The Centre for Deaf Studies is a department of the University of Bristol, England, in the field of deaf studies, which it defines as the study of the "language, community and culture of Deaf people".[1] Established in 1978, the centre claims to be the first higher educational institute in Europe "to concentrate solely on research and education that aims to benefit the Deaf community".[2] The centre has been at the forefront of establishing the disciplines of deaf studies and Deafhood. It uses British Sign Language (BSL), has a policy of bilingual communication in BSL and English, and employs a majority of Deaf teaching staff.[2][3]
As of 2010, the centre offers taught BSc and MSc courses, as well as research degrees at MPhil and PhD level. Bristol University announced plans to close the BSc course in May 2010. The centre also runs Deafstation, a daily news service in BSL.
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The centre was founded in 1978. Early research at the centre into the acquisition and usage of BSL was the first funded research into the topic in the UK.[2][4] In 1980, the centre produced the first coding manual for BSL, followed by the first textbook on the language in 1985.[4] In 1980, the centre ran the first National Conference on Sign Language in the UK, and the following year it hosted the first International Conference on Sign Language to be held in the UK. It also organised the first International Deaf Researchers Workshop in 1985.[4]
In 1984, the centre coined the term "deaf studies", and in 2001, it established the first professorship in the discipline. Also in 2001, it employed a Deaf director, the first time that the head of a European academic centre had been Deaf.[4] In 2003, the book Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood, by the centre's researcher Paddy Ladd, popularised the term "Deafhood", which Ladd had coined in 1990.[5][6]
The centre has also been an innovator in education. In 1981, it offered the first university-level certificate course in BSL for professionals. In 1985, it started a diploma course, social science in deaf studies. This was followed in 1987 by a part-time course in sign language interpretation, which became full time in 1990. In 1992, the centre established the earliest full-time, university-level training programme for Deaf people to be taught in sign language. In 1993, a Diploma of Higher Education was established, the earliest undergraduate course on deaf studies in the UK, and in 1999, the first BSc and MSc in deaf studies followed.[4]
Research at the centre falls mainly into five areas: the language, linguistics and literature of sign language; acquisition of sign language; community and culture, known as "Deafhood"; cognition and psychology; and the applications of technology, such as videotelephony and e-learning.[7] One ongoing project is an audio-visual phone which, as of 2010, is on trial by the Avon and Somerset Police.[8]
As of 2010, Bristol is one of a handful of universities in the UK to offer an undergraduate degree in deaf studies.[9] The modular BSc degree can be studied over three years full time or six years part time; students learn BSL, and the course has a focus on sign linguistics.[1] In May 2010, the university announced plans to close the undergraduate course as part of a drive to save £15 million.[10]
The centre offers several taught postgraduate courses: a certificate and diploma in deaf studies, and two MSc courses, in deaf studies and Deafhood studies.[11][12] There is also an MPhil/PhD programme.[13]
The centre also offers a range of short courses, including BSL, BSL interpreting and Deafhood studies.[14][15][16]
Deafstation, a daily news service in BSL, is run by the centre.[17]
As of 2010, the centre's director is Lorna Allsop. The Harry Crook Professor in Deaf Studies is Jim Kyle, and other researchers include Paddy Ladd.[18] As of 2010, the majority of teaching staff are Deaf.[3]