Deaf Access Certificate
Department of Educational Psychology
Build Skills in ASL, Accessibility and Deaf Engagement
The Deaf Access Certificate is designed for undergraduate students who want to develop the knowledge and skills needed to effectively engage with and support deaf individuals across a variety of professional settings.
This certificate is especially valuable for students pursuing careers in:
- Technology, accessibility and digital product development
- User experience (UX) and user-centered design
- Education and teaching
- Speech, language and hearing professions
- Social work and human services
- Healthcare and medical professions
- Business and organizational leadership
- Public service and community engagement
The certificate culminates in a supervised internship or practicum that provides hands-on experience aligned with your academic interests and professional goals. Whether you’re preparing for a career in education, healthcare, technology, business or social services, you’ll graduate with skills that help you communicate more effectively, support accessibility and expand opportunities for engagement with deaf communities.
At a Glance
What You’ll Learn
The Deaf Access Certificate prepares students to communicate and collaborate more effectively with deaf individuals while developing expertise in accessibility, inclusion and human-centered design.
Through coursework and hands-on experiences, you’ll:
- Stand out to employers seeking professionals with accessibility and communication expertise
- Build proficiency in American Sign Language (ASL)
- Gain an understanding of Deaf culture and perspectives
- Learn how deaf individuals think, learn and interact with educational and digital environments
- Develop practical accessibility and disability-focused knowledge
- Apply what you’ve learned through a supervised internship or practicum
- Strengthen your qualifications for careers that serve diverse populations
Coursework
The Deaf Access Certificate requires 24 credit hours.
American Sign Language
- ASL 601D: American Sign Language I: Beginning (6 hours)
- ASL 610D: American Sign Language II: Beginning (6 hours)
Perspectives on Deafness (choose one)
- ASL 350: Perspectives on Deafness
- SLH 308K: Perspectives on Deafness
Accessibility and Social Informatics (choose one)
- I 310J: Introduction to Social Informatics
- I 320J: Understanding Disability and Accessibility
Required Courses
- EDP 340D: Deaf Cognition and Learning (3 hours)
- EDP 328: Internship/Practicum (3 hours)
Certificate Requirements
Key Requirements
- Complete 18-24 credit hours of certificate coursework.
- Complete the certificate while pursuing your degree or within one year of earning your undergraduate degree.
- At least 50% of certificate coursework must be completed at UT Austin.
- At least one certificate course must be outside your major requirements.
- You cannot earn a certificate in the same field as your major.
- Apply for certificate recognition when you apply for graduation or complete the certificate, whichever is later.
- Certificate completion is recorded on your official UT Austin transcript.
For complete policies and requirements, visit the UT Austin Undergraduate Catalog.
How to Apply
To be eligible, you must earn a B or higher in either ASL 601D or ASL 610D.
Once eligible, you should:
- Apply for admission to the certificate program.
- Once approved, consult with your academic advisor to have the certificate added to your degree audit.
- Complete all required coursework and internship/practicum requirements.
- Successfully meet all certificate and University requirements to receive transcript recognition upon graduation.
Questions?
Contact the COE Advising Team
Email: coeadvising@austin.utexas.edu
Phone: 512-471-3223
Contact
Questions?
Contact the COE Advising Team
Email: coeadvising@austin.utexas.edu
Phone: 512-471-3223
