San Diego State University

Apr 16, 2024

2020/2021 University Catalog

2020/2021 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

Undergraduate Information
Graduate Information

OFFICE: Speech, Language, and Hearing 221
TELEPHONE: 619-594-7746 / FAX: 619-594-7109
WEBSITE: http://slhs.sdsu.edu

Accredited in speech-language pathology and audiology by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

Undergraduate Information

Faculty

Emeritus: Allen, Cheng, Christensen, Davies, Gutierrez-Clellen, Kramer, Newhoff, Nichols, Seitz, Shapiro, Thal, Thile, Williams
Director: Love-Geffen
Professors: Barlow, Emmorey, Love-Geffen, Mackersie, Pruitt-Lord, Torre
Associate Professors: Blumenfeld, Dreisbach Hawe, Nip, Pham
Assistant Professors: Mills, Ries-Cornou, Silkes
Lecturers: Branch, Buzzanga, Goodwiler, Hye, Kirsch, Lopes, Schmitz

The Major

The School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences is committed to preparing speech-language-hearing professionals to meet the challenges of a racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse society. There are limited employment opportunities for holders of the bachelor’s degree; the bachelor’s degree in speech, language, and hearing sciences serves as the basis for further graduate and professional study. A master’s or professional doctoral degree, national certification and/or state licensure or school credential are needed for professional practice in areas such as speech-language pathology and audiology. A research doctorate (Ph.D.) is required for individuals pursuing a research and teaching career at the university level.

Speech-language pathology and audiology are professions that identify, help, and study persons with communicative disorders. Those entering these professions should possess a strong motivation to help individuals with communication problems. Preparation involves acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to assume responsibility for assessment, education, and rehabilitation of persons with speech, language, and hearing disorders.

The master’s degree is an advanced degree for those wanting to work professionally as a speech-language pathologist. A professional doctorate is required for those wanting to work professionally as an audiologist. Positions in speech, language, and hearing sciences are available in many public and private settings working with persons with speech, language, and hearing impairments, and the cognitive disorders underlying these impairments. Graduates with certification or licensure work in rehabilitation centers, schools, hospitals, private agencies, private practice, industry, research, and university teaching and research centers. Career opportunities are particularly good for minority, bilingual or bicultural persons.

The undergraduate curriculum is broad, involving coursework on normal and disordered speech, language, and hearing, as well as clinical procedures. Students interested in the speech, language, and hearing sciences program are advised to take college level courses in anatomy, biology, psychology, English, physiology, linguistics, physics, and mathematics. Studies leading to private practice, hospital work, industrial work, work in school settings, or preparation for graduate work are similar in many ways; it is the area of specialization that serves to differentiate courses of study.

Retention Policy

The College of Health and Human Services expects that all speech, language, and hearing sciences majors will make reasonable academic progress towards the degree. Speech, language, and hearing sciences premajors who have completed major preparatory courses, earned 60 units, but have less than a 2.75 GPA may be removed from the premajor and placed in undeclared.

Impacted Program

The speech, language, and hearing sciences major is an impacted program. To be admitted to the speech, language, and hearing sciences major, students must meet the following criteria:

Complete preparation for the major;
Complete a minimum of 60 transferable semester units;
Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.

To complete the major, students must fulfill the degree requirements for the major described in the catalog in effect at the time they are accepted into the premajor at SDSU (assuming continuous enrollment).

Major Academic Plans (MAPs)

Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/mymap for the recommended courses needed to fulfill your major requirements. The MAPs website was created to help students navigate the course requirements for their majors and to identify which General Education course will also fulfill a major preparation course requirement.

Certificates and Licensure

Preparation Leading to the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology

Students may complete the academic and clinical practice requirements leading to the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) or to the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) given by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The certificate requires a professional doctorate in audiology (refer to Graduate Bulletin), a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, and specialized clinical experiences. The applicant must pass a national examination in the area for which the certificate is sought and complete a Clinical Fellowship (following approval of academic coursework and clinical practica). Consult an adviser in the area in which certificate is desired.

Preparation Leading to State Licensure in Speech Pathology or Audiology

Students may complete the academic and clinical practicum requirements leading to California State Licensure in Speech Pathology or in Audiology, a legal requirement for all individuals professionally employed in non-public school settings and some public school settings. The Speech Pathology and Audiology Examining Committee which operates within the California State Board of Medical Quality Assurance requires a master’s degree or equivalent in speech, language, and hearing sciences in the area (Speech Pathology or Audiology) in which the license is to be granted, 300 clock hours of supervised clinical experience, a national examination, and nine months of full-time supervised work experience (Required Professional Experience). For audiology, the fourth year externship satisfies the Required Professional Experience. Most Licensure and ASHA Certification requirements may be fulfilled concurrently. Consult an adviser in the area in which licensure is desired for specific information.

High School Equivalents

High school American sign language courses may be used for purposes of placement in college courses and may be counted toward meeting the language requirement in various majors. These high school courses will not count as college credit toward graduation.

Secondary school language courses can be used as follows:

The first two years of high school level language count as the equivalent of the first semester of a college level course.
The first three years of high school level language count as the equivalent of the first two college semesters.
Four years of high school level language count as the equivalent of three college semesters or five college quarters, thus fulfilling the language requirement.

Graduate Information

Faculty

Tracy E. Love-Geffen, Ph.D., Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Director of School
Sonja L. Pruitt-Lord, Ph.D., Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Health and Human Services
Jessica A. Barlow, Ph.D., Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Karen D. Emmorey, Ph.D., Albert W. Johnson Distinguished Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Carol L. Mackersie, Ph.D., Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (Audiology Program Director)
Peter Torre, III, Ph.D., Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Henrike K. Blumenfeld, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Laura Dreisbach Hawe, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Ignatius Nip, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (Graduate Adviser and Speech-Language Program Director)
Giang T. Pham, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Alyson Abel Mills, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Stephanie Ries-Cornou, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
JoAnn P. Silkes, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

General Information

The master’s degree program in speech-language pathology and professional doctorate in audiology (Au.D.) are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

The School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences offers graduate study leading to the Master of Arts degree in speech, language, and hearing sciences, and to the credentials described below. The cooperating faculties of San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego, offer a joint program leading to a Ph.D. in language and communicative disorders and a professional doctorate in audiology (Au.D.). The School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences is committed to preparing speech-language-hearing professionals to meet the challenges of a culturally and linguistically diverse society. An M.A. degree in speech, language, and hearing sciences provides the necessary education, technical training, and creative experience necessary for professional activity, college-level teaching, and preceptors in speech-language pathology and related fields.

The programs utilize the facilities of the Speech, Language, and Hearing building, which includes observation rooms, school reference collection, and speech and hearing science laboratories. In the laboratories, students use acoustic immittance equipment, audiometric response simulators, EEG, electromagnetic articulography, eye-tracking, digital spectrograph, hearing aid analyzer, laryngoscopic manikin, microprocessor based diagnostic audiometers, miniphonators, optical motion capture, personal computers, phonic mirror, spectral signal analyzer, state-of-the-art ENG and evoked potential equipment, Visipitch, and video and audio equipment with ongoing new acquisitions.

In addition, the school utilizes its on-campus audiology and speech-language clinics. Students and faculty participate in providing direct delivery of clinical services to clients and participate in the assistive device assessment program, which evaluates and recommends augmentative or alternative means of communication for persons with severe communication impairment. Field experience is offered in the public schools and community agencies. Practicum and observation experiences are possible at various hospitals, schools, community agencies, and rehabilitation agencies.

Section I. Master’s Degree Programs

Admission to Graduate Study

Students will be admitted to the graduate programs only in the fall semester. Applications to the university must be submitted by January 12 for the master’s degree programs in speech-language pathology and communicative sciences. For application information, see the school’s website, http://slhs.sdsu.edu, select PROGRAMS and then select “M.A. Application” from the index or call 619-594-7746.

All students must satisfy the general admission and examination requirements for admission to the university with classified graduate standing as described in Admission and Registration . In addition, the applicant must satisfy the following requirements before being considered for admission to a classified graduate standing by the school’s Admissions Review Committee.

Applicants must meet the special requirements of this program which include (a) an acceptable baccalaureate degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited institution; (b) if the baccalaureate degree is from a major other than speech, language, and hearing sciences (or communicative disorders), you must demonstrate completion of the necessary prerequisites prior to the beginning of the Fall semester of entry (see https://slhs.sdsu.edu/programs/ma/ma-applicants-with-other-backgrounds-wob/); (c) a GPA of at least 3.20 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 semester (or 90 quarter) credits of upper division and/or graduate courses (d) good standing in the last institution attended; (e) suitable scores on the analytic, quantitative, and verbal sections of the Graduate Record Examination; (f) submission of appropriate application form and supporting materials as outlined below.

Students applying for admission should electronically submit the university application available at http://www.calstate.edu/apply along with the application fee by December 15.

All applicants must submit admissions materials separately to SDSU Graduate Admissions and to the School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences via the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS) at https://csdcas.com. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Deadline for receipt: January 12.

Graduate Admissions

The following materials should be submitted as a complete package directly to:

Graduate Admissions

Enrollment Services
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-7416

Official transcripts (in sealed envelopes or electronically) from all postsecondary institutions attended;
- Students who attended SDSU need only submit transcripts for work completed since last attendance.
- Students with international coursework must submit both the official transcript and proof of degree. If documents are in a language other than English, they must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
GRE scores (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682);
English language score, if medium of instruction was in a language other than English (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682).

School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences

The following admissions materials must be submitted electronically via CSDCAS (https://csdcas.com by January 12:

Essay;
Curriculum vitae or resume;
Transcripts*;
Letters of recommendation (Applicants must provide names and e-mail addresses for recommenders. Recommenders will be sent e-mail to electronically complete letter of recommendation).

*Official transcripts must be mailed to CSDCAS Verification Department, P.O. Box 9113, Waterton, MA 02471

Once the above requirements have been satisfied, the applicant’s file is considered complete and eligible for review by the school’s Admissions Review Committee. Admission to the graduate programs is guided by careful consideration of all the above materials by a designated Admissions Review Committee. Applicants whose files are incomplete will not be eligible for admission to classified graduate standing. The number of new admissions is restricted and is determined by space availability; therefore, admission is based on consideration of all application materials and the relative merits of individual applicants among all eligible applicants.

Graduate faculty serve as graduate advisers and are assigned to students upon admission.

Advancement to Candidacy

All students must meet the general requirements for advancement to candidacy as described in Requirements for Master’s Degrees .

Section II. Doctoral Programs

http://slhs.sdsu.edu/phd

The cooperating faculties of San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego, offer a joint doctoral program in language and communicative disorders. The program’s focus is the interdisciplinary study of language and communicative disorders. A major emphasis of the program is to apply techniques developed in cognitive science and neuroscience to the study of language and language disorders. The program involves study and research in normal and abnormal language (including sign languages), and in the neural bases of language use and language loss.

Participating faculty have research interests in a wide range of issues in the processes of language development, language and aging, multilingualism, language disorders, assessment, and intervention. Graduates of the program will be qualified to serve as faculty in university programs in a variety of disciplines, and to provide leadership in research and health services. The doctoral program faculty at SDSU are members of the School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Department of Linguistics and Asian/Middle Eastern Languages, and the Department of Psychology. The doctoral program faculty at UCSD are also an interdisciplinary group from the Department of Cognitive Science, Department of Communications, Department of Linguistics, Department of Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, and the Department of Psychology. The program is coordinated by the doctoral program directors at each campus, in conjunction with an executive committee comprised of three faculty from each campus appointed by the graduate deans from each campus.

The program is innovative in that many of the requirements are designed to function as a model of professional preparation specifically incorporating activities in which a successful teacher and researcher must engage after obtaining the Ph.D. Students will be required to participate in interdisciplinary research throughout the program, learn about the nature and ethics of research, prepare grant proposals, write manuscripts, and will gain experience in oral presentations and teaching. Graduates from the program will be well-prepared for the rigors of an academic/research career.

Faculty

The following faculty participate in the doctoral program in language and communicative disorders and are available as advisers, for direction of research, and as members of dissertation committees.

San Diego State University: Abel Mills (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), Barlow (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), Blumenfeld (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), Emmorey (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), Friend (Psychology), Holcomb (Psychology), Keating (Linguistics), Love-Geffen (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), Marinkovic (Psychology), Müller (Psychology), Nip (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), Pham (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), Pruitt-Lord (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), Ries-Cornou (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences), and Silkes (Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences).

University of California, San Diego: Ackerman (Linguistics), Bellugi (Salk Institute, Psychology), Brown (Neuroscience), Carver (Psychology), Chukoskie (Institute for Neural Computation), Coulson (Cognitive Science), Creel (Cognitive Science), Deák, (Cognitive Science), Ferreira (Psychology), Garellek (Linguistics), Gollan (Psychiatry), Haist (Psychiatry), Halgren (Neuroscience), Kutas (Cognitive Science), Mayberry (Linguistics), Moore (Linguistics), Townsend (Neuroscience), Trauner (Neuroscience).

Admission to Doctoral Study

The doctoral program in language and communicative disorders draws from a variety of disciplines including cognitive science, engineering, linguistics, neuroscience, psychology, speech, language, and hearing sciences, and other related sciences. Students should have adequate preparation in mathematics, statistics, research, and biological sciences. Backgrounds in neurosciences and/or language sciences, or language disorders are helpful, but not required for admission.

Applicants for admission to the doctoral program must meet the general requirements for admission to both universities, as specified in the current SDSU and UCSD catalogs. Applicants must meet the special requirements of this program which include (a) an acceptable baccalaureate or master’s degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited institution; (b) a GPA of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 semester (or 90 quarter) credits of upper division and/or graduate courses (c) good standing in the last institution attended; (d) suitable scores on the analytic, quantitative, and verbal sections of the Graduate Record Examination; (e) submission of appropriate application form and supporting
materials as outlined below.

Applicant files are reviewed as a group by an admissions committee, composed of doctoral program faculty from each campus. Other doctoral faculty may review applicant files and make recommendations to the admissions committee. Assuming that the above requirements are met, decisions will also be guided by an evaluation of the adequacy of the applicant’s preparation in view of their stated needs and objectives. Given the limited number of spaces available (4 to 6 new admissions each year are anticipated, subject to available facilities), the admissions committee will select the best qualified applicants to fill the available spaces. No minimum set of qualifications will guarantee an applicant admission to the doctoral program. The admissions committee will make recommendations for admission to the graduate deans from each campus.

Application. Students will be admitted to the doctoral program only in the fall semester/quarter. Applications and all other supporting materials must be received (not postmarked) by January 12 to be considered for the doctoral program beginning in the following fall semester/quarter.

Application Guidelines for the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Language and Communicative Disorders

To be admitted to the Joint Doctoral Program, applicants must electronically submit the university application available at http://www.calstate.edu/apply along with the application fee. All applicants must submit admissions materials separately to SDSU Graduate Admissions and to the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program (http://apply.interfolio.com/46722).

Graduate Admissions
The following materials should be submitted to:

Graduate Admissions
Enrollment Services
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-7416

Official transcripts (in sealed envelopes or electronically) from all postsecondary institutions attended;

Students who attended SDSU need only submit transcripts for work completed since last attendance.
Students with international coursework must submit both the official transcript and proof of degree. If documents are in a language other than English, they must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

GRE scores (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682);
English language score, if medium of instruction was in a language other than English (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682).

SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program

The following admissions materials must be submitted electronically via Interfolio (http://apply.interfolio.com/46722) by January 12:

Essay;
Curriculum vitae or resume;
Transcripts;
Letters of recommendation (Applicants must provide names and e-mail addresses for recommenders. Recommenders will be sent e-mail to electronically complete letter of recommendation).

For information regarding the admissions process, visit the school website at http://slhs.sdsu.edu.

Certificates and Licensure

Preparation Leading to the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology

Students may complete the academic and clinical practice requirements leading to the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-Sp) or to the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) given by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The certificate requires a professional doctorate in audiology (see Audiology ) and a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, and 75 semester units (at least 27 of the 75 semester units must be in basic science coursework, and at least 36 of the 75 semester units must be in professional coursework). At least 30 of the 36 professional coursework units must be in courses for which graduate credit was received. A minimum of 21 of the 30 units must be completed at the graduate level in the professional area for which the certificate is sought. The certificate requires 375 clock hours of supervised clinical observation (25 hours) and clinical practicum (350 hours), and at least 250 or the 350 clock hours must be in the professional area for which the certificate is sought while the applicant is engaged in graduate study. Clock hours must satisfy designated categories for age span, types of disorders, assessment and intervention. The applicant must pass a national examination in the area for which the certificate is sought and complete a Clinical Fellowship (following approval of academic coursework and clinical practica). Consult an adviser in the area in which certificate is desired.

Preparation Leading to State Licensure in Speech Pathology or Audiology

Students may complete the academic and clinical practicum requirements leading to California State Licensure in Speech Pathology or in Audiology, a legal requirement for all individuals professionally employed in non-public school settings and some public school settings. The Speech Pathology and Audiology Examining Committee which operates within the California State Board of Medical Quality Assurance requires a master’s degree or equivalent in speech, language, and hearing sciences in the area (Speech Pathology or Audiology) in which the license is to be granted, 300 clock hours of supervised clinical experience, a national examination, and nine months of full-time supervised work experience (Required Professional Experience). Most Licensure and ASHA Certification requirements may be fulfilled concurrently. Consult an adviser in the area in which licensure is desired for specific information.