A number of colleges and universities offer advanced sign language classes programs. An undergraduate program with a major in American Sign Language may be available for students who have completed all the ASL class levels. In addition to ASL classes, other instruction may be available in other areas such as sign language structure, ASL literature and deaf culture.
If you are applying to an advanced ASL course at an educational institution for the first time, you may be asked to undergo a skills assessment. This assessment may be an informal interview with a deaf teacher that takes 15 to 20 minutes. The assessor will have a conversation with you in ASL to determine whether you are skilled in the elements you were taught at the beginner and intermediate level.
The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf and their state chapters offer ASL workshops and hold conferences from time to time for their members. Other groups such as Terpexpo offer special sign language workshops all over the United States. Terpexpo focuses on sign interpreting topics, but some courses are also of interest to advanced ASL students. Course credits may be available for some workshops. The Christian group Deaf Missions and other religious groups offer specialized training for ministry people working with the deaf and sign language interpreters.
There are many mailing lists and newsgroups on the Internet that relate to interpreting, deaf education and other related areas. They announce ASL workshops and professional development opportunities for teachers of the deaf or sign language interpreters. The Registry of Intepreters for the Deaf and some of their chapters have free online mailing lists that do not require membership.
There are several colleges and universities in each state that offer interpreter training programs (ITPs) as well as ASL courses. The types of degrees offered, such as a Bachelor of Arts in sign language interpreting, vary according to the educational institution. The American interpreting profession is governed by the Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf. They provide information on ASL interpreting, a searchable database of interpreter education programs, ongoing workshops, and a list of state chapters.