other colleges offer two years (four semesters) of signing classes. Many schools that offer two years of ASL coursework also offer additional courses on ASL linguistics or Deaf culture. Please note that most four-year colleges and universities may not allow you to take classes unless you are enrolled as a full-time student at their school.
Schools Offering Two Years of ASL Coursework
| School | City | Link |
|---|---|---|
College of Marin | Kentfield, CA | www.marin.edu |
College of San Mateo | San Mateo, CA | www.collegeofsanmateo.edu |
Diablo Valley College | Pleasant Hill, CA | www.dvc.edu |
Las Positas College | Livermore, CA | www.laspositascollege.edu |
Los Medanos Community College | Pittsburg, CA | www.losmedanos.net |
Skyline College | San Bruno, CA | www.skylinecollege.edu |
San Jose City College | San Jose, CA | www.sjcc.edu |
Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa, CA | www.santarosa.edu |
Stanford University | Stanford, CA | www.stanford.edu |
If none of the above schools is convenient, and you’re just interested in trying out ASL to get a grasp of the basics, take a look at these additional colleges offering one year (two semesters) of signing classes. Please note that most four-year colleges and universities may not allow you to take classes unless you are enrolled as a full-time student at their school.
Schools Offering One Year of ASL Coursework
| School | City | Link |
|---|---|---|
California State University, East Bay | Hayward, CA | www.csueastbay.edu |
Chabot College | Hayward, CA | www.chabotcollege.edu |
City College of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | www.ccsf.edu |
De Anza College | Cupertino, CA | www.deanza.edu |
Evergreen Valley College | San Jose, CA | www.evc.edu |
San Francisco State University | San Francisco, CA | www.sfsu.edu |
San Jose State University (Special Ed Dept) | San Jose, CA | www.sjsu.edu |
Solano Community College | Fairfield, Vacaville, and Vallejo, CA | www.solano.edu |
University of San Francisco (3 semesters) | San Francisco, CA | www.usfca.edu |
West Contra Costa Adult Education (less than a year) | Richmond, CA | www.wccae.info |
West Valley College | Saratoga, CA | www.westvalley.edu |
San Francisco Recreation and Parks ASL Cafe
San Francisco Recreation and Parks ASL Cafe is an event that happens every Thursday in San Francisco at the Mission Playground (19th & Valencia) from 6:30-9:00pm. This event is free and bridges the hearing and deaf communities in a mutually beneficial environment. Activities include games, movie nights, cooking, and socialization. (Thanks to Peter DeHaas for sharing this information in the comments section.)
ASL Dictionary
Deaf and ASL Socials and Coffee Chats
Once you have a little experience with signing, Deaf and ASL socials and coffee chats are a great way to get extra practice with Deaf people and other learners of ASL. There’s usually a range of skill levels represented at any given group, and group members usually go out of their way to make newcomers feel welcome, so don’t be shy about attending. Practicing outside of class is essential if you want to make big improvements in your signing, and these meetups are a great way to accomplish this. DCARA (Deaf Counseling, Advocacy, and Referral Agency) offers a listing of Deaf and ASL meetups.
Other ASL and Deafness Hubs
- Deaf Events in the SF Bay Area
A comprehensive guide to Deaf upcoming events in the San Francisco Bay Area. - Can Deaf People Drive? - Fighting for a Basic Right
If Deaf people can't hear, how can they drive? Plus, find out which countries allow Deaf people to drive and which countries still deny Deaf people this fundamental right. - Deaf Culture Facts That Might Surprise You
You might be surprised to learn some of these differences between Deaf and hearing culture.
Comments
Peter DeHaas on August 25, 2015:
ASL Cafe still meets every Thursday at the Mission Playground (19th & Valencia) from 6:30-9:00pm. This is a FREE event that offers coffee, tea, special events, movie night, socialization and games.
MoonByTheSea (author) on January 19, 2014:
Thanks for mentioning this program! Looks like Marin offers 2 years of ASL now, and I've added their program to the list.
Alexand875 on May 22, 2013:
College of Marin in Kentfield also has 1 year of ASL. http://www.marin.edu/
