Department of Communicative Disorders
Dr. Whitney D. Perkins
Interim Chair and Graduate Program Director
whitney.d.perkins@jsums.edu
601-979-1433
Faculty of Department
K. Bland-Mitchell, K. Harrington, B. Newkirk-Turner, W. Perkins, D. Stanley, J. Wiles
Introduction/Mission
The Department of Communicative Disorders offers a program leading to the Bachelor of Science Degree in Communicative Disorders. Students enrolled in this program are prepared for entry into graduate programs in speech-language pathology, audiology, and speech-hearing science.
The mission of the Department of Communicative Disorders is to provide quality education to diverse pre-professional and graduate students, who are majoring in Communicative Disorders. The program will:
- prepare pre-professional students for entry into graduate programs; and,
- guide graduate students to
- acquire the knowledge and develop the skills, competencies, and attitudes that are essential for the prevention of communicative disorders, and the safe, effective and efficient practice of entry-level speech-language pathology,
- develop the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate data, and to conduct research,
- provide professional and public services to local, state, national, and world communities,
- continue their professional growth by exploring developments in the profession and learning new models of management, and
- develop an understanding and appreciation of ethnic and cultural diversity on normal and disordered communication.
Objectives
The Department of Communicative Disorders provides academic and clinical education to its students, who prepare to work in a health service profession or prepare for post-graduate studies leading to the doctorate. The objectives of the Department are listed below:
- Educate students to independently, effectively and safely:
- differentiate between normal and abnormal communication, as well as normal and abnormal swallowing patterns;
- diagnose and treat persons of all ages who have speech, voice, cognitive, language, communication and swallowing disorders; and,
- habilitate/rehabilitate infants, children and adults with hearing loss
- Equip students to ask relevant questions and provide appropriate information to patients, their families, caregivers and other service providers regarding the prevention, diagnosis and management of human communication and swallowing disorders
- Facilitate clinical experiences that will train students to provide clinical services in a variety of settings including community clinics, hospitals, private practices, schools and university settings
- Prepare students to meet the academic and clinical requirements for licensure granted by the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology awarded by ASHA
- Guide students to evaluate developments in the professions, and conduct research in
- the normal processes of language, speech, hearing and swallowing; and,
- the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of human communication and swallowing
- Assist students to develop sensitivity to and an appreciation of diversity in society, so that they
- take into consideration individual differences in the provision of clinical services,
- do not discriminate in the delivery of services on the basis of race or ethnicity, age, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability; and,
- work effectively with other professionals who may be different from them in respect to race or ethnicity, age, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability
- Encourage students to develop high standards of integrity, responsibility and ethics, so that they
- hold paramount the welfare of patients they serve;
- provide services only in areas in which they are competent; and,
- adhere to the fundamentals of ethical conduct
- Prepare students for advanced programs of study in communicative disorders
- Advocate the pursuit of continued professional growth through continuing education
- Offer educational programs that will
- promote the maintenance of current knowledge and skills of speech-language pathologists in the Jackson area, state, national and world communities; and
- provide the general public with information regarding the prevention, nature, diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders and swallowing disorders
- Provide professional and public services to local, state, national and world communities
Course Descriptions
Describes normal speech, language, and cognitive development. The nature, symptoms, and etiology relating to articulation, voice, fluency, motor disorders, impaired hearing, delayed language, and acquired neurological language disorders are discussed. Open to Juniors and Seniors in other departments.
Provide general knowledge about the nature of speech sounds, how they are formulated, vocalized, and visually symbolized. Auditory recognition and discrimination between phonemes are stressed. The dynamics of speech sounds are considered in relation to pronunciation, phonetic change, and dialectal variation. Open to Juniors and Seniors in other departments.
An introduction to clinical methods and procedures. The student will earn twenty-five (25) clock hours in observation that are needed for ASHA `s Certificate of Clinical Competence. The student must have earned a GPA of at least 2.5 (on a 4-point scale). Restricted to majors only.
Basic course designed for an in-depth study of the anatomical structures of the head, neck, and trunk. The physiology of these structures will be related to the process of normal breathing nd verbal speech production.
An introductory course in psychological measures of speech production, speech perception, and speech acoustics. Students will be introduced to basic elements of the physics of sound and acoustic cues relevant to the perception of speech and non-speech auditory stimuli. Open to Juniors and Seniors in other departments.
Study of acquisition and development of child language. Emphasis is placed on structural aspects of language and language-learning. Open to Juniors and Seniors in other departments.
Study of the etiology, assessment, and management of disorders of articulation and phonology.
Study of the assessment and management of children with developmental and acquired language and cognitive disorders.
A study of the methods and procedures employed in testing and evaluating speech and language disorders in children.
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 is covered in other/another course(s).
An introduction to clinical methods and procedures. The student will earn twenty-five (25) clock hours in observation that are needed for ASHA `s Certificate of Clinical Competence. The student must have earned a GPA of at least 2.5 (on a 4-point scale). Restricted to majors only.
Study of the physics of sound, the anatomy and physiology of the ear, hearing loss, and basic audiological assessment.
The course will include principles of habilitation /rehabilitation for communication disorders related to hearing impairment.
The course serves as the capstone class for seniors in the undergraduate communicative disorders major. The class provides opportunities for bridging knowledge of communication disorders in children with evidence-based interventions.
Study ethics, case load selection, disability criteria, behavior management, as well as the administration and organization of speech-language programs in schools.
Supervised clinical experiences in speech, language, and hearing disorders.
Supervised clinical experience in speech, language, and hearing disorders.
Students will explore and demonstrate knowledge related to educational and occupational options for persons who have a BS degree in communicative disorders.