Speech-Language Pathology Curriculum Making the World Smarter, Safer and Healthier Attend an Info Session Contact Us Artificial Intelligence Biotechnology Computer Science Cybersecurity Data Analytics and Visualization Digital Marketing and Media Mathematics Occupational Therapy Physician Assistant Physics Speech-Language Pathology Overview The M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) curriculum will prepare you to be a clinician in diverse health care settings with a commitment to patient-centered and ethical practices. All students engage in clinical fieldwork, complete a capstone project and are invited to attend an optional in-person clinical colloquium in their final year of study. During the spring colloquium, students can gain hands-on experience with ultrasound, endoscopy, neuromuscular electrical stimulation and other hands-on modalities under the guidance of program faculty. Degree Requirements Students beginning in Fall 2021 or later View the full-time/part-time curriculum and degree requirements Download course descriptions and undergraduate prerequisites Students who began in Fall 2020 or earlier View the full curriculum and degree requirements: Year 1 curriculum and requirements, Year 2 curriculum and requirements Download course descriptions Featured Courses The SLP program’s medically focused curriculum offers several unique courses encompassing patient care across the lifespan: Geriatric Dysphagia & Airway Management This course examines current assessment and management of swallow function and airway protection, including trach care, the ethics of assessment and management, and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for determining safety of swallow and adequacy of airway to permit for communication and safe swallowing function. Interpretation of videofluoroscopy and FEES are required to complete the course. Hands-on opportunities to explore the clinical application of NMES, sEMG, ultrasound and neuromuscular tape is provided. Neuromotor Speech Disorders This course examines neural anatomy of speech, with in-depth evaluation, analysis and remediation of motor speech disorders, including dysarthria and apraxia. Perceptual ratings of speech samples and subjective analysis of speech is emphasized. Practical and functional treatment approaches are examined including the use of LSVT, RMST and others. Research in motor speech disorders will be examined, including “hot topics” in current research for speech disorders across the lifespan. Counseling and Communicating with Patients and Families This course instructs the graduate clinician on the skills necessary to communicate and counsel patients and their families related to communication sciences and disorders. The course includes in-depth discussion on the following pertinent topics: interaction and personal qualities, including counseling, collaboration, ethical practice and professional behavior; effective interaction with patients, families, professionals and other individuals, as appropriate; advocacy; delivery of services to culturally and linguistically diverse populations; clinical skills and processes, including oral/written forms of communication, prevention evaluation and intervention of communication and swallowing disorders, interaction, counseling, collaboration, ethical practice, professional behavior, effective interaction and delivery of services to culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Endoscopy and Management of Head/Neck Cancer This first half of the course introduces graduate students to the anatomical, physiological and psychological impact of head/neck cancer as well as the medical and clinical management of the patient population. The second half of the course focuses on the endoscopic procedures utilized to assess swallowing function in a variety of clinical populations. Handling of the endoscope will be discussed and practiced, and interpretation of findings and report writing will be addressed. Accreditation The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology residential and distance education at is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.
