Undergraduate Program

The undergraduate major in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) provides a strong foundation for future graduate study and careers in the sciences of human communication. Students gain grounding in speech, language, and hearing sciences while exploring how communication develops—and how it can be disrupted—across the lifespan. The program leads to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

This program is designed for two primary student pathways:

  • Pre-professional preparation for students planning careers as speech-language pathologists or audiologists
  • Broad scientific study of human communication for students interested in language, speech, hearing, cognition, and related fields

During the latter stages of the program, students may participate in clinical observation and service learning experiences. Internships are optional but strongly encouraged.

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Areas of Study

Coursework in SLHS focuses on three core areas:

  1. Communication Disorders
    Characteristics, causes, and treatment of disorders affecting speech, language, and hearing (e.g., stuttering, autism, head injury, learning disabilities, and hearing loss).
  2. Science of Human Communication
    The biological and physical foundations of communication, including anatomy and physiology of speech and hearing mechanisms, acoustics, and hearing science.
  3. Language and Linguistics
    Typical language development, phonetic transcription, and the structural components of language.

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Clinical Observation and Experiential Learning

In addition to classroom learning, students observe graduate clinicians and professionals working with individuals who have speech, language, learning, and hearing differences. These experiences help students connect theory to practice and prepare for graduate-level clinical training.

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Undergraduate Advising

The Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences has departmental advisors to help undergraduate students navigate their academic and professional pathways.

Departmental Advisors

  • Pepper Mueller – Works with sophomore and above SLHS majors and minors. She assists students in developing their plans of study and helps them locate academic, co-curricular, and other campus resources and support services.
  • Jared Desjardins – Serves as an additional departmental advisor for sophomore and above SLHS majors and minors, providing guidance on course planning, degree requirements, and professional preparation.

First-Year Students

SLHS first-year students should refer to Buff Portal Advising to find their assigned advisor and get started on planning their coursework and academic goals.