About & FAQ
Founded in 1906, Deaf & Hard of Hearing Education Program at Teachers College is one of the oldest deaf education programs in the country. Based on the belief that communication is a human right, our program prepares educators to partner with families in building a strong language foundation—whether spoken or signed–for children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Through interdisciplinary study in speech and hearing science, literacy, psychology, linguistics, and child development, our graduates are trained to meet the language and academic needs of deaf and hard of hearing children in a wide range of settings. Our comprehensive program provides advanced study across the continuum of language and communication modalities, including American Sign Language, listening and spoken language, and Cued Speech/Language.
Frequently Asked Questions
Deaf and hard of hearing education focuses on language acquisition and the development of academic, self-advocacy, and social-emotional skills for children with mild to profound hearing loss. Programs and services for deaf and hard of hearing children use a variety of approaches to language and communication, including listening and spoken language using hearing technology and visual language using American Sign Language. Our program includes coursework in all communication modalities, preparing our graduates to meet the language needs of individual children and families.
Our master’s program accepts students with many undergraduate backgrounds, including communication sciences and disorders, education, and psychology. While some experience with language development or education is helpful, it is not required. Some of our best students have come from fields as diverse as law and the arts! We look for applicants who have a passion for serving deaf children and their families. Our intensive program of study provides the coursework and practical experience you will need to become a successful teacher of the deaf.
Deaf and hard of hearing education is a dynamic field with many different career opportunities. Our graduates lead classrooms, work one-on-one with students in mainstream schools, and support families of D/HH infants and toddlers through early intervention. Alumni of our program work at speech and hearing clinics, itinerant service agencies, school districts, and schools for the deaf. They collaborate with general educators, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and other professionals to provide interdisciplinary services.
Teachers of the deaf are in high demand in New York City and across the country. Graduates of our program have a 100% job placement rate!
We believe that research and practice should go hand in hand.
Our faculty is comprised of experienced educators, clinicians and researchers with direct connections to the field of deaf education in New York City and beyond. Their personal experiences as teachers, practitioners and scholars will enrich your participation in coursework, field placement and community involvement. We have an active research agenda and you will be invited to join a research team. Presentation at conferences, publications and active participation in campus and local deaf education related events is both encouraged and expected.