Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Luanne Andersson, Associate Professor and Chair
Richard Schissel, Associate Professor and Graduate Chair
Mary Pitti, Assistant Clinical Professor and Clinical Program Director

Students who select speech-language pathology (SLP) as their major typically pursue a career as practicing speech-language pathologists. The Ithaca College undergraduate program in SLP provides the solid clinical and academic foundation essential for achieving that goal. Students who successfully complete the Ithaca College undergraduate program in SLP earn a B.S. degree that provides them with the foundational knowledge and beginning clinical skills that are important for further graduate study in speech-language pathology. Students are also well prepared to enter related areas of study at the graduate level, such as audiology, elementary education, and special education.

Professional coursework focuses on basic human communication processes while introducing students to the study of speech-language and hearing disorders and providing capstone experiences in a clinical practicum. This coursework is complemented by carefully selected, yet flexible, liberal arts and teacher education courses. A master's degree is required for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in SLP (CCC-SLP) awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), New York State Education Department (NYSED) professional teaching certificate in Teaching Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD), and New York State Office of Professions (NYSOP) license to practice speech-language pathology. The department's graduate programs meet the academic and clinical requirements for professional certification and licenses as defined by the ASHA, NYSED, and NYSOP.

Strengths of the Ithaca College program in SLP include the following opportunities:

1. taking up to 30 credits in courses pertaining to disordered communication (e.g., child language disorders, fluency and voice disorders), providing excellent preparation for graduate school,
2. meeting ASHA requirements for completion of at least 25 hours of clinical observation by participating in a carefully sequenced set of observations designed to provide progressively more challenging and professionally oriented assignments that include writing client lesson plans and progress statements,
3. experiential learning through clinical practicum experiences working directly with clients in the Sir Alexander Ewing-Ithaca College Speech and Hearing Clinic or an approved off-campus clinic site,
4. studying abroad during the junior year, if desired,
5. having a minor area of study (e.g., psychology or health policy and management),
6. enrolling in teacher education coursework that is required for New York State TSSLD certification, and
7. automatic acceptance into the SLP graduate program for SLP majors from Ithaca College who, at the time of application to the graduate program, have a GPA of 3.70 or above and have received no grades below a B in departmental courses required for the major.

The expedited acceptance program is designed for SLP majors who enter the senior year with a GPA of 3.50 or above. These students apply to our graduate program on the same calendar as traditional applicants; however, they are not required to provide GRE scores or letters of recommendation. These students take graduate courses in the typical sequence and complete the program in seven semesters. Letters of recommendation and GRE scores are required for all students seeking graduate assistantships.

Speech-Language Pathology, B.S.
Communication Disorders Minor
Deaf Studies Minor

Special Academic Status Policy for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Majors

To maintain satisfactory academic standing, a student must

1. maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50,
2. complete all required departmental courses (SLPA xxxxx) with a grade of C- or better,
3. maintain a GPA of 2.50 in all required departmental courses (SLPA xxxxx), and
4. successfully complete at least 24 credits in any consecutive 12 months.

Prior to completion of the major, the student is required to repeat required departmental courses in which he or she receives a grade below C-. All grades received for the course are calculated in the GPA; course credit toward graduation requirements is granted only once. No advanced course may be taken until all prerequisites for it have been completed with a grade of C- or better.

Academic warning: A student who fails to meet any of the four requirements for satisfactory standing stated above will be placed on academic warning. When a GPA deficiency exists, the student must subsequently attain grades sufficiently above the 2.50 standard to bring the cumulative GPA up to the required 2.50 or above.

Dismissal: A student who fails to meet the requirements for satisfactory standing for two consecutive semesters will be dismissed from the major and also may be suspended or dismissed from the school and from Ithaca College. 

Occasional Study at Another Institution

Students majoring in SLP normally do not receive transfer credit for department courses required for the major (SLPA xxxxx). Students may request, through their academic adviser, a waiver of this policy. The department considers such requests on a case-by-case basis.

B.S. in Speech-Language Pathology

Requirements for the Major in Speech-Language Pathology -- B.S.

Major department requirements

Required courses outside major department

Restricted electives in major department

Select one of the following:

Electives outside major

Summary

Minor in Communication Disorders

Open to students majoring in all disciplines except speech-language pathology. The minor is designed to increase students' understanding of communication disorders. Students may be generalists (selecting courses that provide an overview of communication disorders) or specialists (selecting courses that reflect an area of specific interest, such as science, language, or phonology).

Requirements

All students must take the following course:

Electives

Students must take at least 15 credits from the lists below; at least 6 of these credits must be taken from the speech-language and hearing disorders course list below.

Speech-language and hearing disorders courses

Note: The above courses may have prerequisites; refer to the course descriptions.
Guidelines on course sequencing and other requirements are available at the department office, Smiddy Hall 301.

Minor in Deaf Studies

Open to students majoring in all disciplines. The minor is designed to develop the use of American Sign Language and increase the student's understanding of deafness and Deaf culture.

To enter the minor in Deaf studies, students must have completed a minimum of 30 credits, must have a GPA of 3.0 or above, and must have completed SLPA 10901 American Sign Language I with a grade of B- or better.

Note: Ithaca College's Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology recognizes members of the linguistic and cultural group whose primary language is American Sign Language (ASL) by capitalizing "deaf" when referring to this group or its members. 

Requirements

Course Numbering System

• The level-1 and level-2 required courses constitute a core curriculum that emphasizes basic human communication processes and provides introductory information relevant to communication disorders. Students are required to complete courses at this level before attempting the intermediate or advanced courses.
• The level-3 and level-4 courses are intermediate and advanced offerings for majors and minors only.
• The level-5 courses are graduate-level offerings and may be taken by seniors only with approval of the department chairperson and the dean of graduate studies (refer to the Ithaca College graduate catalog for complete graduate course offerings).
  Graduate Catalog