Bilingual Bicultural Teacher Preparation Track

The program in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is accredited by the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) and is also approved by the Utah State Office of Education. Students completing this program may be licensed by the Utah State Office of Education as teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing and they also meet the requirements for licensure by CED. Students who complete the curriculum are prepared to provide services as teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing in any setting in which such services are provided.

It is recommended that students applying to the teacher preparation program already hold or be eligible for a teaching license in elementary education, special education, or a secondary education subject area.

This will allow students to have dual certification upon completion of the Deaf Education graduate program. Students may, however, be admitted to the graduate program without a teaching license, and upon completion of the MEd will be eligible for CED certification and State of Utah licensure in Deaf Education only.

Bilingual Bicultural Early Intervention Track

This early intervention graduate program is for students wishing to work with families who have deaf children who are between birth and 3 years of age. It is preferred for students to have completed the necessary background in Early Childhood and Family, Consumer, and Human Development (FCHD) with a Deaf Education Emphasis. However, students who have a bachelor’s degree in special education, early childhood education, education of the deaf, or a related field can also apply for this program.

This track prepares students to help families make communication methodology choices that are appropriate for the child and family, while working with children and families using whatever communication methods are most appropriate for them. If the family choice is “Bi-Bi” (Bilingual-Bicultural), this track provides training in this area. The most fundamental aspects of Bi-Bi Early Intervention Programming are: (1) early accessible communication, (2) providing language for the child in the mode that is completely accessible to the child (vision, e.g., American Sign Language) while also helping the child optimize his or her auditory and spoken language potentials, (3) helping the child and family fully participate and feel comfortable in both the deaf and hearing worlds, and (4) preparing highly trained and highly qualified early intervention professionals who can provide resources and information to any and all families who have a child with a hearing loss. Early Intervention specialists (i.e., parent advisors) graduating from this program do not specialize in or promote only American Sign Language or only an auditory/spoken form of communication. Graduates understand the benefit of all communication choices and have a balanced program that provides them with the training necessary to serve all families, regardless of communication choice.

Listening and Spoken Language Track

This family-centered early intervention program is for graduate students who wish to work with young children with hearing loss who are developing listening and spoken language skills.  Today, with universal newborn hearing screening, early diagnosis, fitting of advanced hearing technology (e.g., digital hearing aids, cochlear implants), and enrollment in early intervention and preschool programs, most children with hearing loss can use spoken language for communication.  Graduate students in this emphasis complete specialized coursework to earn a Master of Education (MEd) degree to obtain depth and expertise in working with children and families, with the goal of helping children with hearing loss succeed in mainstream educational placement and experience full integration with their hearing peers.  Graduate students also complete coursework in partnership with the Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation to complete the requirements for the Early Childhood Special Education 0-5 Teaching License and Hearing Impairment Endorsement, issued by the Utah State Office of Education.   In this unique program, graduate students gain hands-on practicum experiences in every semester of their graduate program for all aspects of services provided to children from birth to Kindergarten.  As an interdisciplinary program, graduate students also gain theoretical knowledge and practical experience in audiology and speech/language pathology services.