Audiology and Speech-Language Sciences

Speech-Language Pathology M.A.

This certifying master’s program is fully accredited and provides excellent academic, research, and clinical preparation.

Areas emphasized include:

• The science of communication;
• The nature, prevention, assessment, and management of:
  • developmental articulation disorders
  • language and literacy disorders
  • voice disorders
  • fluency disorders
  • pervasive developmental disorders, including autism
  • dysphagia
  • neurologic disorders including aphasia, apraxia, post head-injury disorders and dementia;
• Augmentative and alternative communication systems;
• Aural rehabilitation.

This program offers extensive supervised clinical experience through the well-equipped UNC Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Clinic and ancillary clinics in Colorado. This M.A. program is accredited by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Students who complete this program are eligible to apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Graduates can also qualify for licensure from the Colorado Department of Education. Career opportunities include: positions in schools, hospitals, practice in association with a range of physicians including otolaryngology, neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry and pediatrics; rehabilitation centers, and private practice.

Admission. Students will be admitted to this limited-enrollment program on the basis of:

1. academic record,
2. Graduate Record Examination scores,
3. at least three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with their academic/clinical performance,
4. a letter of intent.

Admission to the Graduate School does not guarantee admission to the Speech-Language Pathology graduate program.

Prerequisites. This program assumes an undergraduate background in speech-language pathology and/or audiology. Students who do not have such a background must fulfill academic requirements as determined by their major advisor. These requirements must be met before admission to the graduate program.

For degree and program requirements, see:

Speech-Language Pathology M.A.

Audiology Au.D.

This certifying clinical doctoral degree program in audiology (Au.D.) is fully accredited and provides excellent academic, research, and clinical preparation.

Areas emphasized include:

• Basic sciences underlying the hearing and balance mechanisms;
• Diagnosis of hearing disorders in persons ranging in age from infants through older adults;
• Audiological treatment of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, including counseling and specific treatment procedures for children and adults;
• Diagnosis for and dispensing of hearing aids and other amplification and auditory prosthetic devices;
• Educational audiology for diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders in early childhood and K-12 educational settings;
• Consultation for and execution of hearing conservation programs for industry, schools and other agencies;
• Instrumentation used in evaluation and treatment of hearing and balance disorders;
• Fundamentals of applied research.

Specific exceptions to Graduate School requirements for doctoral degrees have been approved. These exceptions relate to the dissertation proposal, dissertation, defense of dissertation, advancement to candidacy and doctoral committees. Because of the clinical focus of this degree, rigorous academic standards are maintained through measurement of clinical competencies throughout the program rather than completion of a dissertation. Students will be required to complete a capstone research project.

This program offers extensive supervised clinical experience through the well-equipped UNC Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Clinic and ancillary clinics in Colorado. The Au.D. program leading to certification is accredited by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Students who complete this program are eligible to apply for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and/or for Board Certification in Audiology awarded by the American Board of Audiology (ABA). Graduates can also qualify for licensure from the Colorado Department of Education and/or the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies.

Career opportunities include positions in hospitals; audiology clinics; otolyrngology medical practices; rehabilitation centers; schools; industry; and private practice.

Admission: Students will be admitted to this limited-enrollment program on the basis of:

1. academic record,
2. Graduate Record Examination scores,
3. at least three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with their academic/clinical performance,
4. letter of intent.

Admission to the Graduate School does not guarantee admission to the Audiology graduate program.

Prerequisites: This program assumes an undergraduate background in audiology and/or speech-language pathology. Students who do not have such a background must fulfill academic requirements as determined by their major advisor. These requirements must be met before admission to the graduate program.

For degree and program requirements, see:

Audiology Au.D.