In 1998, the University of Rochester was the first major university to develop a Bachelor's degree program specifically in American Sign Language. While many ASL courses now exist in the United States, very few have the instructional depth found at the University of Rochester. The University of Rochester's ASL Program is a modern language, literature and culture program, which also approaches the
study of signed languages from a linguistic and scientific perspective. In Rochester, students have a unique opportunity to learn and use ASL. Students in the more advanced ASL courses have the opportunity to attend community events, theatrical performances and lectures in ASL in the community, and at educational institutions.
