Course Descriptions

Speech@Baylor 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.

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

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

Linguistic theory and language development in normal children.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

In order to meet graduate requirements, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that no student be employed more than 10 hours a week in practicum trimesters. During the internship trimester, NO EMPLOYMENT is recommended for any student. These recommendations are made to help meet academic and clinical responsibilities.

You may work at your place of employment for one trimester only, but you cannot complete placement hours at your current place of employment for pay. You cannot work with clients with whom you currently or may potentially have other relationships. You must disclose that you are working at a place of employment and will not be paid when completing your placement paperwork. Should you have the opportunity to accrue internship hours with a supervisor and population completely separate from your professional role — for example, in a different department that is in the same building or network — a practicum placement or internship at your place of employment may be considered.