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Head of the Department: Ron D. Chambers
901 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 333-2230
E-mail: shs@uiuc.edu
Graduate Degree Programs
The department offers programs leading to the master of arts, doctor
of audiology, and doctor of philosophy degrees, with specialization
in various aspects of audiology and speech-language pathology.
Admission
In addition to the Graduate College requirements, the general (aptitude)
portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for all
curricula. For international students, a minimum score of 550 on the
paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) (213 on
the computer-based test) is required. International students seeking
clinical training must also take the Test of Spoken English (TSE).
A score of 60 on the TSE is required for international students whose
program will include a clinical practicum. International students
who score 50 to 55 on the TSE must pass an exam of oral proficiency
in English given in our department before being allowed in a clinical
practicum. International students who score below 50 on the TSE will
not be accepted for programs that involve clinical practica. Although
not required for admission, recommended background includes undergraduate
credit in the following areas or their equivalents: speech pathology,
audiology, phonetics, anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing
mechanisms, hearing science, speech science, and language science.
Spring entry is possible for students who will not do a clinical practicum.
Students whose program will involve a clinical practicum may enter
only in the fall.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience
in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience
in this program.
Master of Arts
In pursuing a master of arts degree, students may concentrate in one
of four areas: speech-language pathology in medical settings,
speech-language pathology in school settings, speech-language pathology
with infant-toddler emphasis, and speech or hearing science. This
degree may be taken as either a terminal degree or as preparation
for further graduate study, including a doctoral degree.
For students seeking a terminal degree, the master of arts program
may be designed with or without clinical practicum experience. Programs
with clinical experience ensure clinical competence in
speech-language pathology necessary for employment in a private practice,
clinic, hospital, residential center, school system, or industry.
Successful completion of this program ensures that the student has
met the academic and clinical requirements for the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA) certification and can choose to pursue the Illinois
state certification required for speech-language pathology in the
public schools. The clinical program is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Programs without clinical experience
may prepare the student for employment in industry or for a doctoral
program.
For a student seeking a nonterminal degree, the master of arts program
enables the student to undertake fundamental coursework that will
be an integral part of an overall doctoral program.
The student’s program for the master of arts degree will be
determined on an individual basis, taking into consideration the Graduate
College and departmental requirements. Programs involving clinical
practica will be composed of at least 60 graduate hours from the four
specialized areas and four related areas. Programs not involving clinical
practica will require 40 graduate hours. All master of arts candidates
are required to take a departmental core consisting of research methodology
(SHS 570), multicultural issues (SHS 571), and research seminar
(SHS 592). In addition, all students in the clinical program are required
to take the following courses: SHS 500 or 501, 520, and 470. A master’s
thesis should be part of the predoctoral student’s plan of study.
Students seeking the master of arts as a terminal degree are encouraged
to write a thesis as educational enrichment.
Doctor of Philosophy
Admission to the doctoral program requires completion of a bachelor’s
degree. The program may be planned with specialization in many areas
of audiology, speech-language pathology, and speech or hearing science.
The minimum academic course requirements for this degree are 40 graduate
hours beyond those required for a master’s degree or equivalent,
plus a dissertation. If there are fundamental experiences missing
in the student’s background, additional courses will be required;
courses taken for this purpose usually are not counted toward the
minimum requirement. In addition, a doctoral candidate who did not
write a thesis as part of a master’s program will be required
to complete the equivalent of a master’s thesis; a maximum of
8 graduate hours of master’s thesis credit may be counted toward
the minimum academic requirement of 40 graduate hours beyond those
required for a master’s degree. Individual programs of study
will be tailored to the student’s special needs and are planned
by the student and the adviser.
The first two years of the doctoral program are typically devoted
to coursework in the area of concentration selected by the student,
and terminates when the comprehensive examination is passed. Subsequent
time is devoted to research on a special topic, and culminates with
writing a dissertation and passing an oral examination in its defense.
Doctor of Audiology
The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) is a four-year post-baccalaureate
degree that emphasizes the application of basic science and technology
and provides advanced professional training for the diagnosis and
habilitation/rehabilitation of hearing disorders and related communication
and educational disorders, as well as the scholarly study of professional
practice-centered problems. The first two years of the program have
more didactic courses than clinical practicum. The Comprehensive Examination
(a written qualifying exam) is typically taken after one and a half
years of the program, with the Preliminary Examination (defense of
the prospectus for the Doctoral Research Project) taken at the beginning
of the third year. The third year typically involves didactic coursework
and clinical practicum, as well as completion of the Doctoral Research
Project. The fourth year usually involves full-time clinical practium.
The Final Examination (defense of the Doctoral Research Project) should
be completed by the end of the fourth year. A minimun of 112 semester
hours are required by the program. Didactic coursework requires 72
hours, with required courses comprising 60 hours, and an additional
12 to 16 hours of electives/specialty emphasis. No less than 10 and
no more than 16 semester hours of credit for the Doctoral Research
Project and no less than 30 and no more than 36 hours of clinical
practicum may be counted toward the 112 required hours for the degree.
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