Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing (M.S.)
The graduate program in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing is offered through the Department of Exceptionality Programs. Prospective classroom teachers and itinerant teachers of the deaf/hard of hearing are provided a variety of courses to prepare them for working with individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing. Coursework furnishes conceptual as well as experiential background in the areas of academic teaching, speech-language therapy, communication, psycho-social development and curriculum and instruction. Depending on undergraduate major, students are prepared to work with preschool, elementary, secondary or multi-handicapped individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing.
In practica courses, students are provided the opportunity to work with individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing in one-to-one and group situations. Various sites throughout the northeast region are offered for practicum experience. These sites are chosen according to the needs of the student intern. These practica provide a classroom as well as an itinerant experience with students who are deaf/hard of hearing.
The education of the deaf/hard of hearing program does not advocate any single method of working with students with a hearing loss. Rather, persons with a hearing loss are viewed as individuals with varying needs. Prospective classroom teachers are afforded a background in all methods of instruction so as to prepare them to work with persons who are deaf/hard of hearing in a variety of educational settings.