Department Overview
The Communication Sciences and Disorders Program is part of the College of Arts and Sciences. It is housed in the Gordon D. Hoople Building, which contains the Gebbie Speech-Language-Hearing Clinics and also the Center on Human Policy.
The Master's of Science (MS) program in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) and the Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program at Syracuse University are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) ( http://www.asha.org/about/credentialing/accreditation/CAA_overview.htm ) , and are dedicated to comprehensive quality training of professionals in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Degree programs in these areas have been offered at Syracuse University since 1948. Although solidly based on almost five decades of training experience, the CSD programs today are new, innovative and dynamic.
Syracuse University also offers the BS, and PhD degrees in Communication Sciences and Disorders, with specialization in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology at the PhD level. This program variety contributes to the richness of our coursework, clinical experiences, and research opportunities.
The MS in Speech-Language Pathology and the AuD degree in Audiology are designed to provide the student with sufficient depth and breadth of academic study and clinical practicum for a professional career in the diagnosis and management of individuals with speech, language and hearing disorders. Students completing the programs will have met the course and practicum requirements set by ASHA for the Certificate of Clinical Competence and for New York State licensure. Presently, 97% of students who enter the graduate program successfully meet criteria for graduation.
Depending on the student's background, the typical master's degree program in Speech-Language Pathology for students with an appropriate undergraduate preparation requires a minimum of four full-time academic semesters plus one summer. Students with undergraduate background in fields other than Communication Sciences and Disorders generally need additional credit hours of coursework to fulfill degree and national certification requirements. The AuD program requires three full years of advanced study beyond the bachelor's degree. Externships are available in a variety of health and educational settings.
Speech-language pathologists
Speech-language pathologists assess, treat, and help to prevent speech, language, cognitive, communication, voice, swallowing, fluency, and other related disorders. They work with people who cannot make speech sounds, or cannot make them clearly; those with speech rhythm and fluency problems, such as stuttering; people with voice quality problems, such as inappropriate pitch or harsh voice; those with problems understanding and producing language; and those with cognitive communication impairments, such as attention, memory, and problem-solving disorders. They may also work with people who have oral motor problems causing eating and swallowing difficulties.
Audiologists
Audiologists identify, assess, and manage auditory, balance, and other neural systems. They work with people who have hearing, balance, and related problems. They use audiometers, computers, and other testing devices to measure the loudness at which a person begins to hear sounds, the ability to distinguish between sounds, and the nature and extent of hearing loss. Audiologists interpret these results and may coordinate them with medical, educational, psychological information to make a diagnosis and determine a course of treatment.
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