A world-class institute of changemakers in the deaf and signing community.
Since 1864, we have been investing in and creating resources for deaf and hard of hearing children, their families, and the professionals who work with them.
Over 50 degree programs, with online and continuing education for personal and professional development.
Innovating solutions to break down barriers, and using science to prove what does and doesn’t work.
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800 Florida Avenue, NEWashington, DC 20002-3695www.gallaudet.edu
Gallaudet University, the world's only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students, was founded in 1864 by an Act of Congress (its Charter), which was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln.
Gallaudet University, federally chartered in 1864, is a bilingual, diverse, multicultural institution of higher education that ensures the intellectual and professional advancement of deaf and hard of hearing individuals through American Sign Language and English. Gallaudet maintains a proud tradition of research and scholarly activity and prepares its graduates for career opportunities in a highly competitive, technological, and rapidly changing world.
Approved by the Board of Trustees, November 2007
Gallaudet University will build upon its rich history as the world's premier higher education institution serving deaf and hard of hearing people to become the university of first choice for the most qualified, diverse group of deaf and hard of hearing students in the world, as well as hearing students pursuing careers related to deaf and hard of hearing people. Gallaudet will empower its graduates with the knowledge and practical skills vital to achieving personal and professional success in the changing local and global communities in which they live and work. Gallaudet will also strive to become the leading international resource for research, innovation and outreach related to deaf and hard of hearing people.
Gallaudet will achieve these outcomes through:
Approved by the Board of Trustees, May 2009
See the bottom of the page for the listing of the Executive Team and their respective websites.
The Gallaudet University Board of Trustees, whose members serve on a volunteer basis, has the authority to make University-wide policy including financial and academic policies. The board is also responsible for ensuring the proper management of the University and actively participating in the provision of necessary funds. Gallaudet's trustees have an active role in supporting advancement activities by working with the University administration to set fundraising targets, approve campaign priorities, and contribute to fundraising activities through identification of prospects, monetary or in-kind donations, and service.
Deaf and hard of hearing undergraduate students can choose from more than 40 majors leading to a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree. The University also admits a small number of hearing, degree-seeking undergraduate students—up to 8 percent of the undergraduate student body. Undergraduate students also have the option of designing their own majors, called “self-directed majors,” in which they select classes from a variety of departments at Gallaudet and/ or take courses offered at 10 other institutions of higher learning that are members of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.
Graduate programs, open to deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing students, include master of arts, master of science, master of social work, and master of public administration degrees, as well as certificates, specialist degrees in education and psychology, doctor of philosophy degrees in a variety of fields involving professional service provision to deaf and hard of hearing people, and the doctor of audiology degree, which is a clinical doctorate.
Gallaudet University offers exemplary educational programs to deaf and hard of hearing students at all learning levels. The Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES) serves infants and their parents, and it offers kindergarten through eighth grade instruction. The Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD) offers programs for students in grades 9 through 12. Both schools are part of the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center, which has a federal mandate to develop and disseminate innovative curriculum, materials, and teaching strategies to schools and programs nationwide.
Last year, Gallaudet served tens of thousands of individuals through conferences, leadership institutes, professional studies and extension courses, sign language classes, ASL/ English bilingual education, its new ASL Connect online program, enrichment and youth programs, international programs, and its regional centers (East—Northern Essex Community College, Mass.; Midwest—John A. Logan College, Ill.; South— Austin Community College, Texas; and West—Ohlone College, Calif.)
In fulfilling its national service role via training and technical assistance, information dissemination, and exhibits and performances, the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center served tens of thousands of individuals and disseminated over 100,000 products and publications in the past year.
Gallaudet is a leader in the use of technology in its academic programs and services. Approximately 99 percent of courses at Gallaudet have an online component, and virtually all students take at least one course using an online learning system. Such technology integration is higher than the average for universities nationwide. Many courses make extensive use of video, including video recordings of classes. Students are encouraged to bring a computer to campus, and popular software is available at a discounted price.
For students interested in technology careers, majors in graphic arts, digital media, computer science, and computer information systems are available. Students have access to several central computer laboratories, as well a number of departmental computer labs. Most classrooms are outfitted with computers, projectors, and other technologies.
Gallaudet has a unique obligation to contribute knowledge and scholarship likely to benefit deaf and hard of hearing people, especially in the areas of education and human services. Accordingly, the University conducts studies in the areas of education, diversity, accessibility, deaf experience, and language and cognition. It also engages students in research and stimulates and supports work directed toward priorities consistent with Gallaudet’s national mission and internal strategic objectives.
Research is a key component of Gallaudet’s mission as a university and has a prominent role in the current Short-Term Strategic Plan and the upcoming ten-year vision, The Gallaudet Promise: Excellence in Learning and Discovery. Faculty pursue a full range of research interests related to their own academic disciplines. Major grant support includes research, development, and training programs in visual language and learning, access to communication for deaf and hard of hearing people, genetics, and technology assessment.
For the fall semester of academic year 2019–2020, the institution reported the following enrollments:
In addition, on the fall census date, we had 199 students enrolled in Professional Studies activities.
International students comprise five (5) percent of the degree-seeking student body.
Tuition and room and board are charged as follows. Additional charges are applied for student activities and health-related fees. For a full explanation of the details of all charges, including those below, refer to the Gallaudet University website.
*Does not include unit fee or health-service fee.
#Room and board rates vary depending on the room and meal plan chosen. Carlin Hall and the 250-block meal plan were used in this calculation.
Additional charges are applied for student activities and health-related fees. For a full explanation of the details of all charges, including those in the preceding table, refer to the Gallaudet University website.
No tuition is charged for students at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School or the Model Secondary School for the Deaf.
Note: These numbers may have been updated since Fast Facts was published. The Finance Office maintains the most up to date fee schedule.
Gallaudet University has nearly 22,000 alumni around the world. The Gallaudet University Alumni Association, organized in 1889, has 54 chapters. According to a survey conducted by the University, 96 percent of the undergraduate student respondents who graduated between December 2016 and August 2017 are either employed or furthering their education. Ninety-nine percent of the survey respondents who graduated with graduate degrees during the same time frame are employed or furthering their education. Eightyone percent of Model Secondary School for the Deaf students who graduated in 2018 are in postsecondary education, in training programs, or employed within one year after graduation.
Gallaudet welcomes tax-deductible contributions from individuals, businesses, foundations, and organizations in support of University initiatives and priorities, including scholarships, program enhancements and development, and renovation projects. For more information about philanthropic support for Gallaudet, including opportunities to make a gift in memory or in honor of a loved one, please visit the Development Office website at www.gallaudet.edu/giving.
At the end of FY 2019, the University and Clerc Center together had 893 employees, 509 of whom are deaf or hard of hearing. A total of 271 employees are faculty members or teachers.
Total revenues and other support for FY 2019 were approximately $191.3 million.
As of the end of FY 2019, the University’s endowment was approximately $186.2 million.
Gallaudet is one of the area’s largest businesses, with direct salaries, wages, and benefits totaling more than $117.2 million in FY 2019. The University spent another $71.1 million on goods and services and $7.8 million on capital improvements. Since 2012, Gallaudet has constructed two new residence halls and renovated 14 buildings. In 2013, the District of Columbia’s Zoning Commission approved the Gallaudet University 2022 Campus Plan, the University’s vision for campus development for 2012 to 2022.
Gallaudet University is accredited by:
Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) http://msche.org/3624 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 Telephone: (267) 284-5000 E-Mail: info@msche.org
The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Many of the University's programs are also accredited by professional accrediting bodies, including:
Gallaudet’s Deaf Education program is accredited by the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED). Programs that prepare graduates to be licensed professionals in schools are approved by the District of Columbia State Education Agency (SEA).
These same programs, along with the master’s in school social work program, are part of Gallaudet’s Educator Preparation Program, which is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
In addition, many programs are reviewed by the following specialized professional associations (SPAs) as part of NCATE’s re-accreditation process:
The Kendall Demonstration Elementary School and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf are the demonstration schools of the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center at Gallaudet University. Both schools are accredited by two organizations: The Middle States Association (MSA) and the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD).
Chief Academic OfficerLaurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
Interim Chief Financial OfficerAdministration & Finance
ProvostAcademic Affairs
Executive DirectorInstitutional Advancement
Chief of StaffOffice of the President
Interim DeanStudent Affairs
Chief Operating OfficerAdministration and Finance
Interim Chief Diversity OfficerEquity, Diversity and Inclusion
Executive DirectorUniversity Communications
Chief Administrative OfficerLaurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center
Admissions Requirements
Spring 2021 – Dec 12Fall 2021 – May 15