Gallaudet University
Washington, D.C.
The University
Gallaudet University is the only liberal arts university in the world designed exclusively for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. The mission of Gallaudet University is to serve as a comprehensive, multipurpose institution of higher education for the deaf and hard of hearing. In addition to its undergraduate and graduate academic programs, the University also offers national elementary and secondary education programs and has developed a network of regional centers, international agreements, and public service and advocacy efforts.
The University was founded in 1856 when former postmaster general and philanthropist Amos Kendall established a school for deaf and blind children. Its first superintendent was Edward Miner Gallaudet, the son of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, founder of the first school for deaf children in the United States. The college was renamed in 1894, and in 1957, it received accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Over the years, the campus and facilities have grown to meet the needs of its students, and programs have evolved to serve deaf and hard of hearing individuals nationally and internationally.
Students may choose from a wide variety of academic programs in art, science, business, and education, including deaf education and American Sign Language. Graduate programs include education, counseling and language, and linguistic studies.
Students have a wide range of activities to choose from at Gallaudet. The University is a member of the Capital Athletic Conference and NCAA Division III and participates in both varsity and intramural sports. Other campus activities include the Gallaudet Dance Company, nine fraternities and sororities, and a student newspaper. Full-time students are eligible to live in one of six residence halls on campus. Each residence hall includes resident assistants, peer advisers, community facilitators, and other staff members who plan activities and provide support for residents. Dining services are available to both campus residents and commuting students.
Location
The University is located in Washington, D.C., home to one of the largest number of people in the United States who are deaf and hard of hearing. Museum lovers have many choices, such as the Smithsonian Institute, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the National Museum of African Art, and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Theater goers can enjoy sign-interpreted performances at the Kennedy Center, the Arena Stage, the Folger Shakespeare Theater, or Ford's Theater. Other attractions include Dupont Circle, Georgetown, Adams Morgan, and Visions Cinema and Bistro. Chesapeake Bay, Baltimore's Inner Harbor and National Aquarium, Six Flags, Mount Vernon, and Old Town Alexandria are all less than 1 hour from the city.
Majors and Degrees
The University offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in American Sign Language; art history; chemical technology; communication arts; criminology; deaf studies; digital media, including film/video and multimedia; early childhood education; elementary education; English; economics; French; government; graphic design; history; interpretation; philosophy; psychology; social work; sociology; Spanish; studio art, including two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and photography; and theater arts, including educational drama and production/performance. Bachelor of Science degrees are available in accounting; business administration; computer information systems; economics; finance; family and child studies, including child development; physical education; and recreation and leisure studies, including leadership and programming and therapeutic recreation. B.A. or B.S. degrees are available in biology, chemistry, computer science, education, government, mathematics, and secondary education.
Academic Programs
Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree must complete 124 academic credits, including 5460 credits in the general studies curriculum and 80 hours of community service over four years. A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater is required for graduation. The general studies curriculum includes courses in English reading and composition, foreign languages, communication, quantitative reasoning, physical education, and historical and social analysis.
Off-Campus Programs
Study-abroad opportunities are available through the Universitys foreign languages program. Students can also supplement their studies by taking courses offered at other Washington, D.C.based universities through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.
Academic Facilities
The library collects materials to support the University's programs and comprehensively collects deaf-related materials. The collection currently contains 239,433 volumes, 1,727 current periodical subscriptions, 2,153 videos, and 623,982 microforms and may be found in the ALADIN catalog. The University Archives and the Deaf Collection contain virtually all published and many unpublished materials relating to the history and culture of deaf people around the world. The Student Academic Center features nine high-tech electronic, wheelchair-accessible classrooms with laptop connectors, adjustable monitors, computer printers, visual presenters, and DVD and VCR players. Assistive listening systems are tied in with the audio systems, and the projectors have closed captioning decoders for television and other video presentations. The Harkin Digital Learning Center includes thirty private study carrels equipped with desktop computers, student video suites, rooms for video creation and editing, and equipment to record digital video of signed communication and produce computer graphics, animation, and Web-based design.
Costs
In 200506, full-time tuition is $4960 per semester for U.S. students and $9920 for international students. Part-time tuition per credit for these two groups is $496 and $992 respectively. Other costs per semester include a $115 unit fee, room and board for $2425 and $1825 respectively, a health service fee of $50, a $50 admission fee, and annual health insurance for $1295 ($1395 for international students).
Financial Aid
Students may receive Federal Pell Grants of $400 to $4050 per academ&ic year or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants of $200 to $2000 per academic year. Available loans include Perkins Loans of up to $4000 per year, Stafford Loans of $2625 to $5500 per year, and PLUS loans. Federal Work-Study is also available. The University offers numerous scholarships and waivers, and 85 percent of students receive some financial support from state vocational rehabilitation agencies. Students who are deaf and hard of hearing may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income, and state grants are available for students from several states.
Faculty
The undergraduate faculty consists of 105 full-time professors, most of whom hold the terminal degree in their respective fields of study. These faculty members conduct their classes using various forms of communication, including sign language and written English. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1.
Student Government
The Student Body Government (SBG) includes executive, legislative, and judicial branches, which act in the interest of the student body. The SBG acts as a liaison between the student body and the administration and sponsors a number of campus events and activities.
Admission Requirements
Students who are deaf or hard of hearing are invited to apply for admission. It is recommended that high school students take as many college-preparatory classes as possible and take the ACT in their sophomore, junior, and senior years. Prospective students are evaluated based on their academic, professional, and personal achievements and their educational and career goals. Admission requires a completed application, including detailed background information and three questions answered in essay form; official high school or college transcripts; two letters of recommendation; ACT/SAT scores; a certified form signed by an audiologist that determines the level of hearing loss; and a $50 application fee.
Application and Information
Applications should be received before June 1 for fall semester and December 1 for spring semester in order to guarantee housing and ensure timely processing of financial aid forms. The University notifies the student of their decision within two weeks of receiving the application. Applications should be sent to:
