Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing is housed in the Theory and Practice in Teacher Education Department (TPTE). Since 1937, our program has prepared university students to teach children and youth who are Deaf /Hard of Hearing (D/HH). Initial licensure may be obtained through our 5 year program. Students complete their undergraduate coursework in 4 years and earn a BS in Education. Upon completion of the 5th year and teacher internship, students have earned 24 credits toward an MS in Teacher Education and will be licensed to teach D/HH students Pre-K through 12th grade in the state of Tennessee and either elementary, middle grades or secondary general education. Because our program is Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) accredited, students also qualify for CED national certification.
The teacher preparation program includes emphases on:
- assessment and instructional intervention for D/HH students
- curriculum methods for D/HH students
- language development of D/HH students
- auditory training for D/HH students
- teaching reading to D/HH students
- American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf culture
Master’s Program and Teacher Licensure
Master’s students may seek initial licensure (professional intership) or an endorsement (master’s in teacher education with a concentration in educational studies) in Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Requirements will vary based on a student’s previous academic work. Students can obtain information and initial transcript evaluations through the College Student Services/Advising Center located in Jane & David Bailey Education Complex, Room A332. The phone number is (865) 974-8194.
Course of Study
Please follow this link to the UT Graduate Catalog.
- Select the appropriate catalog from the dropdown menu on the right.
- Select the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences.
- Scroll to TPTE and select “Display Programs for this Department.”
- Click on the appropriate program to see the credit requirements and admission procedures for each program.