About Gallaudet
Gallaudet University provides a community of learning for deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students who seek a personalized education and strong career preparation in a bilingual environment. Established in 1864, this liberal arts university continues to be the heart of deaf culture.
Students who attend Gallaudet come to the campus with increasingly diverse communication and life experiences. As a result, the University is committed to providing all students with a rich collegiate experience in preparation for dynamic, rewarding careers.
Deaf and hard of hearing undergraduate students can choose from among more than 40 majors leading to a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree. Undergraduate students also have the option of designing their own majors, called "self-directed majors," in which they select classes from a variety of programs. International students comprise seven percent of the degree seeking student body; other non-U.S. students who are not pursuing an academic degree at Gallaudet participate in the International Special Students Program to gain practical knowledge for personal enrichment. The University also admits a small number of hearing, degree-seeking undergraduate students--up to five percent of an entering class.
Gallaudet Online Degree Completion Program is available online for students who have accumulated 45 hours of college credits and are unable to be on campus full-time, but want to complete their undergraduate degree at Gallaudet. Eight-week online courses are offered throughout the year at Gallaudet University and from the Online Consortium of Independent Colleges and Universities (OCICU).
Graduate programs, open to deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students, include master of arts or master of science degrees, specialist degrees, certificates, and doctoral degrees in a variety of fields involving professional service provision to deaf and hard of hearing people.
A member of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area, Gallaudet offers its students at both the undergraduate and graduate level the ability to take courses offered at the 15 other institutions of higher learning that comprise the consortium: American University, The Catholic University of America, George Mason University, Georgetown University, Howard University, Marymount University, Montgomery College, National Defense University, National Intelligence University, Northern Virginia Community College, Prince George's Community College, Trinity Washington University, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, the University of the District of Columbia, and the University of Maryland, College Park.
Gallaudet is a leader in the use of technology in its academic programs and services. Approximately 94 percent of the courses at Gallaudet have an online component, and virtually all students take at least one course using the Blackboard online learning system. Such technology integration is double the average of universities nationwide. Many courses make extensive use of video, including video recordings of classes and a video library.
Gallaudet is committed to providing students with the best educational experience possible, which, in today's changing world, means hands-on learning experiences including internships, practicums, and graduate assistantships. Gallaudet offers an internal grant fund, intended specifically for graduate students and faculty that supports research projects.
Located in the heart of one of the world's most vibrant and important cities, Washington, D.C., Gallaudet students have access to the political scene as well as the cultural and artistic offerings of the nation's capital. Many of the nation's important organizations that focus on issues of importance to the deaf and hard of hearing community have their headquarters in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Gallaudet serves as a preeminent resource for research and outreach related to improving the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people worldwide. Gallaudet's library contains the world's most complete collection of materials related to deaf people, deaf culture, and hearing loss. In addition to what's offered on campus, Gallaudet students also have access to the nearby Library of Congress, the world's greatest information repository, and the libraries of all the universities in the Washington Research Library Consortium.