Centre for Deaf Studies

Director of the Centre: Professor Lorraine Leeson
Acting Co-Director of the Centre: Dr John Bosco Conama
Bachelor of Deaf Studies Course Coordinator: Mr Patrick Matthews

Centre for Deaf Studies

Bachelor in Deaf Studies Module Handbook 2024-2025
Bachelor in Deaf Studies General Handbook 2024-2025

Hello, my name is John Bosco Conama. I’m the Course Coordinator of the Bachelor in Deaf Studies, in the Centre for Deaf Studies, CDS. The CDS is based here in Trinity College Dublin. Trinity is one of the top 50 universities in the world and is the only college in Ireland to offer a bachelor degree in Deaf Studies. The course is accredited by Trinity College Dublin and is linked to the National Framework of Qualifications, which covers level one to level ten qualifications. The Deaf studies course is 4 years in length and is a level 8 qualification, which is equivalent to an honours degree. Students who receive an honours degree can progress to a masters, level 9 or a PHD, level 10 programme. Students have the option of studying in different areas such as education, linguistics, psychology, cultural studies, all of which are linked to the area of Deaf Studies.

The aims of the CDS are as follows:

To increase the number of qualified Irish Sign Language/ English interpreters. Before the Centre for Deaf Studies was established, there were very few qualified interpreters in Ireland. This course provides professional training for interpreters ensuring that Deaf people are actively involved in society.
To set the highest standard of ISL teaching.
To provide training in the area of Deaf Studies.

The CDS is not here to replace what the IDS, DeafHear or other such organisations, rather, it is here to support them. The aim of the CDS is to encourage the use of ISL, to make sure that more people are aware of Deaf culture but also to promote research and education in the area of Deaf studies.

The CDS was established back in 2001, prior to this there was no fixed setting for studies in this field. The IDS along with other organisations lobbied for the establishment of the CDS, and after 10 years of campaigning it was finally set up. Now the CDS has more than seventy students who have received the diploma from TCD, approximately one third of whom are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Past students who have finished the Deaf Studies course are currently employed as interpreters, in schools for the Deaf, teaching ISL or as lecturers in the CDS.

We look forward to meeting you soon, thank you for visiting our website!