Speech Pathology and Audiology
Overview
A pre-professional program that prepares students for graduate studies in either Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology.
Certified Speech-Language Pathologists assess and treat persons with speech, language, voice, fluency and swallowing problems.
Certified Audiologists assess and treat persons with hearing and balance problems, fit hearing aids, and program cochlear implants.
The faculty annually selects an outstanding Speech Pathology and Audiology undergraduate student for the Peggy Revels Elward Award.
What Will I Learn?
The curriculum provides an overview of speech production and perception, articulation, fluency, hearing, language and voice. Coursework addresses anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanisms, instrumentation and acoustics, normal and abnormal communication processes over the lifespan, methods of prevention and principles of treatment.
The Speech and Hearing Clinic, The Children鈥檚 Center and The DuBard School are available to undergraduates to observe and assist professionals who provide speech and hearing services to individuals from Hattiesburg and surrounding communities.
- Students observe in the Speech and Hearing Clinic, and a senior year capstone experience addresses writing and speaking skills as part of the preparation for graduate studies.
- The Southern Miss chapter of The Student Speech and Hearing Association (SSHA) sponsors a variety of community service projects as well as the annual Christmas party and Easter Egg Hunt for children in the DuBard School and The Children's Center.
Undergraduates may opt to complete a three-semester American Sign Language sequence in order to fulfill foreign language requirements.
Availability
| Degree Plan | Availability |
|---|---|
| Hattiesburg | |
- Morgan Clark, 2017,
USM, SLP Graduate Student: The faculty was supportive in preparing me for graduate school.
- Arielle Pollock, 2017,
USM, AuD Graduate Student: I especially liked the clinical assisting option.
- Leslie Helgeson, 2015,
USM, SLP Graduate Student: Small class sizes promoted positive interactions with instructors