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Nov 23, 2024
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2024-2025 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog
Speech Pathology and Audiology, MS
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The Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology introduces students to advanced study and specialization in communicative disorders, instructs them in methods of independent investigation, enables them to satisfy the academic requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in speech-language pathology, state licensure, and allows them to acquire the requisite skills to become responsible professionals.
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Admission and Prerequisites
In addition to the general application and admission requirements from the Graduate School, applicants are required to provide official results of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and a personal statement. Official GRE scores must be sent directly from the test administrator to the Graduate School. The personal statement should address the applicant’s purpose in pursuing the graduate degree and any additional information that may strengthen their application. The Graduate School requirement for letters of recommendation may be waived if the student is a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette undergraduate program in the Department of Communicative Disorders.
Students admitted to the program are expected to have basic foundational knowledge which is typically obtained in an undergraduate degree in Communicative Disorders or related fields of study. Specific prerequisite courses include the following:
- a course in phonetics
- a course in normal speech and language development
- a course in the anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanism
- a course in basic speech science
- an introductory course in audiology
- a course in aural habilitation
- a course in language disorders
- a course in speech sound disorders
- a course in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology
- a course in clinical methods/observation and
- a course in applied statistics
In addition to the prerequisite requirements above, applicants should have a course in a biological science, a course in chemistry or physics, and a course in a behavioral science.
Failure to meet all of the above prerequisites shall not be reason to be denied admission; however, a student is expected to have completed a majority of the courses prior to admission. A student may not be advanced to candidacy prior to eliminating any deficiencies.
Course Requirements (43 credit hours)
The Master of Science Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology requires 43 graduate credit hours.
Required Courses (30 credit hours)
Electives (12 credit hours)
In addition to the 31 total credit hours of required courses, 12 graduate credit hours of elective coursework are required. Electives are chosen in consultation with the graduate coordinator and academic advisors who provide individual counsel to determine which elective courses best match student interests and their degree plan.
Demonstration of Comprehensive Knowledge (1 credit hour)
All students are required to demonstrate a general, comprehensive knowledge of the field of study through the successful completion of the capstone seminar course. The capstone seminar is required of all students and is typically taken during the student’s final semester. All students must pass the capstone seminar in order to qualify for graduation.
Clinical Requirements (minimum 325 clock hours)
Following the first summer semester, students will be required to register for a clinical course during each of the subsequent semesters of study. Clinical courses are not applicable to the 43 credit hours required for the master’s degree. Students must complete a minimum of 325 clock hours of clinical practicum at the graduate level. The actual number of clock hours of practicum performed at the graduate level will be determined by the number of hours the student had at the undergraduate level and the number of hours needed to complete the practicum distribution required for the certification being sought. Undergraduate clock hours will be integrated into total clock hours earned for ASHA certification and state licensure at the discretion of the Clinic Committee.
Other Requirements
Students are expected to have writing and speaking abilities acceptable for purposes of employment as a speech and language clinician and those who do not possess these skills will be expected to pursue remedial work.
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