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Non-EU Applicants

• Deaf Studies, 4 Year(s) Full Time, Closing Date: 30/JUN/2013

Mature Student - Supplementary Application Form

Read the information about how to apply as a mature student, then select the link below to complete the TCD Supplementary Application Form for mature students.
• Deaf Studies, 4 Year(s) Full Time, Closing Date: 08/FEB/2013

Advanced Entry Applications

Read the information about how to apply for Advanced Entry, then select the link below to apply.
• Deaf Studies, Closing Date: 01/JUN/2013

What is Deaf studies?

Deaf studies is a discipline that encompasses an understanding of the Deaf community from social, educational, policy and historical perspectives. Graduates will develop fluency in Irish Sign Language (ISL) and may choose to specialise as Irish Sign Language interpreters, Irish Sign Language teachers or as generalists in Deaf studies. ISL interpreters facilitate communication in a range of community and conference settings including legal, medical, educational, social services, and employment related settings. ISL teachers deliver language learning in a range of contexts, working with Deaf children and their families at home, and with adults who are learning ISL as a second language. There is currently a significant shortage of professional ISL/English interpreters and ISL teachers in Ireland. Those specialising in Deaf studies will develop skills in developing accessible multimedia for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, opening up opportunities in subtitling and public information service delivery. There are also options for developing valuable research skills as part of this course.

Is this the right course for you?

Working in the area of Deaf studies you will come into contact with people of all ages and will be required to work in a range of settings, which may include educational settings, community clinics, hospitals, legal contexts and a wide range of community settings. You will be working between Deaf and hearing communities and bridging communication and cultural gaps. In many instances, you will also find yourself dealing with families of Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. It is important, therefore, that you are adaptable and people-oriented. You will also need to be capable of working independently and as part of a team. You should have an interest in learning about language, culture and society and be open to using technology in your learning.

Course overview

Deaf studies is a four-year full-time honors degree course. No prior knowledge of ISL is required. The course provides a comprehensive introduction to the Deaf community and ISL for those wishing to work in or with the Deaf community. The degree involves an integrated programme of study which is designed to equip students with a broad spectrum of knowledge, skills and competencies related to the Deaf community, its history and culture, and for those following specific paths, the profession of ISL/English interpreting or ISL teaching.

Course content

This four-year full-time degree course gives you an in-depth understanding of the Irish Deaf community and of the experience of Deaf people internationally, historically and in contemporary society. ISL is studied across the programme, while in years one and two, themes such as Deaf education, the representation of Deaf people in the media, the legal and political standing of signed languages and access to critical public health services are explored. Understanding of the structure of ISL, the sociolinguistic context and the path to acquisition of a signed language for Deaf children are also explored in years one and two. For ISL/English interpreting students, translation theory and the practical skills of interpreting, guided by ethical practice are emphasised in years three and four. For students taking the ISL teaching route, aspects of the psychology of education are introduced along with guidance on planning and implementing a curriculum and assessing student performance. For those taking the Deaf studies route, there are options relating to the development of accessible multimedia for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people or carrying out a research project, which culminates in a dissertation. For all students years three and four include practice placements with organisations working with/for the Deaf community in Ireland or (through Erasmus links) across the European Union. In the Junior Freshman (first) year, there are approximately 17 hours of direct teaching.

The component courses are grouped under three headings: Language, Theory and Practice.

Language component

Across the four years of the degree, you will be introduced to ISL and language skills will be developed to a high degree. Our language teaching is mapped to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Council of Europe), so you will be able to map your progress against your knowledge of other languages. Students have six to nine hours of ISL hours of class contact per week.

Theoretical component

Theoretical courses will introduce you to aspects of language acquisition, linguistics, sociolinguistics, social policy, and social studies. Each theoretical course involves two to four hours of lecture time per week plus an expectation of self study. Theoretical courses include:

• An introduction to sign linguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Perspectives on deafness
• Interactional discourse analysis
• Language acquisition and deafness
• Aspects of written language
• Deaf education
• Working with the Deaf community
• Deaf people and the media
• Ethics
• Translation and interpreting: Philosophy and practice
• Methods of assessment
• Curriculum planning
• Teaching methods
• Theories of education
• Research methods
• Teaching ISL as L1
• Teaching ISL as L2
• Teaching ISL for the national curriculum

Students can also select one course from the Broad Curriculum in both years one and two (see www.tcd.ie/Broad_Curriculum).

Practice component

Practical components are introduced in the Sophister (third and fourth) years and will include placements with organisations. These will include a six-week block placement in the Junior Sophister (third) year and an eight week block in the Senior Sophister (fourth) year. While you will usually attend placement in an Irish organisation, it is possible, by special arrangement, to arrange a placement abroad. In previous years, students have undertaken placements with a wide range of Irish organisations including the Irish Deaf Society, DeafHear, Kerry Deaf Resource Centre, Deaf Community Centre (Limerick), Cork Association for the Deaf, Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS), Bridge Interpreting, and the National Chaplaincy for Deaf People.

The Freshman years - language component:

The cornerstone of working with the Deaf community is fluency in ISL. ISL is introduced at ab initio (beginner) level.

Courses taken in the Freshman (first two) years are ISL1, ISL2, ISL3 and ISL4. Six to nine hours of contact time per week with ISL lecturers in an immersion setting facilitates rapid development of ISL skill.

The Freshman years - theoretical component:

In the Freshman years you will be introduced to the area of Deaf studies and linguistics. These courses will be the foundation for later years of study. These are:

• Introduction to sign linguistics - introduces aspects of the grammar of signed languages including phonology, phonetics, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.
• Sociolinguistics - introduces the ways in which the social context impacts on language use, including reference to gender, generation regional variation and the impact of educational policy and the media on language use. Also looks at issues of language recognition and language planning.
• Perspectives on deafness - focusing on experiences of being a deaf/deafened person and how society (contemporary and historically) has responded to deaf people. This course has a strong international dimension and looks at the issues of community, culture, Deafhood and what it means to be deaf in Europe today.
• Language acquisition and deafness - introduces theories of first and second language acquisition and considers the varied pathways to language acquisition that deaf children take: includes discussion of home signing" and the impact of late acquisition of languages - spoken and/or signed - for deaf children.
• Apsects of written language
• Interactive discourse analysis
• Deaf education
• Working with the Deaf community - including issues of mental health and mental illness in the Deaf community or Translation and interpreting: philosophy and practice (for those aiming to pursue the interpreting strand)
• Ethics 1

Students can step out of the programme on successful completion of year 2 with a Diploma in Deaf studies or may continue on to degree level.

The Sophister years

In years 3 and 4, you will opt to follow one of three strands: (i) Interpreting, (ii) ISL teaching or (iii) Deaf studies.

While the ISL components are shared across all courses, in the Sophister years, you will take specific theoretical and practice-based courses to support professional skill development in your specific area of interest. In order to opt for the interpreting or ISL route, you will need to have achieved a II.2 in the Senior Freshman (second) year.

The Sophister years - Language component

In years 3 and 4, you will complete four more ISL courses: ISL5, ISL6, ISL7 and ISL8, bringing you to a level of fluency where you will be able to understand an academic lecture delivered in ISL, make formal presentations in ISL and interact with confidence in the language.

The Sophister years - Theoretical component

In the Sophister years, you will undertake some common theoretical courses (such as Ethics 2), but generally, theoretical components in years 3 and 4 are closely aligned to professional practice in each of the three strands, as outlined below:

(i) Interpreting

• Consecutive interpreting
• Liaison interpreting
• Simultaneous interpreting 1
• Simultaneous interpreting 2

(ii) ISL teaching

• Curriculum planning
• Teaching methods
• Theories of education
• Methods of assessment
• Teaching ISL for the national curriculum
• Teaching ISL as L1 (a first language)
• Teaching ISL as L2 (a second language)

(iii) Deaf studies

• Deaf people and the media
• Research methods
• Research project

The Sophister years - Practical component

In years 3 and 4, you will undertake placements in Ireland or abroad to support your professional skill development. The objectives of placements include the development of core competencies that have been identified for professional interpreters or ISL teachers, active engagement with the Deaf community in authentic settings, and engagement with professionals in the field who can offer guidance on your path to professional practice.

Assessment

Award of the degree is based on continuous assessment, a practice placement, and final examinations. A student whose placement performance is considered unsatisfactory may be allowed further placement experience.

Career opportunities

Graduates frequently work in Deaf organisations (e.g. as a resource officer) or combined with another skill set, such as teaching, child care, social work, media, etc., work as an ISL teacher, or as an ISL interpreter. There is also scope for continuing to further study in areas such as linguistics, communications, anthropology, multiculturalism, gender studies, law, etc. Graduates have also gone on to work in the Civil Service and other public service bodies.

Did you know?

• Irish Sign Language is the second indigenous language of Ireland and is the working language at the Centre for Deaf Studies. ISL is one of the many signed languages recognised by the European Institutions and has been formally recognised in Northern Ireland. Trinity College is the only university on the island of Ireland offering a Deaf studies programme. The first professional training for ISL/English interpreters and ISL teachers was established here in 1992 (in collaboration with Bristol University). The Centre for Deaf Studies was established in 2001.

Further information

www.tcd.ie/slscs/cds
Tel: +353 830 12 52
E-mail: cdsinfo@tcd.ie

Centre for Deaf Studies, School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences, 4th Floor, Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin.

Specific Entry Requirements

Leaving Certificate	HC3 English OD3/HD3 In language other than English
Advanced GCE (A-Level)	Grade C English literature (A or B) or English language (A or B)
GCSE	Grade C in a language other than English
Entry to Year 3 of Bachelor in Deaf studies	Graduates of the Centre's Diplomas in Deaf studies, Irish Sign Language (ISL) teaching and ISL/English interpreting may apply for entry to year 3 of the Bachelor in Deaf studies if they hold a II.2 or above.
Garda Vetting:	Students will be required to undergo Garda vetting. See Garda vetting for further details.
	The Government's Free Fees Initiative DOES cover this course. EU students registered for Deaf studies may be eligible for inclusion in the scheme.