Speech Pathology and Audiology

Education

The mandatory education program described below must have been approved, recognized, or accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) at the time the degree was obtained.

Degree:  For speech pathologist positions, a graduate or higher level graduate degree that included 18 semester hours in the field of speech pathology with approved clinical practice. For** audiologist** positions, a graduate or higher level graduate degree that included 18 semester hours in the field of audiology with approved clinical practice. Applicants for positions with both speech pathologist and audiologist duties must have successfully completed all the requirements for a graduate or higher level degree with 18 semester hours in one of the fields with approved clinical practice and, in addition, must have either completed a minor in the other field or must have had at least 1 year of professional experience in the other field.

Evaluation of Experience: Experience must have demonstrated breadth and level of knowledge of the principles and theories of speech pathology and/or audiology; skill in analyzing and interpreting test results in the evaluation of communicative disorders; ability to plan and conduct a program of therapy independently; ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing; and ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with individuals and groups in evaluating and resolving problems in hearing, voice, language, or speech. Applicants for the speech pathologist/audiologist combined positions must have had sufficient professional experience in both speech pathology and audiology to demonstrate their competence to perform the duties involved. The following are examples of qualifying professional experience that may have been obtained in a hospital, special treatment center for the disabled, university or community clinic, or industrial or educational institution:

• Investigating and studying the underlying causes, precipitating factors, symptomatic behavior, and the emotional and practical effect upon the patient of a particular impaired speech pattern; resolving speech impairments; and counseling patients and/or families in the adjustment to the speech impairment (for speech pathologist positions).

• Assessing, evaluating, analyzing, and treating communicative handicaps resulting from hearing impairments (for audiologist positions).

• Investigating methods to improve the clinical management of communicative disorders and to increase the basic scientific understanding of communicative processes and other factors causing their disruption.

• Providing instruction in the principles and bases of communication including clinical techniques and methods of assessment, evaluation, and treatment to audiologists, speech pathologists, and specialists in related fields (such as medical residents in otolaryngology).

• Teaching audiology or speech pathology at the graduate level.