Speech-Language Pathology

Program Director: Eric Sanders

Mission: The mission of the program is to provide an educational experience which prepares students for fulfilling careers as leading professionals in the field of speech-language pathology, who are educated consumers of research, dedicated to interprofessional collaboration, and who integrate reflection and critical thinking into their practices in order to facilitate positive communicative and quality-of-life outcomes for others. Stakeholders will strive to create an environment that removes barriers to success and promotes a culture of inclusivity, compassion and mutual respect.

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program is designed to prepare students for practice in educational and healthcare settings as Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs). It is a full-time, two year, entry-level, professional practice program. Students from any major may apply for admission to this program. Students who wish to enter the Moravian University College Speech-Language Pathology program will be able to avail of a Communication Sciences and Disorders track, within the Health Sciences Major. To be considered for admission the following pre-requisites apply.

• A completed undergraduate degree from an accredited institution of higher education
• A minimum GPA of 3.0
• A passing grade in the following coursework (or equivalent) at an accredited institution of higher education:
•  Statistics (e.g. MAT 107 Elementary Statistics)
•  Biology (e.g. BIO 103, Anatomy & Physiology 1)
• Physics/Chemistry (e.g. PHY 109, Physics for Life Sciences)
• Psychology/Sociology (e.g. PSYH)
•  Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech & Hearing Mechanism
• Communication Development
•  Phonetics/Phonology
•  Speech & Hearing Science
• Audiology
•    *25 hours of observation in the discipline (must observe an ASHA certified, licensed provider)
•  *Submit a signed copy of the 'Professional Dispositions, Behaviors & Essential Functions (PDBEF)' document

*Note: evidence of observation hours and the signed PDBEF are required only after students are offered a place in the MS-SLP graduate program. 

Students who do not consider English to be their primary language are required to submit official scores of a recent IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) examination. Minimum scores required for admission to this program are as follows:

• IELTS: 6.5 or higher
• TOEFL Paper: 577 or higher
• TOEFL iBT: 90 or higher

Application Materials:

• Official Transcripts
• Resume
• Personal statement/letter of intent
• Three letters of recommendation

·         Top applicants will be selected to attend an interview before final offers are made.

     Post-Baccalaureate Certificate for Speech-Language Pathology

• HLTR 150 Introduction to Communication Sciences and Disorders
• BIOL 108 Anatomy & Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism 
• HLTR 253 Phonetics and Phonology
• HLTR 252 Speech and Hearing Science
• HLTR 354 Clinical Linguistics
• HLTR 355 Audiology
• EDUC 410.3 Language Development

Potential additional courses if relevant requirements are not already met during undergraduate degree (transfer credit can be granted if an equivalent has already been taken):

• MATH 107 - Introductory Statistics
• BIOL 107 - Anatomy & Physiology II
• PHYS 109 - Introductory Physics
• PSYC 120 - Introduction to Psychology

The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology

Courses Descriptions in Speech-Language Pathology

Foundational Knowledge Sequence

SLP 500 Neuroanatomy & Neurophysiology. This course covers the basic anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system with special emphasis on neural systems involved in normal and disordered language comprehension and production, normal and disorders speech, voice and swallowing functions as well as normal and disordered cognitive skills. The course is 3 credit hours in total (one of which will be taught by the neuroscience faculty, in conjunction with the Athletic Training graduate students, and two of which will be taught by faculty in the SLP program). 3 credits, lecture & lab, Summer offering

SLP 502 Medical Speech-Language Pathology. This course was designed to introduce graduate level clinicians to the medical setting as a prospective work setting. Topics include specialized roles of the speech/language pathologist in the medical center setting, medical record keeping systems and terminology, evaluation and treatment of dysphagia, laryngectomy rehabilitation with emphasis on surgical voice restoration (T.E. puncture) and other topics of concern to the hospital-based clinician. 3 credits, lecture & lab, Spring offering

EDUC 502 Introductory Education for English Language Learners. Students will learn basic principles, issues, and strategies for English language teaching. This course will be an introduction to challenges of teaching English learners and offers a comprehensive overview of learning theories and teaching strategies. Attention will be given to such controversial topics as the influence of culture on schooling, the cultural practices of schooling, and the sociopolitical context of education. Students will learn clear models of strategic teaching leading to students' success.

Educational Elective: Examples of courses students may elect to take include; EDUC 507 Culture Community Diversity, EDUC 510 Child Development & Cognition I, EDUC 513 The Arts: Creative Expression, EDUC 516 Early Child Education Theory/Practice/Family, EDUC 520 Interventions for Mid-Level learners, EDUC 606 Reading and Writing across the Curriculum, EDUC 673 ESL Assessment and Support, EDUC 610 Differentiating Instruction, EDUC 670 Oral Language development and acquisition, EDUC 626 literacy skills for children with special needs

Healthcare Elective: Examples of courses students may elect to take include; HLAT 622 Sports Nutrition, HLAT 678 Psychosocial Aspects of Rehab, NURS 504 Policy, Quality, & Safety in Health Care, NURS 502 Epidemiology & Bioinformatics, NURS 536 Law, Regulations, Ethics, Health, HLAT 710 Healthcare policy, HLAT 712 Epidemiology & informatics, OT 561 Reflections & Professional Development, OT 605 Management of Therapy Services.

Inquiry Sequence

SLP 510 Professional Issues in Speech-Language Pathology. This course examines professional ethics and issues, reviews regulations and requirements for professional practice, provides an overview of the composition/policies of the Graduate Program in SLP, and discusses cultural considerations for studying, assessing and treating communication and swallowing disorders in culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) populations. 1 credit, lecture, Summer offering

SLP 511 Evidence Based Practice. This course will introduce the student to role and importance of research in the rehabilitation professions. Course content will include defining research terminology, basic epidemiology, development of search terms, human subjects training and the development of a research question. 1 credit, lecture, Fall offering

SLP 512 Answering Clinical Questions. This course will introduce the student to role and importance of research in the rehabilitation professions. Course content will include defining research terminology, basic epidemiology, development of search terms, human subjects training and the development of a research question. Prerequisite: SLP 511. 1 credit.

SLP 612 Evidence Based Practice II. This course will introduce students to research-methods typically employed in quantitative research. Students will gain an appreciation of areas such as sampling, measurement, research designs, and basic analytical procedures commonly used in the evidence base in speech-language pathology. The focus of this class is on enhancing an understanding of how to read literature using these types of methods to inform students on how to be a “critical consumer” of this type of research when they are practicing clinicians.1 credit, lecture, Spring offering

SLP 613 Evidence Based Practice III. This course will educate students on the research methods typically used in single-subject and qualitative research. Students will extend their previous knowledge of research methods to include ethical issues, implicit bias, design characteristics, research hypothesis, data collection procedures, and analytical procedures commonly discussed in the evidence base in speech language pathology. The focus of this class is on enhancing an understanding of how to read literature using these types of methods to inform students on how to be a “critical consumer” of this type of research when they are practicing clinicians. 1 credit, lecture, Summer offering

Clinical Skills Sequence

SLP 521 Evaluation. This lab course will allow students to practice procedures and processes of evaluation. Students will practice administering various forms of assessments. They will learn how to interpret standardized scores and determine the psychometric properties, validity, reliability and applicability of the most common norm-referenced standardized assessments in the field of communication disorders. 1 credit, lab, Fall offering

SLP 522 Technology in Speech-Language Pathology. This lab course will provide students with information about the use of technology in enhancing client and provider outcomes, in the profession of Speech-Language Pathology. The uses of Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) devices, Electronic Medical Records, software and hardware that may be applied in communication analysis, neuroimaging devices, and other such tools will be examined, discussed and applied. 1 credit, lab, Summer offering

SLP 623 Aural Rehabilitation. This lab course will provide students with information about the basic concepts of acoustics as they relate to hearing measurement, the psychophysical methods of measuring hearing thresholds and the calibration of hearing measurement devices. Students will learn how to evaluate and interpret audiometric tests and make appropriate referrals, in diverse populations. 1 credit, lab, Spring offering

Problem Based Learning Sequence

SLP 551 Foundations of Speech-Language Pathology. A problem based learning course that covers 10 standard cases and issues in Speech-Language Pathology (e.g. developmental communication disorders, acquired communication disorders, interprofessional collaboration, counseling, cultural diversity). 5 credits, problem based learning, Summer offering

SLP 552 Developmental Communication Disorders. A problem based learning course that covers 10 cases of developmental speech, voice, language & social communication/cognitive difficulties. 5 credits, problem based learning, Fall offering

SLP 553 Acquired Communication Disorders. A problem based learning course that covers 10 cases of acquired communication and swallowing disorders. 5 credits, problem based learning, Spring offering

SLP 654 Complex Cases in Speech-Language Pathology I. A problem based learning course that covers 10 complex cases in the field of SLP. Cases include voice disorders, fluency difficulties, and developmental issues across the lifespan. 5 credits, problem based learning, Summer offering

SLP 655 Complex Cases in Speech-Language Pathology II. A problem based learning course that covers 10 complex cases in the field of SLP. Cases address ethical issues in speech-language pathology, mental health issues and the impact on communication and many more unusual and complex cases. 5 credits, problem based learning, Fall offering

Clinical Education Sequence

SLP 561 Clinical Education I. A supervised clinical experience in speech-language pathology. Student will acquire experience working with a variety of populations, which may include individuals with developmental communication and swallowing difficulties (e.g., Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy), hearing impairment and acquired difficulties (e.g. stroke, degenerative diseases, injury). This will typically be an outpatient placement in a clinic such as St. Luke’s North. Consists of a two day a week placement, where each student is responsible for the service provision where students work in pairs and see one to two clients per week for 10 weeks (45-75 mins of direct client care per week). 1 credit, Clinical Education Experience, Summer offering

SLP 562 Clinical Education II. A supervised clinical experience in speech-language pathology. Student will acquire experience working with pediatric populations. This may be in settings such as schools, outpatient clinics, early intervention etc. Consists of a five-week full time placement. It is expected that students will obtain a minimum of 50 direct contact hours with clients over the five weeks. 2 credits, Clinical Education Experience, Fall offering

SLP 563 Clinical Education III. A supervised clinical experience in speech-language pathology. Student will acquire experience working with adult populations. This may be in settings such as acute care hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, etc. Consists of a five-week full time placement. It is expected that students will obtain a minimum of 50 direct contact hours with clients over the five weeks. 2 credits, Clinical Education Experience, Spring offering

SLP 664 Clinical Education IV. A supervised clinical experience in speech-language pathology. Student will acquire experience working with various populations. This may be in any healthcare or educational setting. Consists of a five-week full time placement. It is expected that students will obtain a minimum of 50 direct contact hours with clients over the five weeks. 2 credits, Clinical Education Experience, Summer offering

SLP 665 Clinical Education V. A supervised clinical experience in speech-language pathology. Student will acquire experience working with various populations. This may be in any healthcare or educational setting. Consists of a five-week full time placement. It is expected that students will obtain a minimum of 50 direct contact hours with clients over the five weeks. 2 credits, Clinical Education Experience, Fall offering

SLP 666 Clinical Education VI. A supervised clinical experience in speech-language pathology. Student will acquire experience working with various populations. This may be in any healthcare or educational setting. All efforts will be made to place students in settings that are similar to those where they may wish to pursue employment. Consists of a fifteen-week full time placement. It is expected that each student will obtain a minimum of 200 direct contact hours with clients over the fifteen weeks. 4-6 credits, Clinical Education Experience, Spring offering

SLP 682 Gender Affirming Voice Clinic. An individual’s voice and communication style offer the world a glimpse of one’s identity and personality. Developing a healthy, sustainable voice congruent with one's gender identity can provide greater confidence, sense of self and safety. This course will focus on voice care for transgender and gender diverse individuals with instruction in both online and in-person instruction modules. In addition, clinical assignments for hands-on training and supervision in the provision of voice therapy and training for this population will be provided. Repeatable, without a grade.

SLP 683 Advanced Medical Speech-Language Pathology. This course introduces advanced assessment and treatment topic for adults with dysphagia of various etiologies. Topics covered include, brain stem stroke, head and neck cancer, dysphagia post trauma, the aging swallowing, and advanced exercise treatments for dysphagia. Medical ethical principles and advocacy will also be discussed. Prerequisites: SLP 502.

Capstone Experiences

SLP 680 Colloquium. The word “colloquium” is derived from the Latin, and means “to talk together.” The word conveys a conversation that is both structured and informal, a meeting of minds that is serious and spirited. This course requires active participation and discussion of topical issues that are important to the discipline. 1 credit, lecture, Fall offering

SLP 681 Thesis (optional). Candidates will work independently (independent study), under the guidance of a thesis advisor, to conduct a research project, place data within the context of published studies and report research findings in a final thesis. An oral defense of the thesis will be required. 1 credit, Independent Study, Spring offering