Any changes made after initial advisement must receive prior approval from an advisor. Failure to obtain this approval can extend the program by one year.
Only applications received by this deadline are assured of consideration.
In addition to the M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology described below, the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences collaborates with the Department of Linguistics in a doctoral program for students interested in combining the study of Speech and Hearing Sciences with Linguistics. The concentration in Speech and Hearing Sciences within the Linguistics Ph.D. program is described under the Linguistics: Graduate Program section of this Catalog.
The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences awards the Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology under both Plan I (thesis) and Plan II (non-thesis) according to regulations set forth in the Graduate Program section of this Catalog. The Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) accredits the program. All students must fulfill the academic and practicum requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence set forth by ASHA and specified by the department. Students must also comply with the requirements set forth in the Speech and Hearing Sciences Graduate Student Handbook. Persons with a bachelor's degree in a field other than Speech and Hearing Sciences are encouraged to apply. Advisement materials specifying admission requirements and related material are available upon request from the department and on the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences Web site. All applicants should obtain and review these materials prior to initiating the admission process.
Students entering the graduate program must have earned grades of at least "C" in the courses used to meet the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association requirements of 3 credit hours in Biological Sciences, 3 credit hours in Physical Sciences, 3 credit hours in Social/Behavioral Sciences, and 3 credit hours in Statistics. These courses may be the same courses used to meet other college or university requirements. They may not include remedial coursework. Students who have not completed these requirements are required to do so within the first 3 semesters after acceptance into the graduate program in order to continue their enrollment.
All students entering the graduate program are responsible for completion of the following undergraduate courses or their equivalent within the first 3 semesters of graduate enrollment, with a grade of at least "B": SHS *303, 310, 321, 330, *425, 428, 430 (530), 431, 450, *458, and 459. Courses or their equivalents that were taken more than six years before entering the graduate program, or courses for which grades lower than "B" were received, cannot be used to fulfill this requirement. The graduate advisor, in consultation with the Curriculum and Advisement Committee, determines whether a course may be considered equivalent and decide how the requirement must be fulfilled: by taking or re-taking the course, by testing out or by auditing.
The Speech-Language Pathology program includes the basic sciences and upper-division SHS courses described above as well as the following 500-level courses: SHS 500 (at least 4 enrollments to include no more than 2 summer sessions), 501, 502, 503, 506, 507, 517, 525, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 538, 557, 558, and one 500-level elective that may be selected from department course offerings or from course offerings from a variety of departments (subject to approval by the SHS graduate advisor). SHS 506 must be taken in the first year of enrollment in 500-level classes. A minimum grade of "B" is required for all 500-level coursework.
Email the non-degree Advisor for information before enrolling in SHS courses.
Non-degree students seeking admission to the graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology may enroll in the following courses prior to a decision regarding admission: SHS *302, *303, 310, 321, 330, *425, 428, 430, 431, 450, *458, and 459; and up to 12 credit hours selected from the following: SHS 506, 507, 525, and 531. A minimum of 9 credit hours of Speech and Hearing Sciences coursework, at any level, is required prior to application to the graduate program. For courses taken on a non-degree basis, students must earn a grade of "B" or higher to fulfill graduate course requirements (including undergraduate deficiencies/prerequisites) upon admission to the graduate program.
Students who have completed an undergraduate degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences may enroll as non-degree students in no more than 12 credit hours of SHS 500-level academic courses (permission of instructor required), and may not include courses in clinical practice and/or internship.
Courses
SHS *302. Introduction to Communicative Disorders. (3)
(Also offered as SPCD *302)
The nature of speech, language and hearing disorders in children and adults; overview of speech and hearing anatomy and physiology; multicultural issues; emphasizes the impact of communicative disorders on individuals and families.
SHS *303. Introduction to Phonetics. (3)
(Also offered as LING 303)
An introduction to the physiological mechanisms underlying speech production, linguistic classification and transcription of speech sounds, acoustic properties of speech sounds, relationship between phonetics and phonology, and applications to speech pathology.
SHS 310. Anatomy and Physiology of Human Communication. (3)
Introduction to basic anatomy and physiology for speech, language, hearing and swallowing. Covers five systems: respiratory, phonatory, articulatory, auditory and neurological.
SHS 321 [321 / 541]. Introduction to Audiology. (3)
Basic hearing science, pathological conditions of the auditory system, audiometric testing.
Prerequisite: 310.
SHS 330. Introduction to Communication Sciences. (3)
Introduction to speech and hearing science. Covers basic science of sound, acoustic theory of speech production, acoustic and physiologic phonetics, sound transmission through the auditory system, acoustic and physiologic consequences of speech and hearing disorders.
SHS *425. Aural Rehabilitation. (3)
Appraisal and management of individuals with impaired hearing.
Prerequisite: 321.
SHS 428. Phonological Disorders in Children. (3)
Assessment and treatment of articulation and phonological disorders.
Prerequisite: *303 or LING 303.
SHS 430 / 530. Language Development. (3)
Developmental sequence of language acquisition and changes in communication behavior across the life span from birth to adulthood. Covers specific areas of phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, pragmatics, literacy and metalinguistics.
SHS 431. Language Disorders in Children. (3)
A survey of language disorders in children and intervention. Topics include descriptions of clinical populations, intervention principles and methods, and linguistic, medical, developmental and cultural issues in intervention.
Prerequisite: 430.
SHS 450. Neural Basis of Communication. (3)
Structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems as they relate to normal and disordered communication.
Prerequisite: 310.
SHS 451. Undergraduate Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
Restriction: permission of instructor.
SHS *458. Preclinical Training. (3)
Course content includes behavioral objectives, program design, data collection, client/family counseling, ethnographic interviewing with multicultural families, behavioral management and professional issues including certification and licensure requirements, ethical conduct and federal laws protecting the handicapped.
Prerequisite: 428.
Pre- or corequisite: 431.
SHS 459. Multicultural Considerations in Communication. (3)
Students will obtain an understanding of how identity and the cultural and linguistic diversity of individuals affect communication. Strategies for sensitive assessment and intervention methods will be presented, including exploration of biases, cultural humility, and privilege.
Prerequisite: 302.
SHS 490. Topics in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
Special topics motivated by expertise of instructor and interest of students.
SHS 500. Clinical Practice. (3, may be repeated five times Δ)
Practicum assignment and seminar covering a variety of topics in clinical practice including diagnostics and evaluation, practice in school and hospital settings, and supervised practice in off-campus sites.
Prerequisite: *458.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of Clinic Director.
SHS 501. Clinical Foundations. (1)
Practicum seminar covering the foundations for intervention in speech-language pathology. Topics include clinic documentation, materials, data collection, treatment plans, facilitation techniques, and counseling and management of behavior as they apply to real-life clients.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of Clinic Director.
SHS 502. Clinical Diagnostics. (1)
Practicum seminar covering the foundations for assessment in speech-language pathology. Topics include completing case history information and interviews, administering assessments, interpreting results of assessment, and writing diagnostic reports as these topics apply to real-life clients.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of Clinic Director.
SHS 503. Clinical Case Studies. (1)
Practicum seminar covering the integration of coursework as it applies to virtual reality cases on KASA skill competencies that apply to low incidence disorders.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of Clinic Director.
SHS 506. Reading and Writing in Research. (3)
Based on a scientist-practitioner model, this course is an introduction to research design with an emphasis on conceptual foundations and critical evaluation.
Prerequisite: PSYC 2510.
SHS 507. Adult Neurogenic Communicative Disorders. (3)
Comprehensive survey of predominant adult neurogenic communication disorders. Content includes theoretical issues, etiology, differential diagnosis, symptomatology, prognosis and recovery.
Prerequisite: 450 or 550.
SHS 517. Dysphagia. (3)
Acquire knowledge relevant to the identification, evaluation, treatment of infant and adult swallowing disorders.
Prerequisite: 310 and (450 or 550).
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology.
SHS 525. Voice Disorders. (3)
Based on knowledge of normal voice production, various voice disorders are surveyed and approaches to evaluation and treatment are discussed.
Prerequisite: 310.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of instructor for non-degree students.
SHS 530 / 430. Language Development. (3)
Developmental sequence of language acquisition and changes in communication behavior across the life span from birth to adulthood. Covers specific areas of phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, pragmatics, literacy and metalinguistics.
SHS 531. Motor Speech Disorders. (3)
Overview of child and adult neurogenic speech disorders and fluency disorders with a focus on assessment and treatment.
Prerequisite: 450 or 550.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology.
SHS 532. Augmentative Communication. (3)
Overview and/or hands-on-experience with nonelectronic and electronic aids and devices used for augmentative communication. Focus may be on particular disabilities, assessment, therapeutic and/or research issues.
Prerequisite: 428, 431.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of instructor for non-degree students.
SHS 533. Assessing Language in Children. (3)
Principles and procedures of assessment for language disorders in children.
Prerequisite: 431.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology.
SHS 534. Intervention: Child Language Disorders. (3)
Principles and intervention procedures for child language disorders from early childhood through adolescence. Methods for examining treatment efficacy in clinical and research contexts.
Prerequisite: 431.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of instructor for non-degree students.
SHS 535. Medical Speech-Language Pathology. (3)
Topics relevant to practice in a medical setting are reviewed including evaluation and treatment of children with birth defects (cleft palate) and other special populations; professional and administrative concerns.
Prerequisite: 450 or 550.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology.
SHS 538. Fluency Disorders. (3)
Overview of stuttering and other fluency disorders in children and adults with a focus on assessment and treatment.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology.
SHS 539. Topics. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of instructor.
{Offered upon demand}
SHS 551. Problems. (1-3 to a maximum of 6 Δ)
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology.
SHS 557. Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology. (1)
Course content includes graduation requirements, CFY application and procedures, supervision, resumes and interviewing, job searching and negotiation, and professional issues including certification and licensure requirements, ethical conduct and federal policies for the workplace.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of Clinic Director.
SHS 558. Clinical Internship. (8)
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology and permission of Clinic Director.
{Summer, Fall, Spring}
SHS 561. Bilingual Language Acquisition: Clinical Implications. (3)
This course focuses on identifying the critical factors that influence bilingual language acquisition, examining the linguistic characteristics of English-Spanish bilinguals, and considering the implications of bilingualism for speech and language intervention planning.
Prerequisite: 431 and 459.
SHS 599. Master's Thesis. (1-6, no limit Δ)
Offered on a CR/NC basis only.
Restriction: admitted to M.S. Speech-Language Pathology.
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