Ed.D. in Deaf Studies and Deaf Education

Program Overview: 

The Deaf Studies and Deaf Education doctoral program is made up of 60 credit hours of course work with 6 hours of dissertation. Our program is designed for the working professional and is offered in a hybrid manner. We have a full-time track and the program will take 9 semesters of coursework, including summer. Upon completion of coursework, students begin the dissertation. Students wishing to attend part-time can develop their program plan with the Program Director, Dr. Ashley Greene. 

Regardless of if a student is full-time or part-time, they are expected to meet the attendance expectations. Summers will be fully remote, with one day per week synchronous Zoom classes. Summer sessions are 7 weeks in length, with two class offerings per year. Fall and Spring semesters have eight synchronous class weekends with four classes being on-campus and four online. These classes are held for four hours on Friday evenings, Saturday mornings, and Saturday afternoons. 

Admission Requirements

Use TexasApply to apply for admission and submit materials unless otherwise indicated below. You must apply for the Summer semester that aligns with your year (e.g., applying for the 2025 cohort means you apply for Summer 2025). Failure to do so may impact your ability to join your desired cohort. 

Applicants for admission to the Doctoral program in Deaf Studies and Deaf Education are ranked for admission based on the following criteria:

1. Take the GRE. The GRE is offered through the LU Career and Testing Center. All applicants must have the Educational Testing Service (ETS) submit GRE scores directly to Lamar University (Graduate Admissions, P. O. Box 11614, Beaumont, TX 77710).
2. Provide evidence of American Sign Language (ASL) competency based on the ASL-PI. Submit online through the TexasApply system.
3. Provide three letters of support. Email to Graduate Admissions at Gradmissions@lamar.edu
4. Must have a Master’s degree in Deaf Education or related field. Send official transcripts to Graduate Admissions (P. O. Box 11614, Beaumont, TX 77710) or electronically to Gradmissions@lamar.edu
5. An essay including the applicant’s philosophy of education and professional goals. The essay will be used to identify writing ability required for successful completion of the Deaf Studies and Deaf Education Doctoral program. Email to Graduate Admissions at Gradmissions@lamar.edu
6. Submit a detailed resume or curriculum vita explaining your work with the Deaf community. Email to Graduate Admissions at Gradmissions@lamar.edu
7. When your application is complete, the Department of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education will contact you to set up an interview.

For more information, please refer to the LU Graduate Admissions website.

Program Requirements

1. Maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the Doctoral program.
2. A minimum of 66 credit hours are required for graduation.
3. View degree course requirements in Lamar University's online catalog.
4. Graduate students are required to be fluent in American Sign Language.

Critical Dates