Department of Communication Disorders Objectives:

 

The overall objective of the graduate program in Communication Disorders is to prepare professionals to be knowledgeable, clinically skillful, and capable of applying that knowledge and those skills to diverse clinical settings and situations in a cooperative, compassionate, and ethical manner.

  

Academic objectives include the following:

 

a.        Upon successful completion of an appropriate course of study, each graduate student will:

 

1.         Understand the role of a specialist in communication disorders;

2.         Understand the legal and ethical standards of the profession;

3.         Demonstrate knowledge in the following areas: linguistics; socio-linguistics; normal developmental processes; hearing science; speech science; diagnostic audiology; rehabilitative audiology; research in the field of communication disorders; diagnostic and remedial principles in communication disorders; learning theory, cognitive development;

4.         Demonstrate knowledge of appropriate collaborative practice and team functioning involving families, consumers, and other professionals;

5.         Demonstrate effective expressive and receptive communication skills in speaking, writing, listening and reading;

6.         Demonstrate knowledge of research findings and an interest in continuing education in order to develop and maintain clinical competencies to meet the needs of the speech-language-hearing impaired person;

 

b.    To contribute to and advance knowledge in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology through basic science and applied research;

 

c.    To maintain the academic program, clinical activities, faculty and professional staff accomplishments, contributions and development, and the general conduct of the business of the department at a level consistent with or surpassing university review boards, state accreditors, and the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

 

Clinical objectives include the following:        

 

a.    Upon successful completion of clinical practice each graduate student will:

 

1.         Demonstrate skills in goal setting, motivation, evaluation, interpersonal management, counseling and professional report writing;

2.         Exhibit professional behaviors and ethical attitudes appropriate to the professional discipline;

3.         Implement appropriate clinical services in a variety of settings including multicultural/multiethnic communities;

4.         Select appropriate diagnostic approaches and execute procedures for modifying communication behavior;

5.         Establish appropriate collaborative practice and team functioning involving families, consumers, and other professionals;

 

b.    To provide the public through our on-campus clinical training programs, appropriate speech, voice, language and hearing services;

 

c.    To maintain the clinical program and clinical services, at a level consistent with or surpassing university review boards, state accreditors, and the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.