The Field

The Bachelor’s of Science degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (previously Communication Disorders) prepares students to become advocates for communication health and equity. Many of our students go on to paraprofessional jobs in speech, language, and/or hearing, or to graduate study in speech-language pathology or audiology.

The professions of speech-language pathology and audiology are responsible for evaluation and treatment of individuals whose communication is atypical. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association establishes the national standards for entry into professional practice (www.asha.org). Professional clinicians work with children and adults in the education and health care systems, including public schools, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers. The profession also engages in research designed to improve understanding of speech, language, and hearing in typical and atypical individuals and the efficacy of treatments for atypical communication. Research is conducted in clinics, universities, and other settings.

The major welcomes students with an enthusiasm for communication health and equity, and with empathy for those with atypical communication. University preparation consists of education in the scientific bases of the field, typical and atypical processes of communication, and the clinical processes of evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and counseling. Clinical skills are developed mainly in graduate schools. Students may also pursue a research component in a career that includes supervision and teaching at a university.