Deaf & Hard of Hearing Master's Program
Become a highly skilled educator prepared to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH).
Our Master’s in Special Education (M.Ed.) with a Special Education license and DHH endorsement prepares educators to support the communication, academic, social, and emotional development of children from birth through age 21. Students gain hands-on experience in a variety of educational settings and develop expertise in multiple communication modalities, including spoken language and American Sign Language (ASL). Graduates leave confident, well-prepared, and ready to lead in the field of deaf education.
The program offers two tracks: Birth to Age 5, which focuses on early intervention and preschool education, and Kindergarten to Age 21, which prepares teachers to work in a variety of school-based settings. Individuals who already have a Special Education license may pursue the DHH Endorsement only.
Program Highlights:
- Fully Remote – Designed for Working Professionals – Coursework is delivered through a combination of flexible asynchronous learning and live evening Zoom classes, making it possible to balance work, family, and graduate school.
- Nationally Accessible & Cost-Competitive – Students across the U.S. qualify for resident tuition rates, significantly reducing overall program cost. This makes our program one of the more financially accessible DHH preparation options nationwide.
- Real-World Preparation – Gain practical, hands-on experience in diverse educational settings and graduate ready to meet the complex needs of children who are DHH across communication approaches and age ranges.
Learn More:
Have questions or want to explore whether this program is the right fit?
Contact Nicole Pilling at nicole.pilling@utah.edu
Project ASSIST Grant
Project ASSIST will provide financial support to students pursuing a graduate degree and teacher license in speical education (DHH K-12 program). Project ASSIST aims to reduce the critical shortage of deaf educators and educational audiologists.
Choose From Two Tracks
BIRTH - 5
Candidates prepare to serve children, ages birth through five, in home-based and preschool settings.
K - 12
Candidates prepare to work in specialized classrooms or inclusive/itinerant settings with students from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
- M.Ed. with a License (K-12)
- M.S. with a License (K-12)
- M.Ed. with a License Preschool and Early Intervention (Birth-5)
M.Ed. K-12 with a License Course Requirements
50 total credit hours
Teacher Education Core (9 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 6022 |
Principles of Instruction & Behavior Support | 3 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
|
SP ED 6040 |
Legal & Policy Foundations of Special Education |
3 | Spring, Summer |
|
ED PS 6315 |
Reading Methods I: K-6 (Upper Division Communication/Writing Requirement) May be taken after or concurrently with EDU 6314 OR EDU 6316 |
3 | Contact Department |
Specialization in Deaf and Hard of Hearing (34-36 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 6510 |
Orientation to Education of Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing | 2 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6520 |
Audiology and Listening Technology for Teachers of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing | 3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6521 |
Speech Acoustics for Teachers of Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing | 3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6522 |
Linguistics of American Sign Language | 1 | Summer |
|
SP ED 6508 |
Descriptive Grammar for Teachers of Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
1 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6530 |
Teaching Speech and Listening Using Auditory Verbal Strategies |
4 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6540 |
Teaching Spoken Language to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: Birth-School Age |
4 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6550 |
ASL/English Instructional Strategies |
4 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6560 |
Effective Practices: Instructional Strategies for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6565 |
Educational Programming for Sgtudents who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
2 | Summer |
|
SP ED 6555 |
Reading for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
2 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6600 |
Student Teaching: Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (5-21) |
5-7 | Spring |
Advanced Graduate Core (5 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 6054 |
Professional Writing in Education | 2 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
|
SP ED 6610 |
Introduction to Research Design | 3 | Summer |
M.S. K-12 with a License Course Requirements
48-50total credit hours
Teacher Education Core (9 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 6022 |
Principles of Instruction & Behavior Support | 3 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
|
SP ED 6040 |
Legal and Policy Issues |
3 | Spring, Summer |
|
SP ED 6315 |
Reading Methods I: K-6 (Upper Division Communication/Writing Requirement May be taken after or concurrently with EDU 6314 or EDU 6316 |
3 |
Contact Department |
Specialization in Deaf and Hard of Hearing (34-36 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 6510 |
Orientation to Education of Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing | 2 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6520 |
Audiology and Listening Technology for Teachres of Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing | 3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6521 |
Speech Acoustics for Teachers of Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing | 3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6522 |
Linguistics of American Sign Language | 1 | Summer |
|
SP ED 6508 |
Description Grammar for Teachers of Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
1 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6530 |
Teaching Speech and Listening Using Auditory Verbal Strategies |
4 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6540 |
Teaching Spoken Language to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: Birth-School Age |
4 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6550 |
ASL/English Instructional Strategies |
4 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6560 |
Effective Practices: Instructional Strategies for Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6565 |
Educational Programming for Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
2 | Summer |
|
SP ED 6600 |
Student Teaching: Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (5-21)2 |
5-7 | Spring |
Advanced Graduate Core (5 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 6054 |
Professional Writing in Education | 2 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
|
SP ED 6610 |
Introduction to Research Methods | 3 | Summer |
M.Ed. Birth-5 with Endorsement Course Requirements
79total credit hours
Teacher Education Core (9 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 6022 |
Principles of Instruction & Behavior Support |
3 |
Fall, Spring, Summer |
|
SP ED 6040 |
Legal & Policy Foundations of Special Educatiom |
3 |
Spring, Summer |
|
ED PS 6315 |
Reading Methods I: K-6 Foundational Skills, Phonics, Word Study & Fleuncy |
3 |
Contact Department |
Specialization in Deaf and Hard of Hearing (33 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 6510 |
Orientation of Teaching Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
2 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6520 |
Audiology and Listening Technology for Teachers of Students Who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
3 |
Fall |
|
SP ED 6521 |
Speech Acoustics for Teachers of Children Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6522 |
Linguistics of American Sign Language | 1 | Summer |
|
SP ED 6508 |
Descriptive Grammar for Teachers of Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing |
1 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6530 |
Teaching Speech and Listening Usisng Auditory Verbal Strategies |
4 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6540 |
Teaching Spoken Language to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: Birth - School Age |
4 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6550 |
ASL/English Instructional Strategies | 4 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6565 |
Educational Programming & Instruction for Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing | 2 | Summer |
|
SP ED 6560 |
Effective Practices: Instructional Strategies for Students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing | 3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6800 |
Student Teaching: Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Birth-5) May possibly be concurrent with SP ED 6390 and/or 6400 if all coursework is complete |
6 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
Specialization in Preschool Special Education (32 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 5260 |
Transdisciplinary Approaches for Students with Severe Disabilities |
3 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6310 |
Curriculum and Programming for Preschool Children with Developmental Delays |
3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6320 |
Communication, Social and Play Development and Intervention in Early Childhood |
3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6330 |
Field Studies I: Early Childhood |
4 | Fall, Spring |
|
SP ED 6340 |
Individualizing for Diverse Learning Needs |
3 | Fall |
|
SP ED 6350 |
Collaborative Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers with Developmental Delays |
3 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6360 |
Supporting Young Children with Developmental Delays in Natural Environments |
3 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6370 |
Early Childhood Seminar |
2 | Spring |
|
SP ED 6390 |
Student Teaching: Early Intervention |
4 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
|
SP ED 6400 |
Student Teaching: Preschool |
4 | Fall, Spring |
Advanced Graduate Core (5 credit hours)
| Number | Course Name | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SP ED 6054 |
Professional Writing in Education | 2 | Fall, Spring, Summer |
|
SP ED 6610 |
Introduction to Research Design | 3 | Summer |
