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Home » Students » Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Teacher Education Program

Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Teacher Education Program

Application Deadline is March 21, 2025

Information Night 2024

Date: Monday November 4th, 2024
Time: 7pm to 8pm (EST)
Online via Zoom
ASL Interpreters and Captioning will be available for this event
Contact information: deafed@edu.yorku.ca

The Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Teacher Education program is the only one of its kind in Ontario and one of few across Canada. Qualified teachers are prepared to work with students who are deaf or hard of hearing in a variety of educational programs across the full range of communication/modality options. The program is offered on a full-time (residents of Ontario) or part-time (residents of Ontario & non-Ontario residents) basis in a combination of face-to-face and online formats.

Upon successful completion students are awarded a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in the education of deaf and hard of hearing students.

Overview

Graduates earn a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma from York University, and graduates who are certified by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) are recommended for the Additional Qualification (AQ), “Teaching Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing”. The program is accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers and by the Canadian Association of Educators of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CAEDHH). Graduates of the program may have the qualifications to teach deaf and hard of hearing students outside of Ontario, nationally or internationally. It is each individual’s responsibility to check with jurisdictions outside of Ontario to confirm if the program is recognized for employment.

Program Details

FULL-TIME PROGRAM

  • The full-time program is offered in one academic year, over two semesters, beginning in August and finishing by early May of each year.
  • The commitment for the full-time program is availability from Monday to Friday.
  • Full-time students are expected to attend all scheduled classes (either synchronously online or in-person) and complete the entire program in one year.

PART-TIME PROGRAM

  • The part-time program is a three-year program beginning in August and finishing by early May of each year.
  • The part-time program is completed asynchronously online.
  • Part-time students have a weekly commitment of approximately eight to ten hours.

COURSES

The program consists of a core set of comprehensive courses, totaling 27.00 credits, plus three electives, totaling 9.00 credits. Proposals for substitutions and transfer credits will not be considered.

Course content includes: deaf studies; language and literacy development; oral communication; bilingual/bicultural education; American Sign Language; audiology; listening and speaking; hearing technologies; and working with deaf and hard of hearing learners in inclusive settings. Students must also complete practicum placements.

Core courses

  • Language, Literacy and Development 1 (6.00)
  • Language and Literacy Development 2 (6.00)
  • Educational Audiology (3.00)
  • Educational Use of Signed Language (3.00)
  • Deaf Studies – An Introduction (3.00)
  • Teaching and Learning Seminar (6.00)
  • Practicum (includes two four-week practica, totaling 400 hours of teaching)

Enhanced Course Components (electives)

  • Listening and Speaking for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Learners (3.00)
  • Teaching Deaf and Hard of Hearing Learners in Inclusive Settings (3.00)
  • Classroom Amplification (3.00)
  • Deaf Studies-Culture and Community (3.00)
  • American Sign Language – Linguistics (3.00)*
  • Bilingual Bicultural Education (3.00)*

*Prerequisite: Achieved ASLPI level 3 or equivalent. To learn more about the ASLPI please visit the following link: https://www.gallaudet.edu/the-american-sign-language-proficiency-interview/aslpi/

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  1. Permanent Resident or Canadian Citizen who resides in Canada;
  2. BEd or equivalent with a minimum grade-point average of B in both academic and practicum courses; 
  3. Current Canadian Provincial/Territorial Teacher Certificate in good standing (e.g., Ontario College of Teachers) 
  4. Documentation of two successfully-completed American Sign Language (ASL) courses at a recognized college/university or community based (e.g., Canadian Hearing Society) program

In addition, applicants are considered for admission on the basis of their: 

  • Teaching experience in elementary and/or secondary school classrooms 
  • Experience with deaf or hard of hearing students 
  • Academic background 
  • Credentials, additional qualifications, and professional development activities 
  • Volunteer experience 

Dates and Deadlines 

  • The application is available in mid-December each year. 
  • All applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee after March 22nd. 
  • All applicants will receive an email with the final decision of the Admissions Committee by early May.

TUITION FEES

Tuition for this program is subsidized by the Ontario government for Ontario residents. No tuition fees are charged to Ontario residents.

Out-of-province students should contact the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program office for information about tuition fees at deafed@edu.yorku.ca

All students will be required to pay material fees for some courses and to purchase textbooks and other personal learning materials. Tuition and fees are subject to change without notice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Deaf Education Program

The full-time program runs for one academic year. Classes start mid-August, and the program finishes early May. There is a two-week winter break, and there are no classes during March Break.

Yes, you can take up to a maximum of five years to complete the DHH Program.

The part-time program is a three-year program.  The program cannot be completed in less than three-years due to the sequence of the courses and their prerequisites, and the requirement that courses be completed prior to practicum placements.

You cannot take the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher Education Program while taking your BEd course.  Students enrolled in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher Education Program are required to be current members in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers or other Provincial/Territorial Teacher Licensing Organization.

Yes, you can still apply to the program. You may be offered a conditional acceptance with your six-digit Ontario College of Teacher Registration number or proof of application to the appropriate Provincial/Territorial Teacher Licensing Organization.

Teacher Candidates must provide documentation to show that they are a member of the Ontario College of Teachers with no limitations and/or restrictions prior to the program start date.

Teacher Candidates living outside of Ontario are required to provide documentation to show that they are a member in good standing with no limitations and/or restrictions with the Provincial/Territorial licensing body from the current Province/Territory with which they are registered to teach prior to the program start date.

The following will be accepted as proof of completion:

  • Certificate from the program
  • Transcripts
  • Letter of Completion on the institution/organization letterhead.

York University offers ASL courses, but applicants may complete their courses from any recognized college/university or community organization.

No. You do not have to complete both ASL Courses before applying to the program.  You must be in the process of completing your ASL courses and if accepted into the DHH program, the offer will be conditional on the prerequisite being met.

Other fees may consist of, but are not limited to the following:

  • Textbooks/materials for courses
  • Expenses in relation to practicum placement
  • Postage/Courier fees.

No. We are not able to accept applicants who do not meet the prerequisites of the program.  Please refer to the Admission Requirements.

Completing the practicum is a required component to graduate.

Appropriate placements are secured by the Practicum Facilitator during the school year in publicly funded educational settings. Teacher candidates are not responsible for securing their own placements.   

Deaf Education Graduates

For all inquiries regarding your diploma, please contact the Registrar’s Office at York University.

The DHH Program cannot provide transcripts or grades.  To get a transcript, please contact the Registrar’s Office at York University.

It can take approximately six to eight weeks for your recommendation to be processed by the Ontario College of Teachers and before you will be able to see it on your record.  Please note that this timeline is an estimate only.

You do not need to contact the Ontario College of Teachers for this purpose.  York University will submit your recommendation of successful completion of the DHH Program to the Ontario College of Teachers.

Questions?

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact: deafed@edu.yorku.ca