Master of Science in Education of the Deaf
TWU’s Education of the Deaf Teacher Preparation Program prepares excellent, diverse teachers of the deaf with broad knowledge and skills for promoting equity; accessibility; and strong social, linguistic, and academic outcomes among students who are deaf/hard of hearing. Graduate students are guided and mentored with authentic, practice-based coursework focusing on communication, language, and content information for students who are deaf/hard of hearing in a variety of instructional settings.
Graduates of the program are prepared to take and pass state and national exams required for teacher certification. The expertise and varied professional backgrounds of our experienced educators of the deaf faculty drive this unique online program. The 30-hour degree plan includes coursework offered fully online, supported by diverse field-based learning experiences with students who are deaf/hard of hearing. Additional information can be found on the M.S. in Education of the Deaf website.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Formulate and produce professional-level proficiency in spoken, written, and manual communication with diverse audiences focusing on various issues in educating children who are deaf/hard of hearing.
- Evaluate the complexities of language and literacy needs of linguistically and culturally diverse children who are deaf/hard of hearing.
- Implement instructional strategies to address the language and literacy needs of linguistically and culturally diverse children who are deaf/hard of hearing.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
This academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Degree Requirements
Program Requirements
- Successful completion of a minimum of 30-33 semester credit hours. Students without current Texas teacher certification will be required to complete additional coursework in order to obtain Texas teacher certification.
- Sign proficiency is necessary for successful completion of graduate-level course experiences.
- Successful completion of a summative program assessment.
- Completion of a practicum experience.
Additional information can be found on the M.S. in Education of the Deaf website.
Retention Requirements
Students must earn a B or higher in all graduate courses on their degree plan to be retained in the graduate program. A student who receives a grade of C or lower in a graduate course must retake the course in order to successfully complete the master's program. Any student who receives a second grade of C or lower will require the approval of their graduate committee to remain in the program. Students must always maintain professional and academic integrity and must abide by the university, college, and department codes of ethics/conduct and policies and procedures while in the program.
Total Semester Credit Hours Required
30-33 semester credit hours (SCH).
Plus any required certification hours (additional 12 SCH in EDUC if not teacher certified, as noted below). Students must be accepted by the Department of Teacher Education if pursuing initial teacher certification.
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| COMS 5083 | Differentiating Communication Across Deaf Education Settings | 3 |
| COMS 5093 | History, Policies and Trends in Deaf Education | 3 |
| COMS 5103 | Educational Audiology and Listening Supports | 3 |
| COMS 5133 | Families and Young Children in Deaf Education | 3 |
| COMS 5143 | Classroom Assessment and Access to Print Literacy in Deaf Education | 3 |
| COMS 5193 | Instructional Processes and Facilitating Language in Deaf Education | 3 |
| COMS 5303 | Differentiating Instruction Across Deaf Education Settings | 3 |
| COMS 5663 | Strategies for Supporting Language Development in Deaf Education | 3 |
| COMS 5783 | Graduate Field Experience in Deaf Education | 3 |
| Choose one of the following | 3-6 | |
| Instructional Practicum in Deaf Education | ||
| Instructional Internship in Deaf Education | ||
| Professional Practicum | ||
| Total SCHs | 30-33 | |
Initial Teacher Certification Requirements
Students seeking initial Texas teaching certification concurrently with the Master’s in Education of the Deaf must apply and be accepted by the Department of Teacher Education and will also need to meet requirements according to the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC). (Note: TWU does not offer teacher certification or EDUC field experiences to students outside of Texas. While out-of-state students may pursue the master's degree in Education of the Deaf and complete the COMS practicum experience required for degree completion, such students must earn teacher certification within their home states.)
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 5113 | Foundations of Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| EDUC 5123 | Learning Theory, Development, and Research | 3 |
| EDUC 5133 | Assessment and Instructional Design and Delivery for Diverse Learners | 3 |
| EDUC 5143 | Effective Design and Management of the Classroom Environment (EC-12) | 3 |
| Total SCHs | 12 | |
