Speech-Language Pathology, Thesis Option, MA

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Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Graduate Faculty

Evans, David L., PhD, speech-language pathology, stuttering, speech science, communication in virtual environments.
Evans, Kelli J., PhD, speech-language pathology, adult neurogenic disorders, cognitive-communication disorders.
Moore, Heather, PhD, speech-language pathology, early intervention, child language, autism spectrum disorders.
Peters, Kimberly A., PhD, audiology, pediatric audiology, auditory physiology, aural (re)habilitation, cochlear implants, social cognition, social competence.
Thistle, Jennifer, PhD, speech-language pathology, alternative and augmentative communication, child language, autism spectrum disorders.

Graduate Program Faculty Advisor: Kelli Evans, PhD, AI 388, 360-650-6299

Goals

The objectives of the program in Speech-Language Pathology are to prepare competent entry-level professionals in speech-language pathology and to prepare students for advanced study at the PhD level. The program includes an internship taken after other academic and clinical requirements have been completed.

Speech-language pathology is a discipline which has developed out of a concern for people with communication disorders. Preparation leading to a degree in communication sciences and disorders includes a wide range of course work and a variety of clinical practicum opportunities working with the infant through geriatric populations.

Students who intend to seek employment in this profession, whether in a public school, clinic, rehabilitation center or hospital setting, are advised that certification/licensure at the state and/or national levels is required. Out-of-state students should recognize that other requirements may exist for employment in different geographic locations.

Prerequisites

Students must have completed an undergraduate major in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) or an equivalent professional core curriculum. The BA or BS in Communication Sciences and Disorders (Speech Pathology and Audiology) must have been completed within the past five years in order to be considered as an applicant for the graduate program in CSD. Grade point average requirements are consistent with those of the Graduate School. Students must have completed the Graduate Record Exam, General Test or REVISED General Test beginning August 2011.

Students who are not native speakers of English must demonstrate competence in written and spoken English. This can be done by submitting a satisfactory score on the international TOEFL, taken within one year of the date of application. A minimum composite score of 600 is required for the paper-based test; the scaled score for the computer-based test is 250; the Internet-based minimum score is 100. The TOEFL scores must be on file in the Graduate School prior to receipt of the application for graduate study.

ASHA Standards

IV-A: The applicant must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of biological sciences, physical sciences, statistics, and the social/behavioral sciences.

Implementation: The applicant must have transcript credit (which could include course work, advanced placement, CLEP, or examination of equivalency) for each of the following areas: biological sciences, physical sciences, social/behavioral sciences, and statistics. Appropriate course work may include human anatomy and physiology, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, genetics, physics, inorganic and organic chemistry, psychology, sociology, and anthropology. The intent of this standard is to require students to have a broad liberal arts and science background. Courses in biological and physical sciences specifically related to communication sciences and disorders may not be applied for certification purposes in this category. In addition to transcript credit, applicants may be required by their graduate program to provide further evidence of meeting this requirement.

The Graduate Program Advisor will review the student’s transcript during the first quarter of graduate work and if any of the above course work needs to be completed, the student will be advised to do so, as an overload, before graduation.

Application Information

Enrollment is limited to 20 new graduate students per year.

Admit Quarter: Fall quarter only. The communication sciences and disorders program is a lock-step program which offers courses in sequence once a year beginning in the fall.

Deadline: Application deadline is January 15.

TA Deadline: Application deadline is January 15.

Specific Test Requirements: Graduate Record Exam. (No test scores are required if an applicant holds an advanced degree — MA, MS, PhD.)

Supporting Materials:

❑ Application with $100 fee (subject to change)
❑ Three recent letters of reference
❑ One official transcript from every school attended (no more than two years old)
❑ One-page statement of purpose
❑ One-page résumé

Program Requirements (82-87 credits)

❑ CSD 502 - Research Methods in Communication Sciences and Disorders Credits: 4
❑ CSD 510 - Assessment and Treatment of Resonance Disorders Credits: 2
❑ CSD 515 - Seminar: Phonology Credits: 4
❑ CSD 542 - Adult and Pediatric Dysphagia Credits: 4
❑ CSD 546 - Strategies for Assessment in CSD Credits: 1
❑ CSD 549 - Clinical Practicum Credits: 2
❑ CSD 550 - Voice Disorders and Therapy Credits: 5
❑ CSD 552 - Assessment Practicum in Speech-Language Pathology Credits: 2
❑ CSD 553 - Seminar: Preschool Language Development and Disorders Credits: 4
❑ CSD 554 - Stuttering Credits: 5
❑ CSD 555 - Seminar: Language Disorders in the School Age Child Credits: 4
❑ CSD 556 - Assessment and Treatment of Aphasia & Related Acquired Language Disorders Credits: 5
❑ CSD 558 - Graduate Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology Credits: 1-3 (students must take for a total of 6 credits)
❑ CSD 560 - Speech-Language Pathology Practicum Credits: 2
❑ CSD 564 - Advanced Clinical Practice in Aural Rehabilitation Credits: 2
❑ CSD 575 - Counseling in Communication Disorders Credits: 3
❑ CSD 576 - Cognitive Communication Disorders Credits: 4
❑ CSD 585 - Neuromotor Speech Disorders Credits: 4
❑ CSD 588 - Seminar in Augmentative and Alternative Communication Credits: 4
❑ CSD 599 - Internship Speech/Language Pathology Credits: 8
❑ CSD 690 - Thesis Credits: 1-9 (students must take for a total of 6-9 credits)
❑ Select one of the following courses:
CSD 580 - Communication Disorders in the Public Schools Credits: 3 (Required for students intending to apply for Washington state CSD certificate.)
CSD 582 - Medical Speech Pathology Credits: 2
❑ Optional Electives:
CSD 559 - Speech-Language Pathology Practicum Credits: 2
CSD 592 - Seminar in Autism Credits: 3
CSD 598 - Internship in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology Credits: 1-4

Additional Information

Clinical Competence

In addition to meeting academic requirements, students specializing in speech-language pathology must demonstrate satisfactory competence in diagnostic and clinical practica. Refer to course description for additional information. No student in CSD may participate as a primary clinician in the clinic or an internship until cleared by a criminal background check. Procedure and fee information are provided to students upon acceptance into the graduate program. At times, the requirements for the completion of clinical practicum courses may fall outside the regular University calendar. Contact the department for further details.

Students are permitted to retake a clinical practicum only once. If a satisfactory grade is not achieved in the retake, students will not be permitted to continue in the practicum courses.

Not everyone is suited to work with clients in the clinical fields of speech-language pathology and audiology even though the student may maintain a satisfactory academic record. The faculty and staff of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders thus reserve the right to counsel students with this in mind, and to recommend a change of academic focus for the student who appears to have personality traits that would prevent the student from being successful in the discipline.

Internship

An internship is required for all CSD students. This experience provides an opportunity for each student to refine and expand basic clinical skills by participating in a supervised, full-time work experience in a professional setting. The terminal objective of this training phase is to facilitate each clinician’s transition from student in training to competent entry-level professional. As such, the internship is taken after other academic and clinical requirements have been completed with the exception of the research project. In addition to the required full-time internship (CSD 599), students also may choose to complete one or more part-time internships (CSD 598). Both the full-time and part-time placements require assignment to clinical settings off campus (e.g., schools, hospitals, private clinics, et cetera).

Thesis

Students will complete a thesis project with a faculty advisor followed by an oral examination based on the student’s topic. For details regarding the thesis process, timeline, and oral defense, the student should consult the Graduate Program Advisor. Any recent policy/procedure changes or exceptions will be listed in the current CSD Graduate Guide.

Accreditation

The master’s degree (MA) education program in speech-language pathology at Western Washington University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard #310, Rockville, Maryland 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

The master’s degree (MA) education program in speech-language pathology also is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Professional Certification Requirements

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) 2014 Standards for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology stipulate the completion of 400 clock hours of practicum. Of these hours, at least 375 must be direct patient contact, at least 325 of which must be obtained at the graduate level. The requirement is met by taking an appropriate number of practicum credits (see application information above). Consult the department about specific requirements regarding clinical experience in the area in which the certificate is sought. Consult the ASHA Membership and Certification Handbook for details.