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Information for Transfer Students
Program Description
The Master's of Arts in Teaching degree in Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Elementary Education is designed for students who have completed high school and are first-time freshman and for transfer students from community colleges or other four-year programs. In assessing a student's transcript, the College tries to give transfer credit for as much as possible. Official transfer evaluations however, are only completed after a student has been accepted into the program. Equivalency tables for transfer credits from other colleges can however, provide you with useful guidance. Please note that according to College policy:
• No more than 16 course units* (=64 semester hours) may be transferred from schools designated as community colleges or junior colleges. No more than 20 course units (=80 semester hours) may be transferred from all sources. A maximum of 3 of these courses may count toward the deaf education major.
• At least 12 course units must be earned at The College of New Jersey.
• Normally the student’s last eight course units will be taken at the College. No more than three course units in the senior year may be earned away from the College. Such enrollment must be expressly approved in advance by the student’s department and the Office of Records and Registration.*Undergraduate courses at TCNJ are 1 course unit or 4 semester hours. Courses taken at other institutions are typically 3 semester hours. Transfered courses may therefore appear on a student's TCNJ transcript for .75 course units. To earn an undergraduate degree at TCNJ a student must complete a minimum of 32 course units or 128 semester hours. Undergraduate graduation is dependent upon completion of the minimum number of course units and all requirements specified by a student's majors.
Knowledge of sign language is not a prerequisite for admission into the program. Students who have however either taken American Sign Language (ASL) courses or who have heritage knowledge of ASL will be required to take an ASL placement test to determine the communicative competency in the language. Information about the placement test is sent to students after they are admitted to the college. Based on placement test results, a student may be waived out of TCNJ's ASL classes and earn transfer credit for ASL classes taken elsewhere.
As we are not a stand-alone master's program, our program can not accept students who have already earned a bachelor's degree. Students must transfer into the undergraduate program and continue into the 5th year to earn the master's degree. Click here for an explanation of Degree Requirements. The five-year program integrates a knowledge base and best practices in both fields of education in addition to requiring students to have a liberal arts major. The curriculum also requires a full semester of student teaching in each a deaf education setting as and in a general elementary education setting.
The program is based on the School of Education's Conceptual Framework for preparing exemplary professionals and meets all of the standards of the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) as well as the requirements of the State of New Jersey for licensure as a Teacher of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing, K-12 as well as for licensure as an elementary level teacher. Having completed a dual major in a liberal arts area and in deaf education, students will earn a bachelor's degree without teacher certification at the end of their fourth year. The course of study, however, continues through the following summer and academic year and culminates with the student's earning a master's degree. At this time, all applicable certifications are earned. Students will need to meet all requirements of The College of New Jersey and the School of Education at the end of the fourth year in order to be admitted to the fifth year. At the undergraduate level, the student must select one of the following liberal arts majors: art, English, mathematics, history, biology, Spanish, music, psychology, sociology, or math/science/technology. Students who major in a teachable subject area (i.e., not psychology or sociology) will have the opportunity to seek a subject matter specialization to teach that subject grades 6-8.
Admission and Retention
A student must meet the general admission requirements of the College. In compliance with the State of New Jersey's regulations, a student must have a grade point average of 2.5 prior to enrolling in the Pre-Professional Experience block of courses (Fall semester of the fourth year). At the completion of the Fall semester of the fourth year of study, the student must have an overall grade point average of 3.0 to meet the standard for graduate study at TCNJ.
Transfer into the program from another program within the College is based upon the following performance standards in these “foundation courses”: WRI 102—if not exempted (B); FSP (B). Also see requirements for individual majors in the schools of Art, Media, and Music; Culture and Society; Engineering; and Science.
Degree Information
Students enter the program as undergraduates. Most students have two majors. The primary major is Education of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHHA). The second major will be in a content area or discipline taught in schools. Art and Music students have a joint major in the discipline and in deaf education (not two distinct majors). Students may choose a second major from one of the following disciplines:
Art (DHAR)--joint major program
Biology (BIOA)
English (ENGA)
History (HISA)
Psychology (PSYA)
Math (MATE)
Math/Science/Technology (DHST)
Music (DHMU)--joint major program
The Department of Music requires all applicants to audition. For more information, check the Music Admission & Auditions web site. For additional information contact Susan W. O'Connor.
Sociology (SOCA)
Spanish (SPAN)
Women & Gender Studies (WGS)
Upon completion of all college requirements, a Bachelor's Degree (without teacher certification) is awarded. During the summer following completion of the undergraduate program as well as during the fifth year of study, candidates enroll in graduate level courses and field experiences to attain the Master of Arts in Teaching degree (MAT).
Upon conferment of the MAT degree and having met TCNJ and state standards, candidates are recommenced to the New Jersey Office of Licensing and Credentials for initial teacher certification in both Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Elementary Education.
Current TCNJ students who wish to change their major into the Deaf Education Program must complete a Change of Major Form.
