Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Graduate Concentration

This program is comprehensive in nature, preparing teachers to work with d/Deaf and hard of hearing learners who use sign language and/or listening and spoken language, and allows students to become certified to work in early intervention and/or K-12 settings, including schools for the deaf, general education environments, small group/resource classrooms, and/or private/individualised school settings across Canada.

Location/ Delivery:

Online program for teachers across Canada (synchronous sessions in July and asynchronous sessions September-June)

Timeline:

• 2 year program with 2 courses per term
• Cohort-model of teachers from across Canada provides connection and support during the program
• 10-week practicum experience in the second year

Courses in the program focus on the following topics, in relation to the education of learners who are d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing:

• Psychosocial and Language Development
• Acoustic and Physical Environments in the Classroom
• Dual Language Approaches to Instruction
• Listening and Spoken Language Approaches to Instruction
• Language Acquisition and Evaluation
• Literacy and Curriculum Development
• Practicum Field Experiences
• Capstone Project Seminar

Coursework - click this link to see the Canadian Association of the Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Certification (CAEDHH) Certification Standards the program adheres to, with all graduates eligible to become a certified Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Full-time practicum coursework is required under the supervision of a full-time Teacher of the d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing for 10 weeks during the second year of coursework and will require educational leave from any current work setting.

For more information about the concentration, click this link to contact Dr. Joanna Cannon.

Prerequisites:

• Certified teachers from across all Canadian provinces

Which means you have an undergraduate degree and teaching certification (To teach in Canada, you will need teaching certification issued by the province in which you will teach. Please see your provincial requirements for further information.)

• GPA of 76% in 60 credits of previous university
• ASL proficiency or a minimum of 60 contact hours of American Sign Language (ASL) coursework (with documentation provided) completed by the submission of the application, with further coursework and proficiency a prerequisite to becoming a Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Click these links to access information about accessible ASL courses:

• • • • Vancouver Community College Online courses
      • UBC Linguistics Department courses
      • UBC Extended Learning courses
      • Gallaudet University - online courses
      • Deaf and Hear Alberta
      • University of Alberta
      • Nova Scotia Community College
      • Niagra College
      • Carlton University
      • Conestoga College Continuing Education
      • Seneca Polytechnic Part-Time Studies
      • Mohawk Continuing Education
      • University of New Brunswick courses
      • Franshawe College Continuing Education courses
      • Canadian Hearing Services
  • Two of the courses that are listed as prerequisites (EPSE 483 and EPSE 317) may be taken online during the first 12 months of study. Determination of whether you would require the prerequisite courses is decided by the admissions committee and would be made clear in a letter upon acceptance into the program.

Tuition info - click this link to the UBC graduate tuition information for up-to-date information about the cost of the program.

Grant info - click this link for information about the BC Student Loan Forgiveness Program for teachers in BC.

Applying:

*Please check out the Prospective Students - How to Apply page for more information.

• M.A. vs. M.Ed. program: Please read the following by clicking on the link to understand the differences between an M.A. and an M.Ed. If you are interested in pursuing research then the M.A. is the route for you and please click on the link to contact Dr. Joanna Cannon to discuss your interest. If you are interested in a professional preparation program to become a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing then an M.Ed. program matches your interests. Please also click on the link to contact Dr. Joanna Cannon to discuss your interests.

  Applications for a new cohort occur every other year. Cohorts begin in the summer of even years (e.g, 2026, 2028) and interested individuals should apply September-December (e.g., 2025, 2027) for the next cohort.

• References provided in the application should include individuals who can describe your ability to succeed in an educational program (i.e., an academic reference) and when interacting with learners who are d/Dhh in a personal or professional capacity (i.e., a professional reference).
• When applying, please:
  • Specify ‘Education of the d/Deaf and hard of hearing’ on your application
  • In a few paragraphs describe your background in relation to interacting with learners who are d/Dhh in a personal or professional capacity
  • Provide information about your ASL prerequisite courses or background