Students will develop the skills to effectively assess, plan, and implement appropriate intervention strategies for persons presenting with articulation and/or phonological disorders (including with functional or organic etiology) as well as regional or cultural dialectal variations of speech sound production.

This course will explore the social, emotional, cultural and vocational effects a communication disorder may have on individuals, their families and significant others. Students will learn appropriate techniques and strategies for counseling children, adolescents and adults presenting with conditions impacting communication. Students will also learn how to counsel and interact with families (immediate and extended), case managers and other service providers.

Students will learn the etiology, signs, symptoms, and differential audiological findings in infants, children and adults with a variety of auditory disorders. The theory, methodology and procedures in differential diagnosis and test interpretation, including the appropriate modification of test procedures to accommodate the patient¿s chronological age, intellectual age, cultural differences, physical and emotional states will be examined. The assessment and management of persons with central auditory processing disorders will be explored.

Students will learn the normal anatomy and physiology of swallowing in infants, children and adults. The etiology, signs and symptoms of dysphagia, as well as screening, instrumental assessment and non-instrumental evaluation procedures will be explored. Management, including counseling and sensitivity to cultural differences, models of service delivery, indications and methods of oral and non-oral feeding, nutritional issues, and prevention of complications will be investigated. The student will learn to assess the effectiveness of treatment by using relevant outcomes.

This course will address normal communication development in children from birth to age three. Students will develop an understanding of the major etiologies of language disorders in infants and toddlers across cultures. Assessment and strategies, including the infusion of technology, for those presenting with disorders as well as for the at-risk child will be discussed. Skills to informally and formally determine the present communicative level of an infant or toddler using non-standard methods, such as play-based assessment will be addressed. Strategies for helping families from diverse backgrounds participate in the successful implementation of speech and language services to infants and toddlers will be shared. Policies impacting service delivery to this population and their families will be explored.

Students will develop an understanding of the etiologies of language delay and disorders in children, and the impact of language impairment on the learning process. Formal and informal assessment and intervention strategies as well as treatment outcomes will be discussed. Students will develop awareness of issues pertinent to service delivery including cultural diversity, preparation of individualized educational programs, literacy, assessment of progress, behavior management, collaboration and infusion of technology. Various group processes and structures required for successful service delivery will be recognized. Legislation and policies impacting services to school aged children will be explored.

This course will explore the incidence, ethnocultural differences and etiology of impairments that jeopardize acquired language as a result of insult to the central nervous system. The characteristics of different types of aphasias, as well as the effects of right hemisphere damage, including neglect, attention, linguistic, communicative, cognitive and affective deficits will be explored. Students will acquire knowledge of standardized and functional assessment of communication to ascertain the individual¿s abilities and impairments. Treatment approaches and strategies (including the infusion of technology) that promote compensation for deficits and promote recovery of function will be explored. Issues including counseling and educating patients, family members, significant others and care givers specific to the patient¿s diagnosis, management plan, prognosis and discharge will be discussed.

This course will address the incidence, pathophysiology, as well as communicative, mood and behavior changes in persons with dementia (including Alzheimer¿s disease), and those with traumatic brain injury across various cultures. The physiologic, cognitive, auditory and motor speech characteristics, as well as the language, pragmatic and discourse abilities of these individuals will be investigated. The social impact on the individual and the family will be reviewed. Professional services provided to the individual and care giver, including differential diagnosis, assessment and rehabilitation, and the infusion of technology will be discussed. Direct and indirect communication management approaches, including individual and group therapy, stabilization strategies, the use of assistive and augmentative devices, and collaboration with other health care professionals will be explored. Educational intervention and transition to school/work after traumatic brain injury, as well as efficacy, ethical and legal issues pertaining to both disorders will be examined.

The student will learn to read critically and evaluate research in normal and disordered speech, language, hearing and swallowing processes. The principles of research, research designs, issues in conducting unbiased research, types of research, observation, measurement, statistical treatment and reporting of data will be explored. The student will be guided in developing an intuitive understanding of clinical research methodology and integrating it with core statistical concepts and techniques.

This course focuses on approaches to the development of augmentative and alternative modes of communication for individuals of all ages with limited oral communication. The skills to effectively evaluate, select, and properly use a variety of gestural and symbol-based communication systems will be developed. Factors that affect assessment and treatment, such as, severity, age, cultural differences, nature of disorder, etc. will be discussed.

The neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of the central and peripheral nervous systems will be discussed with emphasis on structures that control language, speech and swallowing. The student will learn about the normal embryonic development of the nervous system, and the critical periods of susceptibility to teratogenic agents. The neurological examination and pertinent diagnostic issues including variations in different countries and cultures will be investigated. Signs, symptoms and sequelae of pathological agents will be correlated with clinical implications. Rehabilitation issues will be addressed.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

The student will provide supervised screening, diagnostic and treatment services to persons of all ages, from culturally diverse backgrounds, presenting with speech, language, cognitive, swallowing, or hearing disorders. Clinical experiences will include assessment and treatment planning, report writing, oral and written communication with other professionals and family members, client/family education, and counseling. Clinical sites will vary depending on student needs, interest, competency, and availability.

This course will focus on topics such as professional standards, quality improvement, outcome measures, ethical considerations, funding sources, third party reimbursement, work force issues, health care legislation, as well as the role of professional organizations in developing policies that impact speech-language pathology. Approaches to planning, managing and marketing speech-language pathology services in various communities, cultures and practice settings will be discussed.

This course will focus on the historical origins, rules and features of nonstandard English dialects. Normal language and speech acquisition in speakers from culturally/ethnically and linguistically diverse groups will be examined. Strategies to distinguish individuals with communication differences from those with communication disorders will be identified. Students will learn about current clinical standards and practices associated with service delivery to speakers from different backgrounds in respect to race or ethnicity, age, gender, national origin, sexual orientation and disability.

Current as well as historically relevant theories of stuttering and its etiology will be considered. Students will develop skills to identify and classify various types of dysfluencies as well as the social, emotional, cultural, vocational, and economic impact of stuttering. Assessment and intervention strategies for children, adolescents and adults who stutter will be presented.

This course is an advanced exploration of the critical role of hearing in normal language, speech and psychosocial development. The effects of hearing loss on communication across the life span, and the importance of early intervention and counseling will be investigated. Assessment of oral, signed and written language, speech and voice production, auditory discrimination and perception, and speech reading skills will be discussed. Scales used to assess specific communication breakdown and resultant attitudes will be identified. Treatment options and communication strategies, including the use of amplification systems, assistive listening devices, sensory aids and cochlear implants will be explored. Pertinent legislative and multicultural issues will be reviewed. Assessment and management of auditory processing disorders will be addressed.

Current research and theory concerning age-related changes in communication and swallowing due to anatomical, physiological and cognitive changes will be reviewed. The influence of attitudes and expectations, the effects of cultural, psychological and pharmaceutical variables, the role of genetic factors and deleterious environmental influences will be analyzed. Appropriate modifications in assessment and management procedures to meet individual needs in different health care settings, including the use of group treatment and a collaborative management approach will be discussed. Counseling and assistance provided to caregivers and members of the extended social support network will be explored.

This course is a comprehensive study of the theory and research related to underlying neurological pathology, salient features, confirmatory signs, diagnosis and treatment of motor speech disorders across the life span. The etiology and classifications of congenital orofacial anomalies and dentofacial growth problems, genetics of clefting and associated syndromes, including those typically associated with specific racial and ethnic groups will be explored. Acoustical, perceptual and instrumental measures in assessment, as well as models of service delivery and management procedures will be discussed. Pediatric care and feeding of the newborn with a cleft, and complications associated with clefting and craniofacial disorders will be reviewed.

This course includes a comprehensive study of the models of voice production, as well as organic and functional voice disorders across the life span in culturally diverse populations. Etiology, signs, symptoms, and perceptual correlates of vocal pathologies and management will be discussed. The art of assessment including perceptual ratings and the use of contemporary equipment will be explored. Interdisciplinary collaboration in planning and monitoring treatment will be investigated. Communication and swallowing management of tracheotomized and ventilator dependent children and adults, as well as assessment and rehabilitation of head/neck cancer patients will be examined.

This course provides business and practice management principles and procedures for starting and managing a speech-language pathology practice, or in buying/selling an existing private practice. Topics of discussion include market analysis, marketing plan, operation and organizational plan, financial analysis, risk management, office automation, and personnel issues. Procedures for proper bookkeeping and accounting, strategies in pricing, and financial planning will be examined. Issues such as reimbursement, negotiating service contracts, continuous quality improvement, and risk abatement will be discussed.

This course has varying content dealing with issues, trends and topics of current interest. Content will be developed based on assessed needs, interests and goals of a group(s) of students.

This course allows for the exploration of topics and/or issues based upon assessed needs, interest and goals of the individual student under the guidance of a faculty member. Typically, such a study will concentrate on an area not covered in other courses, or an area in which the individual student has developed particular interest and wishes to explore beyond what was covered in another course(s).

Candidates for the Master of Science degree in Communicative Disorders may choose to complete a creative project within the student's professional area under the supervision of a graduate advisor within the Program. It is expected that this project will contribute to the knowledge base of the profession.

Candidates for the Master of Science degree in Communicative Disorders may choose to present a thesis that embodies independent research. The topic must be within the student¿s major professional area and must be approved by the student¿s thesis advisor within the Department. It is expected that the research will contribute to the knowledge base of the profession.