Portland-State-University 2018-2019 Bulletin

Graduate program

The department offers a program leading to the Master of Arts or Master of Science degrees with specialization in speech-language pathology. The Council for Accreditation of Academic Programs (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association accredits the SPHR graduate program. Graduates of the program meet the requirements for clinical certification of the CAA and are eligible for licensure as speech-language pathologists by the state of Oregon.

The graduate curriculum includes courses aimed at providing students with a solid understanding of the nature of speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders as well as the prevention, assessment, and treatment of those disorders. A second major component of the program consists of supervised clinical practica in which students work directly with individuals who have communication and swallowing disorders. This type of activity enables students to apply knowledge gained in the classroom and acquire requisite professional skills with clients across the lifespan. Students obtain practical experience through clinics on campus and in a broad range of off-campus community placements, including medical and educational settings and community clinics.