masters degree in deaf education

• Flagler Forward

Masters and Graduate Programs, Deaf Education

• Jump to a Section...

The Graduate Programs in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Flagler College provide comprehensive training and professional development to prepare and support teachers and related service providers working with students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HH).

You can enter the graduate program as either degree-seeking pursuing a Master’s or as non-degree seeking to pursue an endorsement or individual courses for professional development.

All of Flagler's master's courses are online except EDD 545 Practicum in Working with Deaf Students Who Are Deaf/Hard of Hearing . This summer Residency takes place at the Florida School for the Deaf in Saint Augustine for three weeks. That makes it easier to fit learning into a schedule that may already be filled with work and family responsibilities.

Contact Us      Apply Now

Choose Your Master's Track

Flagler offers three different Masters track options to suit your needs and lifestyle.  They include traditional, modified, and fast-track. Choose a button below to learn about each option.

Traditional Track      Modified Track      Fast Track

Masters Program Requirements

Program requirements.

Flagler College's Master of Arts—Education of the Deaf and Hard Hearing program at Flagler College is a fully accredited online program. We're committed to preparing qualified educators to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population of children who are deaf and hard of hearing. If you are seeking an undergraduate program in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, please click the button below.

Undergraduate Program  

The graduate program offers several master's options as well as endorsements. Read on for more information.

Endorsements for Florida Teachers

Teaching american sign language in public schools.

This program is a state-approved concentration leading to an endorsement for teaching American Sign Language as a foreign language requirement in the public schools. 

The endorsement includes six courses that focus on the skills and tools necessary to teach American Sign Language in public school settings. This is a non-reciprocal endorsement. We cannot guarantee that this curriculum will satisfy other states’ requirements for the Teaching American Sign Language in Public Schools endorsement. If you do not hold a Florida Teaching Certification, but still wish to take the courses, you may enroll in our Non-Degree Seeking option.

Application Requirements

• Graduate Application  ($50 application fee) 
• A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution. Applicants must submit an official transcript from every institution they have attended.
• GPA of 3.0 for all coursework completed.
• A copy of Florida teacher certification  or proof of eligibility.
• Letter of Intent:  Including a statement of purpose (between one and two pages) clearly describing your academic and (if relevant) professional background and your interest in teaching ASL.
• Evidence of Access to a working environment with students who are learning ASL.
• Two letters of recommendation:  One letter must be from an instructor familiar with the applicant's academic performance and potential or provide two letters from professional references.
• Demonstration of ASL Proficiency.pdf (93.76 KB)
• Fall Applications are due by August 1st.
• Spring Applications are due by December 1st.

Learn more by visiting the course catalog below, which includes the program plan and course requirements.

Course Catalog

Teaching Children with Severe and Profound Disabilities

This program is a state-approved concentration leading to an endorsement in teaching children with severe and profound disabilities. 

The endorsement includes four courses that focus on the changing population of children with disabilities and give teachers the skills to meet the needs of those with the most severe and profound disabilities. 

This is a non-reciprocal endorsement. We cannot guarantee that this curriculum will satisfy other states’ requirements for the Teaching Children with Severe and Profound Disabilities endorsement.

If you do not hold a Florida Teaching Certification but still wish to take the courses below, you may enroll in our Non-Degree-Seeking option.

• Letter of Intent:  Include a statement of purpose (between one and two pages) clearly describing your academic and (if relevant) professional background and interest in teaching children with severe and profound disabilities.
• Evidence of Access to a working environment with children with severe or profound disabilities.
• Two letters of recommendation:  One letter must be from an instructor familiar with the applicant's academic performance and potential, or two letters must be provided from professional references.

Learn more by visiting the course catalog below, including the program plan and course requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions, Tuition, Calendar and More

Do you offer graduate classes for non-degree-seeking students?

Yes. Reach out to your program director for more information.

Are all of the Master’s courses online?

Yes, all of the Master’s courses are online except EDD 545 Practicum in Working with Students who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing. The course is a three-week summer residence in St. Augustine, Florida.

When does the program start?

The Master’s Program begins in the fall and spring. Endorsement Programs and Non-Degree Courses begin in the fall and spring.

Does the program include a path to a teaching license or certification?

At this time, it does not.

What is the program's approach to American Sign Language (ASL) vs. Oral?

We are a very balanced program. Our goal is to support students in becoming high-quality teachers so that they are prepared to work in any educational setting with students using any communication modality.

What is the format like online? Is it more self-lead, have heavy teacher involvement, or both?

The online courses we offer are asynchronous. This means the content and assignments are ready to complete in your available time. Each class is eight weeks long, and instructors typically organize their courses into eight-week-long modules.  Instructors give students assignment deadlines. We expect you to interact with the course at least four days per week. Instructors can "meet" with students via email, video, or phone.

Are the Endorsement Programs applicable nationwide, or Florida only?

Both Endorsement Programs are designed for the state of Florida’s requirements. We recommend you contact your state’s Department Of Education for more information on their requirements. They are often very similar.

Is there any substitution for the American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI) requirement? For example, a bachelor's in interpreting or an EIPA score?

At this time, we can accept the ASLPI or SLPI to determine an acceptable level of proficiency. We can also accept an in-house ASL evaluation to determine an acceptable level of proficiency.

Is there a deposit for the graduate programs?

Yes, a $500 deposit is required upon admission to the program for all degree/endorsement-seeking students. The $500 will be applied to your first-semester tuition.

Credit Transfers

You may be able to apply a maximum of nine credits of high-quality graduate work toward your Master's requirements. However, credits earned to complete a previous Master's degree elsewhere may not be applied to the Flagler graduate degree. 

Three people must approve the transferred credits:  the student's academic advisor, the program director, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Transfer credits must meet the following criteria:

• Earned at a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an officially recognized degree-granting international institution
•  "A" or "B" grade. We don't accept "B-" grades. Pass-fail grades are not transferable unless the former institution documents them as having at least a "B" quality.
• Appear on an official graduate transcript
• Be completed before enrolling in the Flagler Master's Program
• Earned within five years before the date you register for the degree program at Flagler

If you transfer credits from a university/college on quarter hours, quarter hours will be converted to semester hours by multiplying the number of quarter hours by two-thirds.

Tuition and Fees

2024-2025: Tuition is $650 per credit hour

Questions about Financial Aid? Ask  Here . 

Graduate Calendar

View the current Graduate Calendar by clicking the link below.

Meet our Faculty

Our faculty will teach, challenge, and inspire you. Find out who your next mentor might be.

• Jennifer Catalano, Director of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs in Deaf Education, Associate Professor
• June LeFors, Director of American Sign Language Studies
• Full Department Directory

Why Flagler?

High-impact programs, taught by world-class faculty. A tight-knit, inclusive academic community where all people and ideas are welcome. All in a historically rich, uniquely beautiful Atlantic coast setting. 

Forge your path in this world. Start here.

• Visit Flagler
• Explore St. Augustine

Formal Complaint Process

Students wishing to submit a complaint or grievance regarding their participation in the graduate program should contact Laura Stevenson, Assistant to the President, at [email protected] . If the student is dissatisfied with the result, the student has the right to appeal the College's decision within the institution. If the student is not satisfied with the institutional decision, the student may appeal the complaint to:

Department of Education

Office of Articulation

[email protected]

850-245-0427

DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDENTS

If the student is still not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint, they may appeal non-academic complaints to the FL-SARA Council ( https://www.fldoe.org/sara ) once they have exhausted all complaint procedures at Flagler College and with the State agency.