Mar 28, 2024  
2010-2011 General Catalog 
    
2010-2011 General Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: To search archives, MUST use search box to left. Current catalog: catalog.usu.edu.

Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education, MEd


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Master’s Degrees


Generally, all students will complete the requirements as specified below. In some instances students will have had some of the coursework required in the graduate curriculum as part of the undergraduate training at another institution. In those cases, the program will be individualized to meet national licensure through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) and state educational licensure from the State of Utah. In no instance will students amass fewer than 36 graduate credits.

At the end of their programs, all graduate students must successfully complete a Plan A thesis, Plan B project, or Plan C comprehensive examination. All Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology graduate students must take the ASHA national exam (NESPA). When they register, they must list USU as a recipient of their examination scores. Before a letter of completion will be sent to the School of Graduate Studies, students must also provide the department with written proof that they have registered for the exam.

Speech-Language Pathology


The program in speech-language pathology is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The Utah State Office of Education has also approved the program. Students completing the master’s curriculum are eligible for certification from ASHA and licensure from the State of Utah Board of Education. Additionally, these students will have met the academic and practicum requirements for professional licensure from the State of Utah. Upon graduation, students are prepared for employment in both educational and health care settings, where qualified providers of diagnostic and treatment services for individuals with communicative disorders are needed.

Course Requirements


Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing


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.

The following courses or their equivalent are required for all students seeking the MEd in education of the deaf and hard of hearing:


Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing— 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.

Note:

In addition to the above requirements, students who have a bachelor’s degree from Utah State University in an area other than FCHD with the Deaf Education emphasis may need to complete necessary prerequisite courses for this program.

In order to earn an MEd degree from the Deaf Education Early Intervention Program, the student must complete a practicum in a parent infant program and also pass a comprehensive written and oral examination. The candidate must also demonstrate the ability to work with families of infants and young children who are deaf and/or hard of hearing, using appropriate communication methods for the children and their families.

1 Students live out-of-state on the campus of a quality bilingual bicultural school for deaf children. Student teachers have experience teaching with certified, qualified bilingual teachers, and are immersed in the language and culture of the deaf community, deaf children, and deaf professionals. Student teachers not only have classroom teaching experience, but also have the opportunity to assist with extracurricular activities, such as school plays, sports, tutoring, field trips, and recreational activities provided after school for the deaf children.

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