Graduate Bulletin

Speech, Language and Hearing Science, M.A.

COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: February 1

Applications are evaluated together after the deadline.

APPLY ONLINE to this graduate program.

Letters of Reference:

Number Required: 2

From Whom: Teachers, clinical supervisors, or others who can speak to the applicant's academic or clinical abilities and personal integrity.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration:

Prerequisites to graduate study include the following courses or equivalent subject knowledge: CS201 Communication Research; CS207 Phonetics; CS208 Phonology; CS217 Grammatical Analysis; CS218 Language Processing; CS233 Speech Science; CS234 Hearing Science; CS235 Human Neuroscience; CS300 Principles of Audiology; CS 301 Speech and Language Development; CS336 Clinical Management. These prerequisites may be taken during the first year of graduate study.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline:

No.

Statement of Goals:

The Statement of Goals should be roughly 500-1,000 words in length, and should address the applicant's interest in the field, academic and personal preparation, and career goals.

Standardized Test Scores:

The GRE is required. It is expected that scores on the verbal and quantitative sections will fall at or above the 50th percentile.

Minimum TOEFL score needed to be accepted: 550 paper-based, 213 computer-based, or 79 internet-based.

Resume:

A resume is required.

Transfer Credit:

On the recommendation of the student's advisor, the Chair may accept transfer of graduate credits from an accredited institution. Grades must be "B" or better. The maximum number of credits a student may transfer is 6.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:

Number of Didactic Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 36

Required Courses:

521, 522, 525, 526, 528, 531, 532, 722, 724, 725, 726, 727, 821,824, AAC1, AAC2 375 clock hours of supervised clinical practicum in diagnosis and treatment

Internship: No internship is required.

Language Examination: No language examination is required.

Culminating Events:

Comprehensive Examination:

The purpose of the comprehensive examination is to demonstrate the application of accumulated knowledge to the basic science and clinical domains.  It is taken in the final semester.

Students receive a set of questions from the last four administrations. These questions provide samples of what will be asked. The examination is comprised of four questions, one each from the areas of Basic Sciences, Speech Disorders, and Language Disorders, and a fourth question that is drawn from any of the cited areas. All faculty who teach prerequisite and/or graduate courses in the curriculum may write and grade questions in their areas of expertise.

The faculty member who wrote the question grades the answer on a 1-5 scale with 3 and above serving as a passing grade. If the student receives a grade below 3, the exam is given to a second reader (along with answers that did pass) who evaluates the questions. If the combined score of the two readers is 6 or above, the answer is given a pass. If the combined score is less than 6, the answer is failed and the student must rewrite a question in that area within 2 weeks of the grading process.

Students must receive a grade of 3 or above for each of the four questions.  Those who fail two or more questions fail the exam and must repeat the examination process during the next semester. Students may not repeat the examination more than twice.

Students must submit in writing, to the chair of the department, their intentions to take the comprehensive examination no later than 2 weeks prior to its administration. Unless given prior approval for extended time, each question must be completed within one hour. Two questions are given in the morning and two in the afternoon.

Contacts

Program Contact Information:

www.temple.edu/commsci

Department Information:

Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders
1701 N. 13th Street (265-62)
Philadelphia, PA 19122

215-204-7543

Department Contacts:

Admissions:

Dawn Dandridge

ddandrid@temple.edu

215-204-9005

Program Coordinator:

Graduate Chairperson:

Chairperson:

Brian A. Goldstein
brian.goldstein@temple.edu
215-204-7593

About the Program

The M.A. Program in Speech, Language and Hearing Science is committed to the education of first-rate clinical professionals able to deal creatively with the broadest possible range of populations, settings, and speech-language disorders. The Department is able to provide students with a rich variety of supervised clinical experiences at its own Speech and Hearing Center on the University's main campus and at any of more than 80 field settings throughout the Delaware Valley. In addition, the Department maintains strong connections with faculty members and practitioners at Temple University Hospital and School of Medicine, and with other departments in the College of Health Professions. Graduates of the program have consistently gone on to significant careers throughout the United States and abroad. Opportunities exist for pursuing research interests under faculty guidance through independent study courses or the writing of a master's thesis. Qualified students may elect to pursue special emphasis areas in early intervention or in service delivery to speakers of Spanish.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 3 years

Campus Location:

Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status:

Students are required to complete the degree program through classes offered before and after 4:30 p.m.

Department Information:

Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders
1701 N. 13th Street (265-62)
Philadelphia, PA 19122

215-204-7543

Interdisciplinary Study:

The faculty itself is interdisciplinary with representation from speech-language pathology, audiology, linguistics, and cognitive and neuropsychology. The program offers an interdisciplinary seminar in early intervention that includes participation of faculty and students from the Departments of Occupational Therapy and Nursing as well as from the College of Education. A colloquium series and series of grand rounds presentations include speakers from outside the Department and the University. Many other opportunities for interdisciplinary interactions are also being developed, including an interdisciplinary assessment center housed in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Affiliation(s):

The program has research affiliations with the Temple University School of Medicine and Hospital, with Moss Rehabilitation Hospital, and with the American Institute for Voice and Ear Research. In the area of bilingual Spanish-English research, the department has research affiliations with the University of Texas and Cal State San Diego.

Study Abroad:

No.

Ranking:

The program is ranked 30th nationally among approximately 250 ASHA-certified programs.

Accreditation:

The degree program is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; the Pennsylvania Department of Education; and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. ASHA accreditation has been maintained without interruption since 1968.

Areas of Specialization:

Students completing the master's program are generalists with expertise in a wide variety of disorders and population types. Courses and supervised diagnostic and therapeutic experiences concern both children and adults, and encompass a range of disorders, including dysfluency, dysphagia, language disorders, phonological disorders, and voice disorders. Faculty conduct supervised research in such areas as phonological, syntactic, and pragmatic development and language disorders in monolingual and bilingual children, adopted children from China, adult aphasia, voice disorders, communication in aging individuals, and speech physiology.

Job Placement:

Graduates are employed in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, private practices, and universities. The placement rate for graduates is 100%.

Licensure:

To complete the process for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, graduates must pass the national Praxis Examination in Speech/Language Pathology, and must complete a Clinical Fellowship Year in their first year of employment in the field. Additional state-mandated requirements may apply for graduates employed in the public schools. Each state has its own licensing procedures in addition to the CCC.

Non-Degree Student Policy:

Non-matriculated students must have departmental permission to enroll in graduate courses. No more than 9 semester hours of graduate coursework taken as a nonmatriculated student may be counted toward the degree.

Financing Opportunities

Teaching Assistants (TA) assist faculty laboratory classes. Research Assistants (RA) assist faculty in research projects. Academic Interns and Graduate Externs perform database management for the clinical education program or the speech-language-hearing center or are engaged in other administrative experiences. Assistantships carry a stipend and tuition remission for 9 graduate credits. Students may be supported for more than one semester. Applicants interested in competing for assistantships should submit an assistantship application (included in application packet) and curriculum vitae with their application to the program, and should have all application materials in by February 1.

Updated 7.13.07