Human Services Counseling - Services to The Deaf Concentration

The Department of Professional Programs in Human Services offers educational programs that share the common goal of preparing students to work with people in a variety of human services agencies and organizations. The human services field is one of the most rapidly expanding career fields in America today. The department of Professional Programs in Human Services focuses on those careers which require professional preparation and training for service to individuals, families, groups, and the community. Degree programs include Counseling, Criminal Justice, and Social Work. In addition to a general career field, the Counseling student may select a concentration in Rehabilitation, Aging Services, or Services to the Deaf.

Services to the Deaf -- a unique program at ECU!
ECU is the only university in the state of Oklahoma to offer a concentration in Counseling Services to the Deaf and one of only three nationally. The Services to the Deaf program was established to prepare students, both hearing and deaf, to work with individuals within the Deaf community. Students have numerous opportunities to gain knowledge of and exposure to Deaf culture through various activities such as the ECU Silent Friends Club, Deaf Awareness Day, and volunteering at the Oklahoma School for the Deaf.

Counseling Services to the Deaf
Program Information

HSC in Services to the Deaf
The objective of the Services to the Deaf concentration is to prepare students to work with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. The academic program is structured to provide students with the specialized knowledge and sign language skills that will enable them to provide services in a broad spectrum of private, state, federal and community agencies.

Available Courses
Students are required to complete a total of 124 credit hours within the Counseling Services to the Deaf Program. Classes will include:

• INTRODUCTION TO DEAFNESS
  Encompasses the historical study of deaf individuals by addressing educational, legal, political, and philosophical forces which shaped the culture.
• PSYCHOLOGICAL-SOCIAL ASPECTS OF DEAFNESSConsiders the effects of prelingual and postlingual hearing loss on the psychological, social, and linguistic development of deaf individuals. In addition, principles of counseling with deaf individuals are introduced.
• INTRODUCTION TO AUDIOLOGY
  A study of the anatomy of the ear, audiological testing, corrective procedures, and impact on service provision.
• AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE I
  Satisfy both a Foreign Language requirement and learn to communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals and develop basic American Sign Language vocabulary and grammatical understanding.
• AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE II
  Develop extended expressive/receptive communication skills.
• AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE III
  Broaden grammatical understanding which includes non-verbal communication.
• AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE IV
  Greater emphasis on ASL grammar, expressive/receptive skills, and artistic interpreting.

With a Counseling Services to the Deaf Degree, graduates can work within the Public & Private Sectors of the Federal, State and Local Agencies as . . .

• Human Services Case Manager
• Human Services Job Coach
• Crisis Counselor
• Employment Counselor
• Rehabilitation Counselor
• Bereavement Counselor
• Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist
• Religious/Ministerial Specialist
• Referral Agency Interpreter
• Video-Relay Interpreter
• K-12 Interpreter
• Post-Secondary Interpreter
• Technology Center Interpreter
• Youth Guidance Specialist
• Para/Professional/Educational Interpreter

   Departmental Brochure