Gallaudet: Department of Education 3.38

Undergraduate Programs:
The Department of Education offers seven undergraduate teacher preparation programs: early childhood education (ECE), elementary education, secondary Biology education, secondary English education, secondary mathematics education, secondary social studies education, and K-12 physical education. Each of these programs lead to recommendation for licensure in the District of Columbia, with interstate reciprocity in a number of states.

Licensure in general education (i.e., ECE, Elementary, and Secondary Education) is required by many programs prior to study at the graduate level in fields such as education of deaf students and other areas of special education. Students who graduate from an Undergraduate Education program who are interested in licensure in Deaf Education may be eligible for the Masters of Arts in Deaf Education. This program requires one year and one summer of courses, and an on-the-job internship.

Graduate Programs
The department today offers graduate and postgraduate programs to prepare professional personnel to work with all ages of deaf and hard of hearing children in various kinds of educational programs and settings. Programs are designed to meet students' individual needs and interests and are open to hearing, deaf, and hard of hearing individuals.

Both coursework and practicum experiences are important preparation components. All programs involve exposure to professional organizations, agencies, and educational facilities related to the education of deaf and hard of hearing students, and provide for involvement in schools and classes. The department strongly recommends that students have both a car and a computer in order to benefit fully from course work and field experiences.

Certificate Programs
There are two certificate programs. The Certificate in Education of Disabled Children is an online certificate program. The Certificate in Bilingual Education is a hybrid, with the majority of classes being offered online, and two weeks during the summer are required on campus.