Bachelor in Deaf Studies

at Trinity College Dublin The University of Dublin

The Centre for Deaf Studies in Trinity has an international reputation for its work: we bring approaches from across many disciplines (linguistics, equality studies, psychology, education, disability studies, gender studies, interpreting studies, social policy and digital humanities) to bear on our work with Deaf communities.

We engage closely with the Irish Deaf community and students will have the opportunity to learn from many of the world’s leading scholars in this discipline who collaborate with the Centre for Deaf Studies (CDS) staff.

The programme in Deaf Studies draws on a core faculty with interests in Irish Sign Language and Deaf Studies, as well as other faculty within the University and the School of Linguistics Speech and Communication Sciences, with expertise in bilingualism, biculturalism, reading, literacy, linguistics and applied linguistics, cognitive and language development, language teaching, special education, and counselling. This course gives an in-depth understanding of the Irish Deaf community and of the experience of Deaf people internationally, historically and in contemporary society. Core courses detailing the history, education, literature and language of the Deaf will be taught by both Deaf and hearing staff.

ISL is studied across the programme. In years two and three, themes such as ethics, Deaf people in the media, the legal and political standing of signed languages and access to critical public health services are explored, along with understanding of the structure of ISL, the sociolinguistic context and the path to acquisition of a signed language for deaf children. For ISL/English interpreting students, translation theory and the practical skills of interpreting, guided by ethical practice, are emphasised in third and fourth year.

For students taking the ISL teaching route, guidance on planning and implementing a curriculum and assessing student performance are introduced. Students in the third and fourth year complete a Capstone research project.

Across the four years of the degree you will develop a high level of competency in ISL skills. Language teaching is mapped to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR, Council of Europe), so you will be able to map your progress against your knowledge of other languages. Competence in Irish Sign Language is fundamental to gaining an in-depth understanding of the Deaf community and is a requirement of the programme.

Leaving Certificate:

H4 English

O4/H6 in a 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 

International Baccalaureate: 

HL Grade 5 English 

SL Grade 5 in a language other than English 

The fees for Bachelor in Deaf Studies may vary from €10,000 to €25,000 annually for tuition fees. The fee's prices may get higher for International Students.

Graduates frequently work in Deaf organisations, for example as a resource officer or combined with another skill set, such as teaching, ISL interpreting, child care, social work, public service bodies, the Civil Service or the media. There is also scope for further study or research in areas such as linguistics, communications, anthropology, multiculturalism, gender studies or law.