Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, MA

Master of Arts Program in Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The Master of Arts Program in Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing is based on our belief that effective teaching settings require knowledge of specialized curriculum, barrier-free communication, specific methodologies for an increasingly diverse population of students, and a respect for Deaf Culture and parental input regardless of the child’s educational placement and linguistic preferences. For this reason, course offerings focus on Bilingual, Bimodal, and Bicultural options for all children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (D/HH) including those with additional physical and learning disabilities. Specific emphasis is given to the instructional skills necessary to successfully teach students who demonstrate a mix of communication and linguistic characteristics but are placed in a single class or caseload. Courses will be offered through distance learning as well as a single summer residency required for all students. The intention of the hours completed in summer residence is to provide an opportunity for practicing teachers in low incidence programs to take advantage of needed coursework, to become part of a community of learners, and to access support services they may need to successfully complete their program. Providing this broader educational experience for our students insures that they continue to be current in the use of evidence-based practices that can be applied in all educational environments.

The core of the Master of Arts Program in Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing is comprised of 10 courses for a total of 30 hours. In addition to the core, the program offers two endorsement areas: Teaching American Sign Language in the Public Schools and Teaching Students with Severe and Profound Disabilities. These endorsements provide practicing teachers, graduates of Flagler’s undergraduate program, and individuals pursuing additional endorsements but not wishing to matriculate in the Master of Arts Program, the opportunity to satisfy their professional growth needs. Students will be expected to complete practicum requirements as a component of methods courses included in their program. The Master of Arts core program is comprised of 9 courses, or 27 hours of coursework, and one semester of thesis work. Endorsements are typically defined by 5 specific courses and, must adhere to the educational standards of the state of Florida. Full time students should matriculate in the fall semester; part time students may begin any semester.

Because students come to this program with different skill levels in American Sign Language (ASL), educational backgrounds, and different professional goals, a menu of courses will be available to them to support their individual studies. Courses are eight week intensive terms with two sessions offered each semester. The educational backgrounds of some students may require they take additional coursework to fully benefit from the program. For example, if students are admitted to the program with marginal American Sign Language skills, they would be expected to take additional ASL courses and/or pursue additional training opportunities.

Mission

The Master of Arts Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Flagler College is committed to excellence within the discipline of deaf studies and education by providing quality graduate instruction in pedagogy that is culturally and linguistically accessible to empower deaf students and the deaf community.

Vision

The graduate Deaf Education program at Flagler College aims to develop high quality teachers and related service providers who work with deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) students and seeks to develop competencies to the highest level for professionals who will become lifelong learners, engaged in continuous improvement of their teaching and related service knowledge and skills to positively impact their students, clients, and professional colleagues and ensure equal opportunity of learning for all students with hearing loss.

Philosophy and Practice

knowledge of curriculum and instruction in both regular and special education classrooms. To this end, the program focuses on bilingual/bicultural programming, auditory/oral programming, and instruction of children who are deaf and hard of hearing but also experience additional physical and learning disabilities. The Master’s program in education of the D/HH at Flagler College is committed to preparing qualified educators to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. Please note, this is NOT an initial certification program.

Courses will be taught through distance learning with a single summer residence required for all degree seeking students.

Admission Policies

Students may enter the graduate program as either degree seeking students (pursuing a MA degree) or as non-degree seeking students (pursuing courses for certification, endorsements, and/or professional development).

Flagler College undergraduate students who wish to pursue the master’s degree

Students who are enrolled in Flagler as undergraduate education of the D/HH majors are eligible to enroll in up to four courses which may apply to their master’s degree. These four courses have differentiated outcomes for graduate students and undergraduate students and are available to students who meet the prerequisites for each class and who have a 3.0 GPA. Candidates who wish to enroll as graduate students in these courses must complete graduate requirements as presented in the syllabus and earn a 3.0 or higher in each course.

These courses are:

• EDD 473/562 - Methods of Instruction for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
    
• EDD 470/560 - Methods of Teaching Language to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
    
• EDD 476/567 - Curriculum Development for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
    
• EDD 548 - ASL in the Classroom Setting
    

Flagler College students should submit applications the fall of their senior year if they wish to take cross listed courses. Applications should include:

1. A complete transcript of undergraduate work with evidence of GPA of 3.0.
2. A letter of recommendation from a current Flagler faculty member.
3. A personal Statement of no more than two pages, typed in a professional 12- point font, explaining their goals in pursuing the advanced degree.
4. Completion of the graduate school application which may be found online through MyFlagler.edu.

They are notified of an admission decision prior to December and, if accepted, begin the program after receiving their baccalaureate degree from Flagler. Like freshman applicants to Flagler, they are required to have a combined score (Critical Reading plus Mathematics) of at least 1010 on a single administration of the SAT or a composite score of at least 21 on the ACT to gain entry to their original undergraduate program.

For candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in education of the D/HH or a related field:

1. A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution. Applicants must submit an official transcript from the institution from which they earned their degree.
2. GPA of 3.0 for the final 60 hours of coursework.
3. A personal statement of no more than two pages, typed in a professional 12-point font, addressing the following topics:
   1. The qualities the applicant feels they possess which would support their success in the Master of Arts Degree and/or the Endorsement programs.
   2. The goals the applicant has for their studies in the program.
4. A current resume.
5. Access to a working environment with children who are deaf/hard of hearing.
6. Three letters of recommendation (One of these letters must be from the applicant’s current supervisor).
7. An American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI) score of 2.5*.
8. Completion of the Graduate application which may be found online at MyFlagler.edu.

* All students applying to the master’s program are required to sit for the American Sign Language Proficiency Interview and score level 2.5 in order to be admitted to the program. Information concerning this instrument, scheduling and preparation may be found at http://www.gallaudet.edu/asl-diagnostic-and-evaluation-services/aslpi

Students who do not demonstrate acceptable proficiency are expected to enroll in additional coursework separate from the program curriculum to reach acceptable proficiency at an additional cost to the student. Information regarding the scheduling of the ASLPI may be found online through the following link: http://www.gallaudet.edu/asl-diagnostic-and-evaluation-services/aslpi

For non-degree seeking students:

1. Completion of an application form.
2. Official transcript.
3. Students wishing to receive an endorsement in Teaching ASL in the Public Schools also must provide evidence of an ASLPI score of 2.5. More information may be found at MyFlagler.edu.

Acceptance of Academic Credit

• A maximum of 9 credits of high-quality graduate work done at a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an officially recognized degree-granting international institution may be applied toward the requirements for a master’s or doctoral degree. However, credits earned to complete a previous master’s degree elsewhere may not be applied to the Flagler graduate degree. All hours must be completed prior to enrolling in the Flagler master’s program.
• Approval to apply any transferred credits toward a degree program must be granted by the student’s academic adviser, the program director, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
• Transfer credits must meet the following criteria:
  • Must have been earned at a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an officially recognized degree-granting international institution;
  • Must be of “A” or “B” grade value (“B-” grades are not acceptable; pass-fail grades are not transferable unless substantiated by the former institution as having at least “B” quality);
  • Must appear on an official graduate transcript;
  • Must be earned within the five years prior to the date of registration to the degree program at Flagler.
• If transferring credits from a university/college that is on quarter hours, quarter hours are converted to semester hours by multiplying the number of quarter hours by two-thirds.

The Master’s Program

The proposed master’s degree in Education of the D/HH is comprised of 10 courses for a total of 30 hours (three hours of which are devoted to the development of a research project). Students enrolling in the Master’s Program should be aware that in order to graduate with a Master’s Degree, the program requires all grades to be a B (3.0) or better. Courses are offered through the CANVAS INSTRUCTURE learning management system. A course demonstration site is available at https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-3486. Upon enrolling in the program, students receive training in this tool.

In addition to the core, the program offers two endorsement areas:

• Teaching American Sign Language in the Public School
• Severe and Profound Disabilities

Core Requirements of the MA Program