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Studies & Degrees in Deaf Studies

Deaf studies is the study of Deaf people as a linguistic and cultural community. It covers a sign language, the history and education of Deaf people, Deaf literature and art, and the social and political questions the community faces. The field treats deafness as more than a medical condition. Boston University describes the aim as reframing the view of Deaf people from a pathological standpoint to that of a sociocultural and linguistic minority.

Language learning is the core. In the United States that language is American Sign Language (ASL), and programmes expect real fluency. The BS in Deaf Studies at Boston University, for example, required a rating of intermediate or better on the Sign Language Proficiency Interview (SLPI) scale. Around the language come courses in linguistics, comparing ASL and English, bilingual education, and field placements in Deaf organisations. Each country has its own sign language, so a programme abroad teaches the sign language of that country.

Qualifications and levels

  • Associate degree and certificate. US community colleges offer two-year associate degrees. UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ has an American Sign Language and Deaf Studies A.S. for students without a degree and a certificate for those who already hold an associate degree or higher. Both can be taken full time or part time, in the day or evening, and prepare for entry-level positions or for transfer to a four-year degree.
  • Bachelor's degree. A four-year degree in Deaf studies, ASL or sign language interpreting. At Idaho State University, students complete the Sign Language Studies programme in Pocatello with an Associate of Science and can then apply for the Bachelor of Science in Sign Language Interpreting, taught on the Meridian campus.
  • Master's degree. Usually aimed at teaching. The Master of Education of the Deaf (MDE) at Vanderbilt University is a one to two-year programme that starts each fall and trains teachers through audiology, speech-language pathology and deaf education. The EdM in Deaf Education at Boston University has licensure tracks that typically take two years full time and lead to an initial Massachusetts teaching licence in Deaf Education (PreK-12), and a research, leadership and advocacy pathway that can be completed in one academic year and does not lead to a licence.

Programmes change. Boston University states that since fall 2022 new undergraduates are admitted to its BS in Education & Human Development and no longer to the BS in Deaf Studies, so check which degree a school currently admits to.

Where to study Deaf studies

SpainExchange lists 6 active schools for this subject: five in the United States and one in Russia. The US schools are Boston University, Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Idaho State University, UCNJ Union College of Union County in New Jersey and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The school in Russia is Rostov State Medical University, a medical university; ask it which programmes relate to deafness.

In the United States teaching is in English and ASL. International students need English for admission and should expect to learn ASL from the first semester. UCNJ notes that Deaf and hard of hearing students are encouraged to take part in its programme.

Careers

Graduates work as sign language interpreters, teachers of deaf children, and staff of social services, advocacy organisations and Deaf community agencies. Some continue to audiology, speech-language pathology, linguistics or social work.

Interpreting is the most regulated route. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics states that interpreters and translators typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and that sign language interpreters must be fluent in English and ASL. It projects that employment of interpreters and translators as a whole will grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than the average for all occupations, with about 6,000 openings a year. The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) certifies interpreters: the National Interpreter Certification is for hearing interpreters and the Certified Deaf Interpreter credential for interpreters who are deaf or hard of hearing. Teaching in public schools requires a state teaching licence.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know sign language before I start?

Usually not. Programmes teach the language from the beginning, but they expect fluency by the end. Check each school's entry conditions: the certificate at UCNJ, for example, requires two pre-entry-level semesters first.

Is Deaf studies the same as sign language interpreting?

No. Deaf studies covers language, culture, history and education. Interpreting is a professional training built on fluent ASL and English, often as a separate bachelor's degree, as at Idaho State University.

How long does a Deaf studies qualification take?

An associate degree normally takes two years and a bachelor's degree four. The master's programmes for teachers at Vanderbilt University and Boston University take one to two years.

Can I use ASL outside the United States?

Only partly. Sign languages differ by country, so work in another country normally requires learning its national sign language.