Chair: Patrick Walden, Department of Speech Language Pathology
Monmouth University’s 60-credit Masters in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) offers you a comprehensive curriculum with specific, specialized courses in hybrid formats, and delivers a strong focus on evidence-based practice. Students participate in over four hundred hours of clinical practicum experience.
Our 26-person cohort model ensures small class sizes, and Monmouth’s Center for Speech and Language Disorders gives you critical hands-on experience diagnosing and treating communication disorders in children and adults under close professional supervision.
The triad approach in our speech pathology graduate program also includes research opportunities, allowing you to immerse yourself in an area of study and make a true impact on the SLP field. Working closely with faculty, clinical supervisors, professional speech-language pathologists, and allied health professionals, you will emerge from this program with the multifaceted educational and experiential foundation you need for a fulfilling, in-demand career.
This is a summer-start program with continuous enrollment over a two-year period. Courses are taught at the Monmouth University Graduate Center, located two miles from the main campus.
Erik Raj, Associate Professor (Graduate Faculty). B.S., Stockton University; M.S., Misericordia University; Ph.D., Wayne State University. Research interests include stuttering and clinical applications.
eraj@monmouth.edu
Patrick Walden, Associate Professor and Chair (Graduate Faculty). B.A., Florida State University; M.A., New Mexico State University; EDS, Ph.D., Florida Atlantic University.
SLP-ACR Academic Certification RequirementsCredits: None
Term Offered: Spring Term
Course Type(s): None
Students must complete all academic requirements for American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Certification in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) to graduate from the M.S.Ed. in SLP program. This pass/fail course is documentation of meeting that requirement.
SLP-CPE Comprehensive Portfolio ExaminationCredits: None
Prerequisite(s): SLP-680
Term Offered: All Terms
Course Type(s): None
Students will complete a comprehensive project demonstrating their clinical and research skills. This is a pass/fail course.
SLP-600 Professional Issues in Speech-Language PathologyCredits: 3
Term Offered: Spring Term
Course Type(s): None
Presents professional practice issues in speech-language pathology including scope of practice, certification and licensure as well as healthcare legislation and regulation. Code of ethics and ethical decision-making will also be addressed. Students will have the opportunity to explore contemporary service delivery topics using case studies focusing on ethical dilemmas and controversial practices that may arise in professional settings. Students will also be exposed to multicultural perspectives to contemporary issues as well as evidence-based practice.
SLP-604 Clinical Methods in Speech-Language PathologyCredits: 3
Term Offered: Summer Term
Course Type(s): None
Introduction to therapeutic methodologies in preparation for participation in clinical practicum. Provides advanced instruction in evidence-based therapeutic methods and documentation in speech-language pathology. Students will be prepared to engage in informative clinical decision making and intervention. Includes instruction of therapy techniques and procedures, as well as the development of professional goal and report writing skills.
SLP-605 Geriatric Communication DisordersCredits: 3
Term Offered: All Terms
Course Type(s): None
Study of normal and abnormal aging processes related to speech, language, hearing, and swallowing difficulties affecting the geriatric population and the relationship of social and emotional adjustment and health concerns of this population to communication disorders. Includes an in-depth focus on the effects of mild cognitive impairment and dementing diseases on cognitive-communication and cognitive bases of swallowing function.
SLP-610 Neurological Language Disorders and AphasiaCredits: 3
Term Offered: Fall Term
Course Type(s): None
Addresses the nature, etiology, and clinical management of adults with acquired language disorders, with primary emphasis on aphasia and related cognitive disorders. Students will study the structures and functions of the central and peripheral nervous system as they relate to human speech, language and cognition.
SLP-614 Assessment and Treatment of DysphagiaCredits: 3
Term Offered: Spring Term
Course Type(s): None
Examines assessment and intervention for feeding and swallowing disorders in children and adults. Addresses the implementation of clinical examination procedures and interpretation of instrumental diagnostic procedures. Instructional strategies for rehabilitation and compensatory feeding strategies will be provided.
SLP-625 Assessment Procedures in Speech-Language PathologyCredits: 3
Term Offered: Summer Term
Course Type(s): None
Presents an overview of diagnostic tests and procedures used in assessment of speech and language disorders across the lifespan. Students will learn the principles of measurement including reliability and validity, the calculation and interpretation of standardized test results and standard deviation.
SLP-630 Pediatric Language DisordersCredits: 3
Term Offered: Summer Term
Course Type(s): None
Examines the communicative behaviors of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers and school-age children at risk or diagnosed as having a communication disorder. Students will learn etiologies, characteristics, assessment, and intervention strategies that are appropriate for treating children with language disorders. Particular emphasis will be placed on academic, cognitive and augmentative aspects of language use with populations who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
SLP-645 Speech Sound DisordersCredits: 3
Term Offered: Fall Term
Course Type(s): None
Examines both typical and disordered phonetic and phonological development in children, the nature of nonorganic articulation and phonological disorders, the evaluation process and appropriate intervention strategies for linguistically diverse populations.
SLP-650 Fluency DisordersCredits: 3
Term Offered: Spring Term
Course Type(s): None
Reviews stuttering and dysfluency behaviors; historical and etiological description and treatment; current theories of stuttering; contemporary research in the field; and treatment of stuttering.
SLP-655 Disorders of Voice and ResonanceCredits: 3
Term Offered: Fall Term
Course Type(s): None
Examines normal and abnormal laryngeal function. The nature and etiology of a variety of vocal pathologies will be explored. Identification, assessment as well as evidence-based treatment strategies for functional, neurogenic and organic voice disorders will be presented. Case studies and guided observations will be used. Designed to extend the foundation knowledge of the speech-language pathology student relevant to the nature of resonance disorders including cleft palate.
SLP-660 Motor Speech DisordersCredits: 3
Term Offered: Fall Term
Course Type(s): None
Examines the neurological basis of acquired and congenital motor speech disorders including dysarthria and apraxia as well as the accompanying communication disorders that result from damage to the central nervous and peripheral nervous systems. Students learn the principles and procedures for the assessment and remediation of motor speech disorders.
SLP-664 Audiology and Aural RehabilitationCredits: 3
Term Offered: Summer Term
Course Type(s): None
Examines techniques employed in assessing hearing function in adults and children and studies the pathologies of the auditory and related systems. Provides an introduction to the impact of hearing loss on speech and language development, communication, education, and psycho-social development. Students gain practical experience developing aural rehabilitation programs using technological aids for the hearing impaired.
SLP-665 Augmentative and Alternative CommunicationCredits: 3
Term Offered: Spring Term
Course Type(s): None
Provides information about augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assessment and intervention practices related to providing services for clients with AAC needs. Students will learn concepts, strategies, techniques and issues in the field of AAC. Focus will include research that has been conducted in the field of AAC, assessment and clinical procedures, meeting the AAC needs of clients with developmental and acquired disabilities across the lifespan, and hands-on training with devices and methods of AAC.
SLP-666 Literacy and Speech-Language Pathology in the SchoolsCredits: 3
Course Type(s): None
This course includes the establishment and maintenance of speech and hearing programs within various administrative organizations, particularly in public schools. Emphasis is placed on the individual educational plan (IEP) process including referral, assessment, evaluation, identification, and development of a meaningful IEP. Techniques of scheduling, record keeping, material and equipment selection, counseling, and behavior management are discussed. In addition, the development of coordinated professional and interdisciplinary procedures and issues of ethical practice and cultural diversity are addressed. This course also addresses the relationship between language and literacy, and the role of the school SLP in prevention, assessment, and treatment of literacy issues through consultative, collaborative and pull-out methods.
SLP-678 Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing DisordersCredits: 3
Course Type(s): None
This is a graduate level course on pediatric feeding and swallowing. It provides students with information pertaining to the anatomy-physiology of pediatric swallowing processes, typical/normal swallowing/feeding development, and strategies for the prevention, assessment, and management of children with difficulties feeding and/or swallowing. Using current literature, common diagnostic and treatment approaches will be reviewed and analyzed in order to effectively implement evidenced based practices. The importance of impact on family and interdisciplinary treatment teams will be studied. The successful completion of this course will allow the student the foundational knowledge and the basic skills required to work with pediatric patients in various settings with feeding and/or swallowing disorders.
SLP-679 Diagnostic Practicum in Speech-Language PathologyCredits: 3
Term Offered: Summer Term
Course Type(s): None
Provides clinical practicum hours in the assessment of speech and language in children and adults. Students will plan, carry out and report diagnostic assessments.
SLP-680 Research MethodsCredits: 3
Term Offered: Spring Term
Course Type(s): None
Teaches students the history of research and role of the IRB, ethical practices in research, APA style, development of a research question based on clinical needs, how to conduct a literature search on a topic, and develop a literature review. Students will also learn the difference between quantitative and qualitative research, research strategies and designs for communication sciences and disorders, data analysis, commonly used statistical tests, and methods for reporting results. Finally, students will learn to compare and contrast findings from various studies and to apply research findings to clinical practice.
SLP-681 Clinical Practicum ICredits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SLP-604
Term Offered: Fall Term
Course Type(s): None
Provides supervised clinical practicum hours in therapeutic management of speech and language disorders.
SLP-682 Clinical Practicum IICredits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SLP-681
Term Offered: Spring Term
Course Type(s): None
Provides supervised clinical practicum hours in therapeutic management of speech and language disorders.
SLP-683 External Clinical Practicum ICredits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SLP-682
Term Offered: Fall Term
Course Type(s): None
Provides supervised clinical practicum at an off-campus facility serving a variety of populations. Examples of placement sites include acute-care hospitals, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities and private practices.
SLP-684 External Clinical Practicum IICredits: 3
Prerequisite(s): SLP-683
Term Offered: Spring Term
Course Type(s): None
Provides supervised clinical practicum at an off-campus facility serving a variety of populations. Examples of placement sites include acute care hospitals, rehabilitation centers, long-term care facilities and private practices.
SLP-699 Ind Study in Speech Language PathologyCredits: 1-3
Term Offered: Summer Term
Course Type(s): None
Independent research in education in an area not substantially treated in a regular course offering, under the supervision of an Education faculty member; written evaluation of the research is required. For students with superior ability. Prior permission of the directing professor and department chair is required to take this course. Application must be filed before registration
In addition to Monmouth University’s policies outlined in the Graduate Catalog, three policy areas may lead to dismissal from Monmouth University’s M.S.Ed. in Speech-Language Pathology Program: (1) poor academic/clinical performance, (2) inability to demonstrate the essential skills for a career in SLP, and (3) unprofessional or unethical conduct.
Poor Academic or Clinical Performance:
Satisfactory progress through the SLP program requires a minimum passing grade of ‘C’ (73%) in each course and a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Failing to receive a grade of ‘C’ or better in any course will automatically result in dismissal from the program. Failing to achieve a 3.0 semester GPA for the first time will automatically result in a student being placed on Academic Warning. Failing to achieve a 3.0 semester GPA for the second time, will automatically result in a student being placed on Academic Probation. Failing to achieve a 3.0 semester GPA for the third time will automatically result in a student being dismissed. Students cannot continue in clinical training if on Academic Warning or Probation, potentially changing the program completion date (i.e., students must have a cumulative 3.0 GPA to continue with their clinical phase of training). Students can have a maximum of one academic probation during the program (i.e., a second academic probation will result in automatic dismissal from the program).
Inability to Demonstrate the Essential Skills for a Career in SLP:
A student who cannot successfully demonstrate the essential functions, or essential skills, for clinical practice, cannot be endorsed for American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) clinical certification. Upon application to the M.S.Ed. Program in speech-language pathology, students provide endorsement of their own ability to fulfill the essential skills and functions for clinical practice via signature. If the Program determines a student needs remediation in any essential skills area, a remediation plan will be developed and implemented. If, after remediation, the student continues to fail to demonstrate the essential functions in question, the Program must fulfill the ethical responsibility of recommending to the School of Education’s Academic and Professional Dispositions Review Committee (APDRC) terminating a matriculation plan (dismissing the student) that is not leading to clinical competence sufficient for meeting the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Council for Clinical Certification (CFCC) certification standards.
Unprofessional or Unethical Conduct:
When signs of unprofessional or unethical conduct are identified, the Program will evaluate the severity of the ethical/professionalism violation. For most cases, the Program will develop a remediation plan and implement this plan with the student. If, after remediation, the student continues to demonstrate unethical/unprofessional behavior, the Program must fulfill the ethical responsibility of recommending to the School of Education’s Academic and Professional Dispositions Review Committee (APDRC) terminating a matriculation plan (dismissing the student) that is not leading to clinical competence sufficient for meeting the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Council for Clinical Certification (CFCC) certification standards. Please note that any violation that places a client/patient/coworker/peer student/supervisor/instructor in any level of physical, psychological, or emotional danger is grounds for immediate dismissal without remediation. All Federal, State, and local laws must be followed at all times when participating in any aspect of the M.S.Ed. in Speech-Language Pathology Program. Failure to uphold applicable laws will result in immediate dismissal from the Program without intervention.
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