Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology

2011 - 2012
Graduate Catalogue

Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology

Office: Columbia Campus

Telephone: 410-617-7650

Website: www.loyola.edu/speechpathology

FACULTY

Chair: Marie Kerins, Associate Professor

Graduate Program Director: Janet Preis

Foundation Program Director: Donna Pitts

SLP/A Division Director, The Loyola Clinical Centers: Maren Townsend

Externship Director: Danielle Matrangola

Professors: Libby Kumin; Lisa Schoenbrodt

Associate Professors: Marie Kerins; Janet Preis

Assistant Professors: Ronald Gallop; Kathleen Siren

Clinical Faculty: Regina Chicarelli; Cheryl Councill; Sally Gallena; Mina Goodman; Danielle Matrangola; Cynthia D. Nichols; Donna Pitts; Courtney W. Sawyer; Erin Stauder; Maren Townsend; Lura Vogelman; Kathleen Ward

Affiliate Faculty: Barbara Ness; Mary Lee Walls

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology provides a path of study defined by challenging coursework and faculty mentors who assist students in acquiring the tools necessary to be discerning and knowledgeable speech-language pathologists who will lead and serve in a diverse and changing world. Through academic coursework, mentorship by dedicated faculty members, and clinical experiences across a variety of settings, students will master the professional skills they need to become effective and compassionate advocates for persons with communication disorders.

The primary purpose of this two-year (five semester), full-time master's program is the education and development of superior professionals for careers as speech-language pathologists. The curriculum challenges preprofessionals academically, clinically, and personally. The program consists of academic coursework integrated with clinical training in the assessment and treatment of infants, children, and adults who have communication disorders. Students are provided a myriad of opportunities to acquire and demonstrate knowledge of the nature of speech, language, hearing, and communication disorders and differences, as well as prevention, assessment, and intervention for people with communication and swallowing disorders across the life span. The program also allows students to acquire and demonstrate knowledge in standards of ethical conduct, research principles in evidence-based clinical practice, and contemporary professional issues.

Students are provided with supervised clinical experiences matched to their level of clinical expertise, and student progress is reviewed every semester. As students advance, they are placed in a variety of settings to provide a carefully controlled progression of difficulty. Throughout the program, students work directly with clinical faculty and externship supervisors who are state licensed and certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

During the first year of study, students begin their clinical internship in one of the Loyola Clinical Centers under the supervision of expert faculty and practicing clinicians. The Loyola Clinical Centers consist of the Margaret A. McManus Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic located at Belvedere Square in Baltimore, Maryland and the Speech and Language Center located in Columbia, Maryland. Each center offers an array of speech-language and/or audiological services for individuals experiencing difficulty with their communication and/or hearing skills. The state-of-the-art clinics provide services in individual and group settings to clients of all ages, infant-toddler through adult, with varying diagnoses in communication disorders. The Loyola Clinical Centers also provide students with the opportunity to work and learn in an interdisciplinary setting, which includes speech-language pathology, audiology, psychology, pastoral counseling, and literacy. Students may also have additional internship experiences off-site with private and public community partners.

In the second year, students who have successfully completed the first-year internships are placed in an off-campus setting with an experienced, ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist. Students will experience at least two different types of settings (medical and/or educational) or populations over the course of the year. The department's externship director provides the overall supervision of the experience, which includes monitoring student progress and final assessment of student performance. The goal of the externship program is to provide a variety of real world experiences where students integrate academic and clinical teaching and achieve mastery of clinical skills necessary for postgraduate work experience as a clinical fellow.

ACCREDITATION

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology at Loyola University Maryland is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), 2200 Research Boulevard #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700. It is also regionally accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

LEARNING AIMS

The Department of Speech-Language Pathology offers a master's program which prepares students to become professional speech-language pathologists and to serve and lead in a diverse and changing world. Learning aims of the program are as follows:

Master Knowledge and Skills

Master the professional skills, methods, and knowledge needed to be a speech-language pathologist
Synthesize knowledge using interdisciplinary approaches
Acquire the tools to continue professional development as a speech-language pathologist, and to form the basis for lifelong learning

Think Critically

Access, analyze, and evaluate information effectively in the discipline
Disseminate and communicate information effectively within the professional world

Manifest Leadership and Social Responsibility in the Workplace and Community

Understand and value differences in clients, client families, and professional colleagues and have the skills to work effectively in a diverse and changing world
Through coursework and clinical experiences, comprehend professional ethics and understand the framework for selecting and defending an ethical and right course of action in the profession
Through mentorship by the academic and clinical faculty, learn to contribute professionally and personally to the broader community
Consider issues of justice in making professional decisions

ADMISSION CRITERIA

Students applying to the master's program must have an undergraduate degree or have postbaccalaureate coursework in speech-language pathology (or communication sciences and disorders). Prospective students whose undergraduate major or degree is in a field other than speech-language pathology are required to have completed the following prerequisite courses.

Anatomy and Physiology: Speech and Voice
Articulation and Phonology
Fundamentals of Audiology
Observation Methods and Techniques in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology (and/or 25 observation hours documented and signed by an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist)
Phonetics
Speech and Language Development
Speech and Voice Science

Students can also obtain this coursework through the department's postbaccalaureate foundation program (detailed below).

The Graduate Admission Committee reviews all applications on a rolling basis beginning in January. The committee seeks students of high quality from accredited institutions of higher learning who ranked in the upper half of their classes as undergraduates and maintained a high cumulative average. A minimum of a B (3.000) cumulative average is expected. Confidential recommendations are also reviewed. Applicants must submit official scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

There are a limited number of enrollments in the master's program, and admission is selective. The Graduate Admission Committee only reviews completed applications. A completed application includes an official transcript from each college attended, including the fall semester; GRE scores; a resume or vitae; three letters of recommendation; and a personal essay. The postbaccalaureate foundation program has the same application and admission requirements as noted for the master's program. All completed applications must be postmarked by February 15.

Admittance to the master's program or the foundation program in speech-language pathology is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Each student recommended for admission into either program will be required to obtain, pay for, and pass a criminal background check. These background checks are routinely required by the Loyola Clinical Centers, schools, hospitals, and other agencies that participate in the clinical education of Loyola students. Failure to pass a criminal background check may make a student ineligible to complete requirements and result in revocation of the student's acceptance into the graduate program.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Speech-Language Pathology requires a minimum of 40 credits of academic coursework, supplemented by additional coursework in internship and externship experiences. Students are required to successfully complete the required coursework with a QPA of 3.000 and to acquire 400 documented clinical practicum hours. Students are required to successfully complete the comprehensive examination or to plan, write, and defend a thesis under the direction of a faculty committee. Students must also achieve a passing score on the Praxis II: Subject Assessments Test. In addition, students must have completed basic courses in physical, biological, mathematical, and social sciences at the undergraduate level. Students who have not completed these courses will be required to complete them prior to graduation. These courses do not count in the student's cumulative QPA.

Graduates of the M.S. program have completed the academic and clinical practicum requirements mandated by ASHA necessary to engage in a clinical fellowship year (CFY). For more information on the Certificate of Clinical Competence for Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), visit the ASHA website (www.asha.org).

Praxis Exam

As part of the degree requirement, all students must submit a passing score on the Praxis II: Subject Assessments Test. In order to graduate in the spring of the second year, students must submit the passing score to the department no later than two weeks prior to the graduation date. Students are advised not to take the test before the spring semester of their final year in the program.

Master's Thesis

A thesis is a scientific investigation of publishable quality in which the student demonstrates a strong knowledge base, research capacity, creativity, and analytic/writing skills. The thesis is not required for all students, but is suggested for students who have maintained a QPA of 3.500 and are interested in pursuing doctoral-level study and/or clinical research activities. Students who elect the master’s thesis option will not be responsible for taking the comprehensive exam.

A student interested in exploring the thesis option must meet with the faculty member whose expertise is in the area of investigation. The student will work with the faculty member on an independent study to review the literature in the chosen area and develop the research proposal. All thesis track students must enroll in SP616 during the fall semester and SP657 in the spring semester of their second year. Research proposal guidelines are available by contacting the graduate program director. Each thesis track student is responsible to secure one major reader (typically the advisor), as well as two faculty members who will serve as readers on the Thesis Committee. The final copies of the thesis, including signatures of the department chair and Dean of Loyola College, must be submitted at least three weeks before the end of the semester that a student expects to graduate.

Master's Comprehensive Exam

All students who choose the nonthesis option are required to pass a comprehensive exam in order to graduate from the master's program. Students who fail the exam will be counseled by the graduate program director, directed toward remedial instruction, and given the opportunity to retake the exam. Students must pass the exam within three attempts; these attempts must occur within one year of the initial attempt. Students who fail the exam on the third attempt or who do not complete the exam within the designated time frame will be dismissed from the program and will not receive a master’s degree, but rather, a master’s equivalency.

ACADEMIC/CLINICAL REQUIREMENTS

Academic Requirements

Classes are held one day a week at the Columbia Campus. Clinical practicums are scheduled throughout the week at various internship and externship sites.

Required Courses

SP600 Neurology for the Speech-Language Pathologist (3 credits)
SP601 Language Disorders: Aphasiology (3 credits)
SP602 Language Disorders: Infancy through Early Childhood (2-3 credits)
SP604 Voice Disorders (3 credits)
SP612 Aural Rehabilitation: Child and Adult (2 credits)
SP613 Advanced Topics: Articulation and Phonological Disorders (2 credit)
SP617 Fluency Disorders (2 credits)
SP624 Language and Literacy Disorders: School-Age Population (4 credits)
SP625 Research Methods and Design (3 credits)
SP643 Assessment and Intervention for Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (2 credits)
SP650 Augmentative and Alternative Communication (2 credits)
SP656 Ethics and Professional Practice (2 credits)
SP666 Dysphagia: Evaluation and Management (3 credits)
SP704 Cognitive-Communication Disorders: Adult (3 credits)

Electives

A total of three (3) elective credits is required. Elective courses are subject to change in order to meet the needs of the students and the program. The following courses are typically offered:

SP616 Independent Study in Speech-Language Pathology (1-3 credits)
SP620 Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies (1 credit)
SP641 Counseling in Communication Disorders (1 credit)
SP644 Pediatric Dysphagia (1 credit)
SP700 Head and Neck Cancer (1 credit)
SP701 Advanced Topics: Cochlear Implants (1 credit)
SP702 Trach and Vent (1 credit)
SP703 Advanced Dysphagia (1 credit)
SP705 Communication and Educational Reintegration of Children with Acquired Brain Injury (1 credit)
SP707 Introduction to Sign Language (1 credit)

Clinical Requirements

All students are required to successfully complete clinical coursework during the first and second year of the master’s program. This requires a minimum of 400 practicum hours, with a requirement of one summer placement generally taken during the summer between the first and second year of graduate work.

Students are provided with supervised clinical experiences matched to their level of clinical expertise. Students begin their clinical practice experience in the Loyola clinical settings and are supervised by the clinical/academic faculty. Student progress is reviewed each semester by the clinical faculty to assess readiness to advance to different types of clinical experiences. Students receive pass/fail grades during their clinical internship year as they rotate through different clinical sites. Students will be assigned to at least three of the following seven clinical courses during the first year of the program:

SP626 Clinical Audiology Internship
SP630 Clinical Seminar in Speech-Language Pathology
SP632 Clinical Speech-Language Pathology Internship: Schools Based
SP633 Clinical Speech-Language Pathology Internship I: Clinic Based
SP638 Clinical Speech-Language Pathology Internship: Neurogenic
SP639 Clinical Speech-Language Pathology Internship: Voice
SP640 Clinical Speech-Language Pathology Internship: Diagnostic

During the second year, students advance to placements in a typical job setting to further develop their clinical skills. Students are required to complete a minimum of two semesters of externship placements across two different experiences. The externship director reviews placement applications each semester and advises students to register for one of the following clinical practicum courses:

SP635 Clinical Speech-Language Pathology Externship
SP636 Advanced Clinical Practicum: Specialty Clinical Programs
SP637 Clinical Speech-Language Pathology Externship in the Schools

WAIVERS

Some course requirements may be waived by the graduate program director based upon prior completion of coursework in the same content area. Students must submit materials for review (e.g., syllabus, course description, final products) prior to the first class meeting of the course being considered for waiver. The graduate program director’s written approval will be sent to the Records Office.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The Department of Speech-Language Pathology created an inventory of essential skills deemed necessary to function within the clinical profession of speech-language pathology; these are known as the essential functions. This document is used as a tool to help students, professors, and clinical supervisors identify areas of need related to becoming a professional in speech-language pathology. This document will be provided to students for review at the beginning of the first year, and it is posted on the department’s website.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

University-wide academic standards can be found in the section on Academic Standards and Dismissal under Academic Regulations and Policies.

Grades, Probation, and Dismissal

Consistent with University policy, graduate students in speech-language pathology must maintain a B (3.000) average. Students who fall below this level of achievement will be placed on academic probation for one semester. Failure to raise the cumulative QPA to 3.000 in the following semester will result in dismissal from the program. Regardless of QPA, students who receive one grade of C+ (2.330) or lower will be placed on academic probation. The accumulation of two grades of C+ (2.330) or lower or the receipt of one F (0.000) during the program will result in dismissal from the program. Dismissal may also result from excessive withdrawals, academic dishonestly, or other unethical or unprofessional conduct reflecting upon a student’s ability to enter into the professional field of speech-language pathology. Students are not permitted to be on academic probation for more than one semester across their master’s degree program.

All students placed on probation are required to meet with the graduate program director and members of the Academic Standards Committee. At that time, an individual remediation plan will be developed to help the student progress academically and/or clinically. Remediation plans may include additional assignments/assessments requiring the student to demonstrate competency in areas of need. In addition to academic performance, students must maintain professional standards of behavior as outlined in the essential functions document. Any student thought to be at risk academically or behaviorally may be brought before the committee.

Withdrawals

A student experiencing medical or personal problems may request a withdrawal from academic and clinical courses. The University-wide withdrawal policy can be found under Academic Regulations and Policies. In addition, if a student withdraws from clinical practicum courses and has been performing at a satisfactory level, the student may count all clinical hours earned during the semester up to the point of withdrawal. If the student has been performing at an unsatisfactory level, the student will not be allowed to count any clinical hours earned during the semester.

FELLOWSHIPS AND ASSISTANTSHIPS

Fellowships are available through the Scottish Rite Center of the Hearing and Speech Agency. A limited number of departmental graduate assistantships and merit scholarships are also available. Additional information on fellowships and assistantships can be found on department's website, www.loyola.edu/speechpathology/graduate/assistantship.html.

FOUNDATION PROGRAM

The department offers a postbaccalaureate foundation program for students seeking entry into the master's program in speech-language pathology who pursued an undergraduate degree in an area other than communication disorders. The foundation program course sequence (shown below) consists of nine prerequisite courses designed to be completed in one year of full-time enrollment.

SP500 Speech and Voice Science
SP501 Anatomy and Physiology: Speech and Voice
SP502 Survey of Communication Disorders
SP503 Articulation and Phonology
SP505 Phonetics
SP506 Observation Methods and Techniques in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology
SP507 Speech and Language Development
SP508 Professional and Technical Writing in Speech-Language Pathology
SP542 Fundamentals of Audiology

There is also a part-time option for students to take all or some of the prerequisite courses. This part-time option does not include admission to Loyola's graduate program upon completion. Further information about each program is provided below.

Full-Time Program

The full-time foundation program is competitive and has the same application and admission requirements as noted for the master's program (see Admission Criteria). The foundation program is not a degree program and does not meet the qualifications for receiving an F-1 visa; therefore, international students are not eligible to participate. For students continuing into the master's program in speech-language pathology, 500-level courses do not calculate in the cumulative QPA, nor do they count as requirements completed for the master's degree.

Student progress is monitored by the graduate and foundation program directors throughout the prerequisite period. Students who successfully complete the foundation program with a QPA of 3.700 or higher, demonstrate the competencies outlined in the essential functions document, and have not been brought before the departmental Academic Standards Committee are granted admission into the master's program. Students who do not meet the required QPA of 3.700, do not successfully demonstrate the competencies outlined in the essential functions document, are on academic probation, or have been brought before the Academic Standards Committee will be subject to review and may not be granted admittance into the graduate program.

Consistent with University and departmental policies, the accumulation of two grades of C+ (2.330) or lower, or the receipt of one F (0.000) during the program will result in dismissal from the full-time foundation program. In addition, the student will not be considered for admission into Loyola's master’s program.

Part-Time Program

The part-time foundation program is an option for students to take all or some of the prerequisite courses necessary for admission into many master’s programs in speech-language pathology. These courses satisfy the prerequisite requirements for admission into Loyola’s graduate program in speech-language pathology; however, admission criteria for non-Loyola master's programs should be reviewed. This part-time option does not include admission into Loyola’s graduate program upon completion. Students enrolled in the part-time foundation program who are interested in pursuing a master's degree should apply to the master's program by February 15 of the year in which they anticipate enrolling.

Applicants to the part-time program must submit an application fee, a transcript which verifies the receipt of a bachelor’s degree, and three letters of recommendation. The admission committee considers most favorably those graduates who maintained at least a B (3.000) average during the final two years of undergraduate coursework. Applications may be submitted at any time and are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Consistent with University and departmental policies, the accumulation of two grades of C+ (2.330) or lower, or the receipt of one F (0.000) during the program will result in dismissal from the part-time foundation program. In addition, the student will not be eligible for admission into Loyola's master’s program in speech-language pathology.