MA Speech-Language Pathology

The B.A./B.S. in communication sciences and disorders (623 curriculum) is a pre-professional track to prepare students for a career as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. Courses focus on the scientific basis and nature of human communication and its disorders, assessment, and remediation. Students study the normal processes of hearing, speech, and language development and associated disorders such as articulation and phonological disorders, language-learning delays/disorders, stuttering, aphasia, dysarthria, autism, cleft palate, voice disorders, hearing impairment, deafness, and others. Highly qualified faculty members, who have an extensive background in the evaluation and treatment of speech, language, and hearing disorders, teach all of the courses. The department’s mission is to effectively prepare students to meet the challenges of our professions by providing quality instruction, modeling/mentoring, and curricular offerings which reflect our diverse society in accordance with the accepted standards of our professions. The department offers a comprehensive curriculum, which integrates academic knowledge and clinical practice. The communication sciences and disorders curriculum meets all the undergraduate requirements for certification with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and all undergraduate coursework requirements for New York State Licensure.

The goal of the undergraduate program is to provide a solid foundation for the development of clinical expertise. Students are introduced to the department’s Speech & Hearing Center services as part of several undergraduate courses, including the direct observation of assessment and therapy sessions. This careful preparation occurs before any formal clinical practicum can begin. Seniors are given the opportunity to be clinicians in our on-campus Speech & Hearing Center. Through advanced coursework and participation in the center, students are trained to select and apply effective clinical techniques to help clients acquire/improve speech, voice, hearing, and/or language skills. Following completion of coursework for a B.A./B.S. in communication sciences and disorders, students apply to graduate school to pursue a graduate degree. This allows for employment in a variety of settings, which include public schools, hospitals, nursing homes, head trauma centers, community clinics, and private practices.

The Certificate Program in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department (0049 curriculum) is designed to prepare students for entering into a graduate program in the field of speech-language pathology or audiology. Students entering the Certificate Program already have a bachelor’s degree in a different field, but do not have the necessary undergraduate course work to apply for a master’s degree program in speech-language pathology, or clinical doctorate of audiology (Au.D.). Students may transfer a maximum of six credits if they already have taken courses included in the certificate program curriculum. Course syllabi must be reviewed by professors before approval of transfer credits. An application packet for the certificate program may be obtained from Graduate Admissions. Deadline for application is April 1.