Course Descriptions & Requirements 

Students will complete a total of 45 credit hours composed of required courses, elective courses, clinical practicum hours, and a clinical internship.

Learn more about individual courses by reading the full course descriptions below. Some courses are pending approval and may be subject to change.

Leveling Courses

Students are required to take prerequisite undergraduate-level coursework in communication sciences and disorders before beginning graduate-level classes. If you have not met these requirements, you may need to take the following courses.

Survey of Speech Pathology and Audiology

An introduction to the nature and causes of speech, language, and hearing disorders and speech-language pathology as an educational and clinical field.

Introduction to Phonological Science

Introduction to the phonological rules and processes of American English and an examination of descriptive, physiological, and acoustic phonetics.

Language Development

Linguistic theory and language development in normal children.

Structures and Functions in Communication and Swallowing

This course provides foundational instruction in anatomy and physiology of the subsystems that underlie speech and swallowing- neural bases, respiration, phonation, resonance, and articulation- as well as speech science.

Introduction to Clinical Audiology

Hearing sciences and approaches for evaluating hearing: anatomy and physiology of the ear, the decibel, ear pathology, pure-tone audiometry, speech audiometry, and acoustic-immittance audiometry.

Observation Hours and Clinical Methods

Methods for treating individuals who have communication disorders. Observation of therapy is required, and will be accepted through a virtually stimulated clinical experience and/or a shadowing experience. Any shadowing experience must be signed by an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist with their ASHA number included.

Required Graduate-Level Courses

EBP Evaluation and Interprofessional Practice in a Diverse Society

An evidence-based assessment class that includes best practice methods for assessment with an emphasis on diverse populations and interprofessional competencies.

Speech Sound Disorders

Current research, assessment, and treatment of speech-sound disorders (SSD) including articulation and phonological disorders with functional and organic etiologies.

Birth to Five Language Disorders

An advanced study of language delay and disorders in children from birth through five years of age which includes current evidence-based assessment, service delivery, and intervention strategies.

Methods in Graduate Study in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Methods necessary to evaluate literature, conduct research, and describe results in communication sciences and disorders.

Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation

Methods for rehabilitating persons with hearing impairment: evaluating communicative needs, amplification devices, auditory-visual training, and modes of communication for the deaf and hearing impaired.

Augmentative Communication and Severe Populations

Exploration of selection and teaching of augmentative and alternative communication, and a focus on populations with severe language disorders including autism.

Aphasiology

Etiology, symptomatology, and treatment of aphasia and kindred disorders.

Fluency Disorders

Nature, evaluation, treatment, and current research trends in stuttering.

Voice Pathology

Application of principles of voice science to the treatment of organic and functional voice disorders.

Dysphagia

Development of swallowing, etiologies, evaluative procedures and management of swallowing disorders. 

Motor Speech Disorders

Etiologies, symptoms, classifications, evaluative procedures, and treatments of developmental and adult motor speech disorders.

Cognitive Linguistic Communication Disorders

Neuropathology, symptomatology, assessment, and treatment of cognitive linguistic communication disorders associated with right hemisphere damage, traumatic brain injury, and dementia.

Clinical Courses

  • Practicum 0 Introduction to Clinical Practice
  • Practicum 1 Clinical Practicum Placement 1
  • Practicum 2 Clinical Practicum Placement 2
  • Practicum 3 Clinical Practicum Placement 3
  • Clinical Internship

Elective Courses

Depending on your background, you will be required to take either one or two of the below elective courses to meet the required 45 credits needed to graduate.

Multicultural Issues in Speech-Language Pathology

Relates cultural background to normal development of speech and language. Topics include sound system acquisition, syntax, pragmatics, and professional issues and concerns. 

School-Age Language and Literacy Disorders

Contemporary research on language and reading disorders, evidenced-based practice, and language literacy methods of prevention, assessment, and treatment for the school-age population.

Mentored Research Experience in Communication Sciences and Disorders

This course is an elective, advanced study and application of research methods in communication sciences and disorders. 
Pre-Requisite is Methods in Graduate Study in Communication Sciences and Disorders.