Academic Programs - Communication Sciences and Disorders
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Communication Sciences and Disorders offers programs leading to an undergraduate degree in education, which provides the foundation for graduate study in speech-language pathology, audiology, or education of the deaf or hard of hearing.
Master (M.Ed. and M.A.) degrees offered in speech-language pathology combine academic curricula and clinical training to prepare students for the profession of speech-language pathology. The program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and approved by the Georgia Department of Education. A master’s degree prepares students to practice in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, home health and private practice.
The educational specialist degree in speech-language pathology culminates in a T-6 teaching certificate in speech-language pathology.
The CMSD program currently offers a consecutive MA/Ph.D. program in Speech-Language Pathology for individuals who are interested in the Ph.D., but have not completed the master’s degree. With this program, the student will enroll in the MA courses, while beginning Ph.D. requirements as well. This will allow overlap of the two programs and for completing a doctorate in a timely manner (~5 -6 years).
MISSION
- Develop, promote, advance, and apply knowledge in hearing, speech, language, and swallowing through innovative research, scholarship, and clinical service.
- Prepare students to be leaders in prevention, evaluation, and treatment of human communication disorders through excellence in education, research, and clinical experiences with persons of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures.
- Serve the university, surrounding community, and state by providing quality, state-of-the art services to prevent, evaluate, and treat communication and swallowing disorders for persons of all ages, backgrounds and cultures.
- Achieve excellence through the continuous review and refinement of our program and services while meeting or exceeding the expectations of our students, clients, and other customers and integrating current research and technology into all program aspects.
VISION
The University of Georgia’s Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders aspires to achieve state, national, and international eminence for excellence in education, research, and service in the nature, prevention, evaluation, and treatment of human communication disorders.
There are currently six academic/research faculty in speech-language pathology and one in audiology, all of whom hold doctoral degrees. Of the seven clinical supervisory faculty, six have master’s degrees and one has a doctoral degree. All supervisory faculty hold the appropriate Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and are licensed by the Georgia State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
An active National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSHLA) Chapter arranges special guest programs, provides services to the Speech and Hearing Clinic, and conducts fund raising to benefit community and university projects.
Clinical Sites
An on-campus practicum in speech-language pathology is available at the graduate level and is followed by two full-time off-campus internships, one in the schools and the other in a medical setting. Students select medical practicum internship experiences from a number of excellent external sites throughout the northeast Georgia region and nearby states. School internships must be completed within the Georgia public school system.
The Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education maintains the on-campus University of Georgia Speech and Hearing Clinic as its primary teaching and research clinical facility. In addition to its general diagnostic and therapeutic services, the Clinic houses a number of specialty programs designed to meet the needs of certain populations with disabilities. Other local practicum sites include the University’s McPhaul Child and Family Development Center, Oglethorpe County Schools Preschool Program, the Athens Community Council on Aging, Athens Regional Medical Center, Hope Haven of Northeast Georgia, St. Mary’s Health Care System, and local area public schools.
Research and Clinical Laboratories
The Departmental faculty operates several laboratories and has collaborative access to several others for the scientific investigation of normal and disordered speech, language and auditory development and function. These include the
•The Infant Vocalization Laboratory
• Stuttering Research Laboratory
• Child Language Laboratory
• Speech Physiology: Speech Physiology Clinical Assessment Laboratory
• Evoked Response Laboratory
• Hearing Aid Laboratory
• Otoacoustic Emissions Laboratory
• Pediatric Audiometric Laboratory
• Aphasia and Aging Research Laboratory
Other on-campus research sites with which the Department is affiliated include the Center for Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology, the Adult Learning Disabilities Center, and the UGA’s Clinic for Autism Spectrum Evaluation and Research (CASPER Clinic).
Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers) about Graduate School Applications
