Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology
or
Master of Science in Audiology
or
Master of Science in Deaf Education

Admission

For admission to the M.S. degree program in speech-language pathology, audiology or deaf education, the applicant must:

  1. Have obtained a 3.0 GPA for course work taken during the last two years of undergraduate training.
  2. Submit three letters of recommendation.
  3. Have obtained a score equal to or better than the 35th percentile on any one of the three general sections of the Graduate Record Examination. Students with GPAs between 2.75 and 3.0 will receive consideration for admission as conditional students.

    Required Courses for Speech-Language Pathology Emphasis

    SPA 600	       Principles of Research in
                   Communication Disorders	                2 cr
    SPA 601	       Service Delivery Issues in Speech-
                   Language Pathology 
                   and Audiology	                        2 cr
    SPA 602	       Clinical Practicum: Speech-
                   Language Pathology	                7 cr
    SPA 604	       Off-Campus Clinical Practicum	      1-2 cr
    SPA 606	       Externship in Speech-Language 
                   Pathology	                        8 cr
    SPA 612	       Language Development/Analysis	        2 cr
    SPA 613	       Hearing Conservation	                2 cr
    SPA 614	       Language Disorders: Preschool	        2 cr
    SPA 616	       Language Disorders: School Age	        2 cr
    SPA 618	       Augmentative and Alternative 
                   Communication	                        2 cr
    SPA 622	       Phonologic Disorders:
                   Assessment and Treatment	                3 cr
    SPA 624	       Experimental Phonetics	                2 cr
    SPA 630        Fluency Disorders	                2 cr
    SPA 632	       Oral Anomalies	                        2 cr
    SPA 634	       Voice Disorders	                        2 cr
    SPA 636	       Dysarthria/Dysphagia	                2 cr
    SPA 642        Aphasia	                                2 cr
    SPA 644	       Closed Head Injury	                2 cr
    SPA 646	       Computer Applications in Speech-
                   Language Pathology	                2 cr
    SPA 650	       Thesis	                                6 cr
                   OR
    SPA 651	       Master's Paper	                        3 cr
    		                           Total  50 - 54 cr
    

    Required Courses for Audiology Emphasis

    SPA 600	      Principles of Research in Commun-
                  ication Disorders	                        2 cr
    SPA 601	      Service Delivery Issues in 
                  Speech-Language Pathology
                  and Audiology	                        1 cr
    SPA 603	      Clinical Practicum: Audiology	        8 cr
    SPA 605	      Externship in Audiology	                8 cr
    SPA 611	      Advanced Audiology	                4 cr
    SPA 621	      Conservation and AR: School
                  and Industry	                        2 cr
    SPA 623	      Pediatric Audiology	                3 cr
    SPA 631	      Impedance/Special Tests	                2 cr
    SPA 633	      ABR/ENG	                                2 cr
    SPA 633L      ABR/ENG Lab	                        1 cr
    SPA 635	      Speech Audiometry	                        2 cr
    SPA 641	      Hearing Aids I	                        2 cr
    SPA 641L      Hearing Aids I Lab 	                1 cr
    SPA 643	      Hearing Aids II	                        2 cr
    SPA 643L      Hearing Aids II Lab	                1 cr
    SPA 645	      Auditory Theory I	                        2 cr
    SPA 647	      Auditory Theory II	                2 cr
    SPA 691	      Topical Seminar(s)	                3 cr
    		                                Total  48 cr
    

    Required Courses for Deaf Education Emphasis

    SPA g301      Developmental Psycho-linguistics 
                  and Reading                               3 cr
    SPA g457      Teaching Speech 
                  to the Hearing Impaired                   3 cr
    SPA g458      Teaching Language
                  to the Hearing Impaired                   3 cr
    SPA g459      Teaching Academic Subjects
                  to the Hearing Impaired                   3 cr
    SPA g482      Independent Study:
                  Specific Teaching Project                 3 cr
    SPA g491      Seminar:
                  Speech and Hearing Science                3 cr
    SPA 607	      Directed Observation in Education
                  of the Hearing Impaired                   3 cr
    SPA 608	      Communication Practicum                   6 cr
    SPA 617	      Psycho/Social Foundations in 
                  Education of the Hearing Impaired	        2 cr
    SPA 627	      Reading/Writing Curriculum in 
                  Education of the Hearing 
                  Impaired                                  3 cr
    SPA 628	      Curriculum Organization in Education
                  of the Hearing Impaired                   3 cr
    SPA 637       Philosophical/Theoretical
                  Foundations of Education
                  of the Hearing Impaired                   2 cr
    SPA 691	      Top. Seminar: Audiometry/
                  Tympanometry                              2 cr
    		                                 TOTAL 39 cr
    

    Many of our applicants will have completed student teaching and had enough experience that the 607, 608, 582 courses will fulfill the training and requirements for a graduate degree and credential. If they do not have this qualification, they may take the following course. Some students may take this as an elective.

    SPA 609	      Teaching Internship in Education
                  of the Hearing Impaired	                8 cr
    

    Requirements

    Students must pass eight and one-half hours of written comprehensive examinations. Graduate students may elect a thesis option (SPA 650, 6 credits) in lieu of comprehensive exams with approval by a graduate faculty advisor. Completion of a thesis involves an oral defense of the project.

    According to the university regulations, no student may be granted a graduate degree who does not have a 3.0 grade point average upon completion of all academic work. In addition, the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology will terminate the graduate program of any student who has received grades of "C" or lower in three or more departmental courses. If a student's graduate education is terminated for reasons of poor academic performance, s/he may reapply for admission no sooner than one full semester following the semester of termination.

    Students with inadequate backgrounds in speech pathology and audiology may be required to take up to one year in undergraduate coursework in addition to the above courses. In addition to the required graduate courses, students may have to take other courses in the department and related areas such as psychology and statistics. In addition to taking clinical practice (SPA 602, 603, or 608) in the department, all graduate students must complete a minimum of an eight-week, full-time externship in some professional program or agency. Other courses taken during the semester in which the externship is done must be in a block program. Exceptions will be made depending on the student's background. Graduate students deemed by the faculty not to have made satisfactory progress in the acquisition of clinical skills may be required to enroll for further credits in clinical practicum in addition to the minimum required of all students. Students may be dismissed for failure to make satisfactory progress in clinical practicum.