Program Description
The Communication Sciences and Disorders, BS/Speech Language Pathology, MS program is designed for students to obtain a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the end of their senior year. The B.S. in communication sciences and disorders provides students with a broad education in human communication sciences and disorders. Students will participate in clinical experiences in the Gebbie Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic, and interested students will have the opportunity to participate in research in faculty laboratories.
The M.S. part of the program begins in the summer after the student completes the B.S. program and requires students to complete four graduate semesters (summer, fall, spring, summer). The M.S. program in Speech-Language Pathology at Syracuse University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech Language-Hearing Association. Graduates of the M.S. program may also fulfill the requirements for New York State teacher certification as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities.
While pursuing the M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology students are prepared for a professional career in diagnosis and management of individuals with speech and language disorders. Students in speech-language pathology participate in a wide range of diagnostic and therapy experiences under the direct supervision of clinical faculty. Students typically obtain 75 hours of on-campus clinical practicum in the department’s Gebbie Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic (50 hours for students who bring in 25 clock hours from their undergraduate program) before being assigned two off-site clinical experiences. These off-site placements provide students with experience working in the field under the supervision of a certified speech-language pathologist. Placements include public schools, preschool programs, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, private clinics, and special education programs.
Completion of the master’s program provides students with the academic and practicum qualifications for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and for New York State licensure in speech-language pathology.
Consistent with the requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) described by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), students must complete the 375 clock hours of supervised clinical practicum (in addition to 25 hours of clinical observation) in the field of speech-language pathology during the master’s program.
Graduates of the BS/MS program also fulfill the requirements for New York State teacher certification as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities.
Student Learning Outcomes
B.S. in Communication Sciences & Disorders
1. Human Communication Process and Disorders: Identify the developmental norms for speech/language acquisition, the theoretical and scientific foundations of CSD, and general knowledge of speech, language, and hearing disorders.
2. Clinical Practices for Communication Disorders: Understand and explain the basic clinical process for the prevention, identification, evaluation, and remediation of communication disorders.
3. Critical Thinking: Apply critical thinking, problem solving, and logical reasoning skills to problems, issues, and/or clinical case studies in communication sciences and disorders.
4. Scientific Inquiry and Research Skills: Explain “evidence-based decision making” as a lifelong learning process in communication sciences and disorders.
5. Professional Communication Skills: Demonstrate effective professional written communication skills as they pertain to clinical topics and situations in communication sciences and disorders. Demonstrate effective spoken communication skills to explain and describe content and/or research knowledge as it pertains to topics in communication sciences and disorders.
6. Ethics, Integrity, and Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: Identify how individual, cultural, and linguistic differences influence speech, language, and hearing, and the disorders of communication that individuals may experience. Recognize and explain professional ethical principles in the fields of speech language pathology and audiology.
M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology
1. Foundations of Speech-Language Pathology Practice: Demonstrate knowledge of the discipline of human communication sciences and disorders; basic human communication and swallowing processes, including the appropriate biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, linguistic, and cultural bases; ability to integrate information pertaining to normal and abnormal human development across the life span; nature of communication and swallowing processes.
2. Identification and/or Prevention of Communication and Swallowing Disorders and Differences: Demonstrate knowledge of principles and methods of identification of communication and swallowing disorders and differences, principles and methods of prevention of communication and swallowing disorders.
3. Evaluation of Communication and Swallowing Disorders and Differences: Demonstrate knowledge and skills in assessment across the lifespan for disorders and differences associated with articulation; fluency; voice and resonance, including respiration and phonation; receptive and expressive language (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, prelinguistic communication, and paralinguistic communication) in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and manual modalities; hearing, including the impact on speech, language, and communication; swallowing (oral, pharyngeal, esophageal, and related functions, including oral function for feeding; orofacial myology); cognitive aspects of communication (e.g., attention, memory, sequencing, problem solving, executive functioning); social aspects of communication (e.g., behavioral and social skills affecting communication); and augmentative and alternative communication needs.
4. Professional Practice in Speech-Language Pathology: Demonstrate knowledge and skills in working with individuals with the aforementioned communication and swallowing disorders across the lifespan as evidenced by: ethical conduct; integration and application of knowledge of the interdependence of speech, language, and hearing; engagement in contemporary professional issues and advocacy; processes of clinical education and supervision; professionalism and professional behavior in keeping with the expectations for a speech-language pathologist; interaction skills and personal qualities, including counseling and collaboration; self-evaluation of effectiveness of practice.
Major Requirements
Students are formally admitted to the major after consulting a department advisor on a plan of study and successfully completing CSD 212 with a B- or better, or by petition.
To be eligible to apply for the combined BS/MS Speech-Language Pathology 5-year program, a student must have an overall GPA of 3.7 after the Fall semester of the third year, and 24 CSD credits earned.
To complete the MS degree, students must maintain an overall GPA of 3. 0 or higher. Students with an academic GPA below 2. 6 at the end of their first semester in the program, or an academic or clinic GPA below 3. 0 at the end of the first academic year or in any subsequent semester, may be dismissed from the program. Additionally, clinic hours earned during a semester in which a student fails to achieve a passing grade in CSD 650 will not count toward the required 400 clinical hours.
Students in the NY Teaching Track in the MS SLP program must also earn a B- or better in ALL coursework for the class to count towards the program. Students who do not meet these criteria would not be eligible for NY teaching certification or must repeat the course to be eligible.