New Zealand Sign Language & Deaf Studies Major - Bachelor of Arts
New Zealand Sign Language is an official language of New Zealand, and an understanding of sign language and Deaf culture is useful for many careers.
The New Zealand Sign Language and Deaf Studies major covers communication strategies in NZSL and the cultural knowledge to work with Deaf clients and colleagues. Sign language skills are in demand in all areas of New Zealand society, including education, health, legal and social service settings, as well as any customer-facing area of work.
Tailor this sign language course to your interests, and combine it with courses or a major from any other area of study, including, but not limited to, education, health promotion, Māori development or event management.
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This is part of the Bachelor of Arts.
Start date: 2022
- Download our Language and Culture programme guide [PDF, 3.1 MB]
Start date: 2023
- Download our Culture & Society programme guide [PDF, 5.2 MB]
The first year focuses on the development of receptive and expressive fluency in New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL), and the study of the Deaf community and culture. In the second and third years, you can either continue with further language acquisition, learn about the interpreting profession, or choose courses related to intercultural competence.
Apart from the courses below you also need to complete courses from your second major, your chosen minor(s) or electives.
Core courses
All Bachelor of Arts students need to complete core courses that help you develop transferable skills and support your work in all other courses in the degree.
Academic Communication
Choose one of:
- CLSY508 Pathways to Academic Success
- COMM570 Academic Communication: Conventions and Expectations
- COMM590 Learning in a Digital World
Culture and Society
Complete one course from each of the following clusters. Each cluster aligns with one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Choose one of:
- CHIN501 Introduction to Chinese I
- CHIN502 Introduction to Chinese II
- CHIN504 Write Chinese I
- CHIN511 Speak Chinese I
- CLSY502 Intercultural Competence
- ENGL500 Contemporary Language Studies
- ENGL501 Critical Media Studies
- ENGL502 Reading New Zealand
- ENGL503 A Pacific Reader
- JAPA511 Speak Japanese I
- JAPA512 Write Japanese I
- KORE500 Introduction to Korean Language and Culture I
- KORE501 Introduction to Korean Language and Culture II
- MAOR500 Introduction to Conversational Māori
- MAOR501 Beginners Māori Language I
- MAOR502 Beginners Māori Language II
- NZSL502 Deaf Community and Culture I
- NZSL510 New Zealand Sign Language I
- NZSL520 New Zealand Sign Language II
- SPAN501 Spanish 1A
- SPAN502 Spanish 1B
- TIKA501 Noho Mārae Wānanga Maori Learning Experience A
- TIKA502 Noho Mārae Wānanga Maori Learning Experience B
Choose one of:
- CLSY500 Culture and Society
- CRIM580 Criminology and Criminal Justice
- HIST500 Introduction to New Zealand History
- HIST501 The Holocaust: Its Causes, Character, and Legacy
- HIST503 Ka Whawhai Tonu Mātou: Struggle and Resistance in Aotearoa and South Africa
- PSYC580 Introduction to Psychology A
- SOSC582 Social Thinking
- SOSC583 Social Institutions
Knowledge and Inquiry
Choose one of:
New Zealand Sign Language and Deaf Studies courses
Level 5 courses
Complete two of:
- NZSL502 Deaf Community and Culture I
- NZSL510 New Zealand Sign Language I
- NZSL520 New Zealand Sign Language II
Level 6 courses
Complete three of:
- NZSL600 New Zealand Sign Language Discourse
- NZSL602 Deaf Community and Culture II
- NZSL610 New Zealand Sign Language III
- NZSL620 New Zealand Sign Language IV
- CLSY601 Intercultural Competence in a Global World
Level 7 courses
Complete three of:
- NZSL700 Special Topic (Deaf Studies)
- NZSL702 Current Issues in the Deaf World
- NZSL703 Comparative Analysis of English and NZSL
- NZSL710 New Zealand Sign Language V
- SOSC787 Diversity, Power and Discrimination
Workplace experience
Workplace experience (the Work Integrated Learning course) is the final part of your degree and takes a full semester. This is a supervised work placement related to your major(s), for an organisation of your choice.
Recent placements included:
- Auckland Deaf Society
- Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New Zealand
- SignDNA
Professionals working with Deaf clients, colleagues, students, as well as any customer-facing profession. For example:
- Teachers
- Health professionals
- Health educators
- Event managers
- Hospitality professionals
- Disability service coordinators
- Social workers
- Lawyers
- Any area of work where you might meet Deaf people
Industry organisations that recognise this programme
- Sign Language Interpreting Association of New Zealand
- New Zealand Society of Translators and Interpreters
- Interpreter booking agencies New Zealand-wide
- Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand
- Tertiary Education Institutions New Zealand-wide
- Ko Taku Reo Deaf Education New Zealand
Find out more about industry trends, job descriptions and what employers may be looking for.
Other majors in the Bachelor of Arts
- Chinese Studies
- Conflict Resolution
- Creative Writing
- Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Culinary Arts
- Economics
- Education
- English and New Media Studies
- Event Management
- History
- International Studies
- Interpreting
- Japanese Studies
- Māori Development
- Māori Media
- New Zealand Sign Language - English Interpreting
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
- Many opportunities to practise your skills with the Deaf community
- Only major of its kind
- Include courses from different disciplines
- Workplace experience in your final semester
- Passionate about working with the Deaf community
- Interested in people
- A communicator
- Enjoying challenges
The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.