Deaf Education Master of Science Degree

As a graduate student in the program, you will have small class sizes, one-to-one discussions, and advisement with faculty that allow you to build your strengths and develop your skills.

RIT’s Deaf Education Degree

Course work requires a minimum of five semesters. A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 must be maintained. Before graduation, students are expected to be able to communicate in American Sign Language (ASL) at or above the Intermediate Plus level as determined by a Sign Language Proficiency Interview.

New York state requires 70 full days of student teaching to become eligible for your Initial NYS Teaching Certification. This student teaching component is part of the program's course work. Students can participate in traditional or on-the-job placements. The program collaborates with schools and programs of the deaf to establish placements. Student teachers are supported by a cooperating/mentor teacher and at least one program faculty member (university supervisor) through the entirety of student teaching. Placements are arranged by the Program Coordinator and Coordinator of Clinical Experience.

Degree Completion and Teacher Certification

When you complete the program, you will:

• Earn a master of science degree in deaf education
• Be eligible for initial teaching certification from New York State (NYS) in the education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing, grades Pre-K-12
• Be eligible for initial NYS certification to teach in an academic subject area at the secondary (grades 7-12) school level, also referred to as dual certification, alongside the certification to teach Pre-K through 12th grade deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Subject areas include biology, chemistry, earth science, English, math, physics, social studies, or American Sign Language. To qualify, students must have completed a sufficient number of university-level semester credit hours as set by NYS for each subject area. Students who have not earned the required number of hours as part of their previous or current studies must complete the additional credits before applying for the NYS grades 7-12 certification.
• Be eligible for initial certification from Council on Education of the Deaf

To be eligible for initial NYS teaching certification, you must:

• Complete the Educating All Students (EAS) exam.
• Complete the Content Specialty Test (CST), Deaf and Hard of Hearing exam
• Only for students pursuing dual certification: Complete the Content Specialty Test (CST) in the academic subject area for which you wish to become certified to teach.
• Complete the Deaf Education Teacher Performance Assessment (DETPA) during student teaching
• Complete four NYS workshops: School Violence Prevention and Intervention (SAVE), Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), Needs of Children with Autism, and Child Abuse Identification and Reporting
• Complete NYS certification fingerprinting

Is the RIT/NTID’s Deaf Education Degree right for you?

How do you know if the MS degree in secondary education is the right program for you? Use the following questions to assess your interest in the education field and in teaching students who are deaf and hard of hearing:

• Do you want to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students?
• Do you want to teach in a variety of Pre-K-12 mainstream and residential/center school settings?
• Do you want an option to teach ASL, math, science, social studies, or English and respond to the need for more high school teachers?
• Do you want to teach in a variety of K-12 mainstream and residential/center school settings?
• Are you fascinated by the cognitive, cultural, and language characteristics of deaf and hard-of-hearing students?
• Are you looking for personal attention and advisement from faculty and staff who are leaders in the field?
• Would you like to learn, live and work on a campus designed for collaboration between deaf and hearing students?
• Do you want training in evidence-based instructional approaches?

Why choose RIT/NTID’s Deaf Education Degree 

With the pressing need for more deaf education teachers, especially in secondary education, the strong foundation RIT provides in these areas creates an exceptional environment for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students to pursue a teaching degree. RIT/NTID's deaf education degree offers the following advantages:

• Personal attention from program faculty members with 1-1 faculty mentoring.
• One additional year of 1-1 faculty mentoring after graduation to provide support with your first year of teaching.
• Dual certification in a secondary school content area in grades 7-12 for students who are hearing or deaf as well as in deaf education for grades Pre-K through 12.
• Strong faculty with expertise in pedagogy, language development, teaching and curriculum, speech development, research, educational technology, youth and adolescent development, student advisement and placement, and educational issues.
• Variety of student-teaching placement options.
• Access to a wide array of research materials.
• Extensive library resources on the education of students who are deaf or hard of hearing, Deaf culture, sign language, and curriculum materials.
• Thorough and thoughtful personal advising.
• Close proximity to schools for deaf students and mainstream programs.
• A vibrant Deaf community in Rochester, N.Y.
• Seminars and workshops focused on contemporary educational and cultural topics.
• Immersion in American Sign Language.
• Collaboration with faculty, staff members, and students.