Course Descriptions

General Biology

3001

Credits: 3

This course is a general overview of biology. Students will be introduced to basic biological principles including cell structure and function, molecular processes, genetics, and cellular growth and division. Lastly, the course will cover macro elements of biology such as evolution and natural selection.

Introduction to Biophysics

3002

Credits: 3

This course will give a basic overview of general physical principles while incorporating these physical concepts into everyday biological processes. For example, the course will examine the relationship between levers and movement of the body, sound waves in the use of speech and hearing, and how light is perceived in vision. The course will conclude with discussions on the physics behind some health profession diagnostic tests.

Health Psychology

3003

Credits: 3

This course examines the link between psychological states and physical health. The course will look at how psychology influences the ability to promote or maintain healthy behaviors, how psychology can affect the development and prognosis of diseases and how psychology can enhance or derail treatments. Students will be able to apply this understanding to different areas of psychology such as biological, social, developmental and clinical.

Biostatistics for Health Professionals

3004

Credits: 3

This course is designed to give students an insight into the concepts and use of statistics in the medical health sciences. Students will be able to describe data and how data can be displayed and distributed for statistical analysis and determine the validity or accuracy of the data measurement. Students will be expected to design and interpret data displays such as tables and graphs. Areas that will be covered include but not limited to the use of statistics in medical related journals, screening tests for disease, and survivor analysis. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to apply statistics to real world scenarios in health care settings.

Introduction to Communication Disorders

3100

Credits: 3

This course reviews the foundations of human communication, its disorders, factors affecting life-long development, and the professions of audiology and speech-language pathology, with the inclusion of clinical observation hours relevant to course content.

Phonetics

3101

Credits: 2

This course introduces the study of articulatory phonetics, principles of phonetic science, and principles, symbols, and transcription of the International Phonetic Alphabet, as it relates to the analysis of typical and disordered speech. Clinical observation hours relevant to course content are also included.

Speech and Hearing Science

3102

Credits: 3

This course provides an introductory study of acoustic principles of hearing and speech, characteristics of speech and physiological correlates, and speech perception, with an introduction to communication disorders related to the respiratory, phonatory/laryngeal, articulatory/phonatory, hearing, and nervous systems. Clinical observation hours relevant to course content are also included.

Introduction to Audiology

3103

Credits: 2

This course gives a summary of the auditory processes, anatomy and physiology of the auditory system, etiology and management of auditory disorders, physics of sound, and measurements of hearing loss as it impacts communication, with the inclusion of clinical observation hours relevant to course content.

Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism

3104

Credits: 3

This course explores the anatomy, physiology, and related pathophysiology bases of human communication. The study of respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance and neurology of communication is included, with the inclusion of clinical observation hours relevant to course content.

Speech and Language Development

3105

Credits: 3

This course presents an in-depth overview of typical speech and language acquisition. Students learn the theory and evidence of the chronological development of phonology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics, with an introduction to language disorders in the pediatric population. Clinical observation hours relevant to course content are also included.

Introduction to Patient Care I

4030

Credits: 1

In this course students will have classroom instruction on a range of topics relative to patient care, such as how to perform an observation, medical terminology, basic practices including infection control, and HIPAA/FERPA. In the second part of the course, students will conduct facilitated observations at Salus clinics and screening or service events with Salus faculty.

Introduction to Patient Care II

4031

Credits: 1

This is a continuation on Introduction to Patient Care 1. Students will expand upon topics covered in the first course and relate those topics to what they experienced during their first observational rotations. In addition, students will have lectures with topics including how to communicate with patients, cultural diversity in the patient population, medical ethics and how to be part of an interdisciplinary team. Students will also continue to observe in Salus clinics.

Career Guidance & Academic Success

4040

Credits: 0

This non-credit course is intended to instruct students on skills that they could adopt or modify to become a successful graduate student. Topics will include note taking strategies, study habits and skills, communication skills, time management, exam taking skills, managing personal issues during graduate school, locating and utilizing resources to answer questions, and critical thinking. Students will also have small group and one-on-one career guidance that will help them understand the full range of health care professions and will support them as they select a future career.

Career Guidance & Academic Success

4041

Credits: 0

SLPA Practicum 1

4930

Credits: 2

This course introduces students to the clinical practice of an SLPA, including scope of practice, supervision requirements, professional ethics, confidentiality, universal precautions, clinical documentation, and treatment strategies for a variety of communication disorders. The course will include both a classroom portion (lectures, lab, discussion), as well as client care under the supervision of a trained, certified SLP clinical educator. Clinical clock hours earned during this practicum meet requirements for certification.

SLPA Practicum 2

4931

Credits: 2

Students will participate in on and/or off campus clinical placement settings, such as the Speech-Language Institute, schools, intermediate units, or private practices. Students are supervised by a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist at the clinical placement site. Students will develop skills in planning, preparing, and carrying out treatment sessions, as well as completing appropriate clinical data collection and documentation. Students will also gain experience with the SLP/SLPA supervision relationship, work related policies and procedures, and other duties as assigned. Clinical clock hours earned during this practicum meet requirements for the C-SLPA certification only.