Laura Chapman
Program Director, Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) and Speech-Language Pathology (SLP)
Department of Health and Human Performance
570-941-4658; laura.chapman@scranton.edu
Faculty: Associate Professor - Hope E. Baylow, D.A, CCC-SLP, TSHH, BCS-S; Assistant Professor –Laura Chapman, PhD., CCC-SLP, Aaron Zeigler, PhD, CCC-SLP; Faculty Specialist - Christiane McDonald, MS, CCC-SLP.
Clinical Education Coordinator- Tara Carito
Program Support Coordinator- Courtney Jones
For more information, please visit www.scranton.edu/slp
Candidacy Statement
The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (distance education) at The University of Scranton is a Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700. Candidacy is a “preaccreditation” status with the CAA, awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum period of 5 years.
Introduction
Based upon the Jesuit tradition of Excellence, the Speech-Language Pathology, Master of Science distance education degree program (63-73 credit hours) will prepare students to become professional, competent clinicians who provide services for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with various types and severities of communication and/or related disorders, differences, and disabilities, across the lifespan.
The design of the distance education graduate degree program targets the basic science of human communication including the biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, linguistic, and cultural aspects, to develop an understanding of what happens when communication and/or swallowing processes are impaired across the lifespan while providing the student with a Jesuit, Catholic education. The degree program has been designed to accommodate students from across the United States and beyond by providing a blended learning environment spanning two academic years (21 to 24 months). The length of the degree program is determined by the student’s selection to complete the program either with or without an area of specialization. The student may choose to solely complete the 63-credit hour degree program of study or select the 73-credit hour degree program of study with a specialization in healthcare. The healthcare specialization is an additional 10 credit hours dispersed over 24 months. This is a full-time program with no option for part-time study.
The 63-credit hour distance education graduate degree program of study covers 4 semesters (two 7-week cycles per semester, for a total of 8 cycles), and one summer session (4-weeks). The eight cycles of academic work will be provided in a synchronous remote learning environment. Summer session year one will include the first of three clinical in-person education experiences. The three practical experiences will take place as a residency (1) and residential (2) field placement. Students who are interested in working in medical settings across the continuum of care (i.e., hospitals, skilled-nursing facilities, out-patient clinics, etc.) and across the lifespan may elect a Healthcare Specialization for an additional 10 credit hours, covering two intersession terms (each for 2 credit hours of coursework) provided in a remote synchronous learning environment and one additional residency summer session for 6 credit hours over the span of 10-weeks (5 credit hours of coursework and 1 credit hour of residency field placement).
During the summer of year I students will be required to attend The University of Scranton in person. This session will be 4 weeks long. Students will have the option to be housed in the university’s residential living facilities. During this time, students will take SLP 527 Counseling for the SLP and SLP 530 Augmentative and Alternative Communication and engage in their first in-person externship experience. This experience will take place at the Scranton School for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children (https://thescrantonschool.org/community/).
Students will obtain a minimum of 60 supervised clinical practicum hours in assessment and treatment methods of individuals with communication disorders and differences within this educational setting. Students will interview clients, family members, and caregivers, collaborate with other professionals, administer standardized assessments, diagnose, make recommendations, and provide interventions. Many of the children at this school have complex communication disorders such as having a diagnosis of being deaf with co-occurring autism. Here, students will be able to engage in a heavily supervised experience with licensed SLPs and other professionals to begin to learn how to apply their year I theory and virtual clinical skills to the in-person environment.
The overall curriculum is designed to provide a program of study sufficient in depth and breadth to achieve the specified knowledge and skill acquisition (KASA) outcomes stipulated in the 2020 Standards for the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC Standards) and the 2023 Standards for Accreditation of Graduate Education Programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA Standards).
Mission
The mission of the graduate degree program is to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to become a professional, competent clinician in Speech-Language Pathology and to contribute to the advancement of the profession through clinical practice, research, leadership, and professional development.
Admission Requirements and Prerequisites
Students will be admitted for the Fall semester only. To be eligible for admission to the Master of Science, Speech-Language Pathology degree program, applicants are required to have a baccalaureate degree in the arts or sciences with an overall undergraduate and foundational coursework GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale.
*Required prerequisite coursework (minimum grade of “C”) includes:
- Statistics (this must be a stand-alone course)
- Biological Science
- Biology, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology, Human Genetics, or Veterinary Science
- Physical Sciences
- Chemistry or Physics only
- Social/Behavioral Science
- Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, or Public Health
* No grade of a C- or below will be accepted to meet the required prerequisite coursework
**Required foundational coursework [minimum of 15-credit hours from a university with accreditation from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)] includes:
** No grade of a C+ or below will be accepted to meet the required foundational coursework.
- Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism
- Speech and Language Development
- Speech and Language Disorders
- Audiology
- Speech and Hearing Science
- Phonetics
Students must show evidence of a minimum of 25-hours of Guided Clinical observation in speech-language pathology and audiology before initiating graduate-level coursework. Guided Clinical Observation hours must be verified by a clinician in good standing with the American-Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), holds the CCC-SLP and/or CCC-A and meets the supervisory requirements set forth by ASHA.
Students must also submit:
- Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended
- One-page Statement of Interest in the Program at The University of Scranton (Times New Roman 12 font, double-spaced)
- Resume
- Two (2) Letters of Recommendation, with at least one of the two letters from a previous faculty instructor
- Review and acknowledge the Core Functions in Speech-Language Pathology document.
All materials pertaining to the application will be submitted through CSDCAS. Required elements of the CSDCAS application will include timed video and written responses. Applications must be verified by 11:59 PM ET on February 1st. Applications can only be verified once all payments, transcripts, and letters of evaluation have been received. To ensure your application is verified on time, try to complete your application at least four weeks before the deadline.
Regular Admission: Applicants are admitted under this category when they have satisfied the admissions criteria of both The University of Scranton and the department or program in which they seek to enroll for graduate studies.
Probationary Admission: Applicants who do not meet all of the criteria for Regular Admission, but who show reasonable promise for success in graduate studies, may be accepted on a probationary basis. Applicants admitted in this status must complete nine hours of specified course work within the first twelve hours of graduate study.
Students accepted on probation may take a maximum of six-credits per semester (until the conditions of probation are satisfied) and must complete nine hours of specific course work with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00. Failure to accomplish this will result in dismissal from the program.
A student on Probationary Admission may not hold a graduate assistantship until the conditions of probation have been satisfied.
Provisional Admission or Provisional Acceptance: Applicants who do not have the necessary undergraduate preparation in the
discipline in which they seek admission but have demonstrated academic achievement indicative of successful graduate study
may be considered for Provisional Admission or Provisional Acceptance.
Provisional Admission: The applicant may gain Provisional Admission with the proviso that he/she complete specific (undergraduate or graduate) course work in conjunction with his/her graduate studies.
Provisional Acceptance: The applicant may gain Provisional Acceptance with the proviso that he/she complete specific undergraduate course work, with a GPA of at least 3.00 in these studies, prior to undertaking graduate course work. Upon successful completion of the undergraduate requirements, the applicant will petition his/her Graduate Program Director in order to gain admission to the graduate program and to begin taking graduate course work in that particular graduate program. If the undergraduate course work is taken and a GPA less than 3.00 is achieved, the status of Provisional Acceptance will be withdrawn.
A student who has gained Provisional Acceptance may not hold a graduate assistantship until the undergraduate course work is successfully satisfied and regular admission to The University of Scranton is granted.
Conditional Admission: The applicant may gain Conditional Admission with the stipulation that the required conditions are satisfied before the student enrolls. Upon proof of satisfying the conditions (e.g., official copy of GMAT score, official copy of TOEFL score, successful completion of an approved English proficiency program), the admission will convert to Regular/Provisional/Probationary admission category and the student will be clear to register for classes. No courses can be taken on the conditional admissions status.
Note: The application to the MS in Speech-Language Pathology program (with or without Healthcare Specialization) will open on July 17, 2023 through CSDCAS.
Licensure and Certification
Each state within the U.S. has its own requirements for state licensure and teacher certification (required by some states to work in public schools). For further information please refer to ASHA at State-by-State (asha.org).
Core Functions in Speech-Language Pathology
The M.S., SLP distance learning degree program requires the student to engage in diverse, complex, and specific experiences essential to the acquisition and practice of speech-language pathology. Unique combinations of cognitive, affective, psychomotor, physical, and social abilities are required to satisfactorily perform these functions. In addition to being essential for the completion of the requirements for the M.S. SLP degree, these functions are necessary to ensure the health and safety of patients/clients, fellow candidates, faculty, and other providers.
Once a candidate is admitted into the graduate degree program, it is the responsibility of the student to seek accommodation from the Office of Student Support and Success (OSSS) and communicate the approved accommodations to the faculty, instructional staff, and/or clinical educators, as appropriate to complete the program. Many of the skills within each core function domain will be taught to the student during their tenure at The University of Scranton; however, it will continue to be the responsibility of the student to demonstrate the required communication, motor, sensory, intellectual/cognitive, and interpersonal abilities, and cultural responsiveness to effectively obtain and apply the necessary proficiencies.
The core functions required for successful admissions and continuance by candidates for the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program at The University of Scranton include but are not limited to the following abilities:
Communication
Statements in this section acknowledge that audiologists and speech-language pathologists must communicate in a way that their clients/patients and others understand. It is recognized that linguistic, paralinguistic, stylistic, and pragmatic variations are part of every culture, and accent, dialects, idiolects, and communication styles can differ from general American English expectations.
Communication may occur in different modalities depending on the joint needs of involved parties and may be supported through various accommodations as deemed reasonable and appropriate to client/patient needs. Some examples of these accommodations include augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, written displays, voice amplification, attendant-supported communication, oral translators, assistive listening devices, sign interpreters, and other non-verbal communication modes.
Employ oral, written, auditory, and non-verbal communication at a level sufficient to meet academic and clinical competencies.
Adapt communication style to effectively interact with colleagues, clients, patients, caregivers, and invested parties of diverse backgrounds in various modes, such as in person, over the phone, and in electronic format.
Motor
Statements in this section acknowledge that clinical practice by audiologists and speech-language pathologists involve a variety of tasks that require the manipulation of items and environments. It is recognized that this may be accomplished through a variety of means, including, but not limited to, independent motor movement, assistive technology, attendant support, or other accommodations/modifications as deemed reasonable to offer and appropriate to client/patient needs.
Engage in physical activities at a level required to accurately implement classroom and clinical responsibilities (e.g., manipulating testing and therapeutic equipment and technology, client/patient equipment, and practice management technology) while retaining the integrity of the process.
Respond in a manner that ensures the safety of clients and others.
Sensory
Statements in this section acknowledge that audiologists and speech-language pathologists use auditory, visual, tactile, and olfactory information to guide clinical practice. It is recognized that such information may be accessed through a variety of means, including direct sensory perception and /or adaptive strategies. Some examples of these strategies include visual translation displays, text readers, assistive listening devices, and perceptual descriptions by clinical assistants.
Access sensory information to differentiate functional and disordered auditory, oral, written, and visual communication.
Access sensory information to correctly differentiate anatomical structures and diagnostic imaging findings.
Access sensory information to correctly differentiate and discriminate text, numbers, tables, and graphs associated with diagnostic instruments and tests.
Intellectual/Cognitive
Statements in this section acknowledge that audiologists and speech-language pathologists must engage in critical thinking, reasoning, and comprehension and retention of information required in clinical practice. It is recognized that such skills may be fostered through a variety of means, including assistive technology and /or accommodations/modifications as deemed reasonable and appropriate to client/patient needs.
Retain, analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and apply auditory, written, and oral information at a level sufficient to meet curricular and clinical competencies
Employ informed critical thinking and ethical reasoning to formulate a differential diagnosis and create, implement, and adjust evaluation and treatment plans as appropriate for the client/patient’s needs
Engage in ongoing self-reflection and evaluation of one’s existing knowledge and skills
Critically examine and apply evidence-based judgment in keeping with best practices for client/patient care
Interpersonal
Statements in this section acknowledge that audiologists and speech-language pathologists must interact with a diverse community of individuals in a manner that is safe, ethical, and supportive. It is recognized that personal interaction styles may vary by individuals and cultures and that good clinical practice honors such diversity while meeting this obligation.
Display compassion, respect, and concern for others during all academic and clinical interactions
Adhere to all aspects of relevant professional codes of ethics, privacy, and information management policies
Take personal responsibility for maintaining physical and mental health at a level that ensures safe, respectful, and successful participation in didactic and clinical activities
Cultural Responsiveness
Statements in this section acknowledge that audiologists and speech-language pathologists have an obligation to practice in a manner responsive to individuals from different cultures, linguistic communities, social identities, beliefs, values, and worldviews. This includes people representing a variety of abilities, ages, cultures, dialects, disabilities, ethnicities, genders, gender identities or expressions, languages, national/regional origins, races, religions, sexes, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, and lived experiences.
Engage in ongoing learning about cultures and belief systems different from one’s own and the impacts of these on healthcare and educational disparities to foster effective provision of services.
Demonstrate the application of culturally responsive evidence-based decisions to guide clinical practice
If a student requires assistance to demonstrate any of the above-stated skills and abilities, it is the student’s responsibility to request accommodation through OSSS once admitted to the institution. The University and the Department of Health and Human Performance will provide reasonable accommodation as long as it does not fundamentally alter the nature of the program offered or impose an undue hardship such as those which cause a significant expense or difficulty or are unduly disruptive to the educational process.
Curriculum
The Master of Science, Speech-Language Pathology distance education degree will be offered as a 2-year, full-time, graduate program of study. The 63- credit hour program covers 4 semesters (two 7-week cycles per semester, for a total of 8 cycles), and one summer session (8-weeks). The eight-cycles of academic work will be provided in a synchronous remote learning environment. The program will use the University’s LMS platform (i.e., Brightspace by D2L).
Infused throughout the curriculum are five virtual clinical simulation courses. Each virtual simulation course has been specifically designed to support previous and concurrent academic material. In-person clinical education experiences will start in summer session, Year I. The initial clinical externship will take place in the city of Scranton, PA and students will be required to meet the 4-week residency (in-person) requirement at the University of Scranton for this externship experience. During Year II, the students will complete two additional, 14-week residential clinical education externships which will vary in work setting and client population. The locations of the Year II externships are as near as possible to the student’s place of residence.
Students who are interested in working in a medical setting across the continuum of care (i.e. hospital, skilled-nursing facility, out-patient clinic, etc.) and across the lifespan may elect a Healthcare Specialization for an additional 10 credit hours, covering two intersession sessions (each for 2-credit hours) provided in a remote synchronous learning environment and one additional 10-week residency summer session for 6-credit hours. The summer residency will include two advanced training academic courses (SLP 564 and 566) and an additional residency externship (SLP 568) provided in a healthcare environment to expose the student to complex medical cases while being provided direct supervision by the site’s preceptor.
Program Policies
Graduate students in speech-language pathology are expected to conform to the regulations stated in both The University of Scranton Graduate Studies Catalog and the SLP Graduate Student Handbook.
Students must meet “B” course grade pass standard and meet all course student learning objectives (SLOs) for each course taken. Students who do not meet the “B” pass standard and/or meet all course SLOs must complete course remediation.
Students are also required to maintain a minimum overall GPA of 3.0. Students who do not meet the minimum standard will be placed on academic probation. Further information on the course remediation policy and meeting the minimum standard can be found in the SLP Graduate Student Handbook.
Proficiency in Spoken and Written English
It is the policy of the graduate degree program in Speech-Language Pathology that the program’s students will demonstrate proficiency in spoken and written English for service delivery and other performance expectations.
Clearances
Students will obtain background clearances and proof of completion of a state approved Mandated Reporter Training prior to the initiation of the residency and residential field placements, at a minimum. Specific clearances and requirements will be site specific. The cost of the clearances and Mandated Reporter Training(s) and the timely submission of such documents prior to engaging in each experiential learning activity is the responsibility of the student.
- Residency Field Placement I at The University of Scranton will require the student to obtain PA State Police Clearance, PA Child Abuse Clearance, and FBI clearance (fingerprinting required).
Coursework
Total Program Credits: 63 credits