The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology seeks to combine professional preparation with a solid grounding in general and liberal education. To this end, the department offers the Bachelor of Arts in Communication Disorders and Sciences (B.A.), a pre-professional non-certification program (NOTE: The department's teaching certification program, the B.S. ED degree, will graduate its last class in 2009. No new students are being admitted to this program. More information for current speech pathology majors can be found on page 70 in the Undergraduate Catalog).
Individuals qualified as Speech-Language Pathologists are in demand in a variety of educational and therapeutic settings. Those qualified at the bachelor’s level readily obtain employment in school or pre-school settings. Upon completion of a master’s degree, the graduate may elect to continue working in school settings or may seek employment in hospitals, medical practice groups, nursing homes, and rehabilitation agencies or in private practice.
The Bachelor of Arts degree includes a two to three course sequence in two different academic departments is required. Choices and options are facilitated through advisement. Junior transfers and second baccalaureate degree students are advised into the B.A. program to facilitate timely completion of academic and degree requirements.
Students desiring to obtain a terminal degree in audiology are advised into the B.A. program to enable them to receive audiology clinic and course work that would prepare them for admission to a Clinical Doctorate in Audiology (AuD.) program.
A Graduate program is available in the department; for more information, contact the Office of Graduate Studies at (716) 673-3808. Fredonia's graduate program in Speech-Pathology and Audiology is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensure qualified by the State Education Department.
Scholarships
The following scholarships are awarded by the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology: the Esau A. and Susan S. Sam Scholarship, the Schaffer Family Scholarship, the Rebecca Snyder Memorial Scholarship, the Lt. Gen. Louis E. Woods Scholarship, the Henry C. and Ida H. Youngerman Scholarship, Gustave and Geraldine Werner Foundation scholarships, and the Constantine Barker Endowment.
Requirements for all Academic Majors
Students during their fifth semester, or the semester in which 75 credit hours will be earned, must normally meet the following requirements before being permitted to take further courses in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology.
- a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 (or decision based on the chairperson’s discretion)
- a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 in all speech pathology and audiology courses completed
- additional requirements as specified elsewhere.