Introduces students to the role of speech-language pathologists (SLP) in education, healthcare, and private clinic settings. Covers the nine disorder areas that speech-language pathologists are prepared to address, including disorders of articulation, receptive and expressive language, voice, fluency, social communication, cognition, aural rehabilitation, augmentative/alternative communication, and swallowing. Designed to help learners explore the knowledge and skills needed to become a SLP.

Introduces students to audiological principles and practices. Students learn the scope of practice for clinical audiologists, and explore the course of training for those professionals who diagnose and treat hearing disorders in people of all ages. Additionally, students learn to conduct hearing screenings and make necessary referrals for diagnostic assessment. The basics of hearing instrumentation and testing are covered.

Students are introduced to the language and culture of individuals with deafness as they learn the basics of American Sign Language (ASL), including fingerspelling of words and grammatical features of the language. The goal is for students to produce 100 words and short sentences in ASL.

Phonetic transcription is a skill used by speech-language pathologists to record and analyze the speech production abilities of their clients. It is used when gathering speech samples of individual clients over time, to evaluate whether they demonstrate a speech articulation disorder or a dialectal difference, and to monitor progress of clients in intervention. Students learn to transcribe speech samples using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), and apply this skill to evaluation of speech articulation.

A review of anatomical structures of the head, neck and ear; and the physiology of speech production, hearing and swallowing. Designed for students who are preparing for a career in speech-language pathology or audiology.

Most SLPs deliver services in face-to-face sessions with their clients; however, with the need to turn to tele-practice as a service modality more often every day, this course will review the unique therapy strategies and digital materials employed in teletherapy.

Covers the physical properties of sound, including how it is generated, received, and interpreted by humans. The importance of environmental and linguistic sounds in the human experience are explored. Learners also discover the dynamic interplay of respiration, phonation, articulation and resonance that results in human speech.

Introduces the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological bases of attention, learning, memory, communication, and emotion. Beginning with an orientation to brain structures, students practice making clinical connections and learn to associate symptoms of neurological disease and injury with sites of lesion. They will be able to explain the neurological bases of communication and swallowing disorders. Human brain dissection labs are incorporated.

Students learn to adapt communication modalities to address the needs of individuals with severe communication, sensory and/or physical disabilities. Various augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) techniques will be covered, including no-tech, low-tech, and dedicated communication devices. The benefits of an interdisciplinary, team-based approach to assessment and intervention will be reviewed, with classes instructed by physical and/or occupational therapists and educators.

Covers articulation and phonological disorders that impact speech production in children. Students learn how to assess and treat speech sound disorders. Featured learning activities include transcription and analysis of speech samples, standardized testing, and intervention planning specific to individual cases.

Students will learn methods for prevention, identification, assessment and intervention of language disorders in school-age children and adolescents. Highlights include experiences with language sample analysis, other authentic classroom-based assessments, standardized testing, and treatment planning.

Examines the communication disorders (aphasias) that result from stroke. Students gain experience with informal and formal testing, and treatment planning relative to individual cases. Cognitive, linguistic and social aspects of aphasia are considered.

Human infants are born with reflexive feeding instincts that allow for their survival and ability to thrive. Students explore the evolution of successful feeding and swallowing in children and babies as they explore the amazing journey toward communicative competence including the evolution of articulate speech patterns, and receptive and expressive language. The roles of early literacy experiences in the development of oral and written language are outlined, as well.

Autism is a common condition that makes effective communication and social behavior challenging for children and adults. People with autism vary widely in their social communication abilities, including verbal and nonverbal skills. Students review the development of social communication competence, and how to assess and treat deficits that often occur in individuals with autism and other disorders.

Students examine methods for assessing and treating communication disorders associated with hearing impairment in children and adults. Basics of hearing screening are reviewed as students learn when to refer a client for audiometric assessment by an audiologist.

A review of foundational research concepts, single subject and group research design, and common methods of data analysis used in the field of speech-language pathology. Students learn to critically read and analyze research manuscripts as they begin to apply knowledge of research methods by designing a research study similar to the one they will implement for their first capstone experience.

Review of the ASHA Code of Ethics as it pertains to speech-language pathology practice. Current ethical issues confronting SLPs are discussed in consideration of best practice recommendations.

Students learn how to screen for communication and hearing problems in children and adults, and how to plan diagnostic assessments for individuals with suspected communication disorders. Students interact with a variety of evaluation tools used for evaluation of speech, language, social and cognitive abilities.

Provides students experience in treatment planning for children and adults with identified communication disorders, including deficits in speech, language, social and cognitive skills. Students learn to apply evidence-based methods for each client, considering available scientific support for methods chosen, family preferences for treatment methods, and their own clinical experiences when making treatment recommendations.

In this course, students will complete at least 25 hours of observation of licensed, certified speech-language pathologists conducing assessment or treatment of clients with communication or swallowing disorders. They will discuss the methods used by the clinician, the outcomes of each session and the implications for further services with a clinical supervisor who specializes in clinical debriefs. This is a course for students who have not met ASHA’s requirement of 25 observation hours prior to clinical practicum.

Students gain clinical experience in one of a variety of clinical SLP settings. All experiences are supervised by licensed and certified SLPs, and students can gain up to 50 hours of supervised clinical experience in this course. The expectation is that students provide services to clients two days per week during this experience.