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Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists

Education and Training Requirements

High School

Since a college degree is a must for practicing in this profession, make sure your high school classes are geared toward preparing you for higher education. Health and science classes, including biology, are very important. Mathematics classes and English classes will help you develop the math, research, and writing skills you will need in college. Because speech-language pathologists and audiologists work so intensely with language, you may also find it beneficial to study a foreign language, paying special attention to how you learn to make sounds and remember words. Speech classes will also improve your awareness of sounds and language as well as improve your speaking and listening skills.

Postsecondary Training

Most states require a master's degree in speech-language pathology or audiology for a beginning job in either profession. Most states require speech-language pathologists to be licensed if they work in a health care setting. Typical majors for those going into this field include communication sciences and disorders, speech and hearing, or education.

Regardless of your career goal (speech-language pathologist or audiologist), your undergraduate course work should include classes in anatomy, biology, physiology, physics, and other related areas, such as linguistics, semantics, and phonetics. It is also helpful to have some exposure to child psychology.

Accredited graduate programs in speech-language pathology are available at approximately 260 colleges and universities. Graduate-level work for those in speech-language pathology includes studies in evaluating and treating speech and language disorders, stuttering, pronunciation, and voice modulation. To be eligible for certification, which most employers and states require, you must have at least a master's degree from a program accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

All states require audiologists to be licensed to practice and many states require audiologists to earn a doctorate in order to be certified. Currently there are about 75 accredited doctoral programs in audiology. Graduate-level course work in audiology includes such studies as hearing and language disorders, normal auditory and speech-language development, balance, and audiology instrumentation.

Students of both disciplines are required to complete supervised clinical fieldwork or practicum. It is in your best interest to contact the ASHA or the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) for a listing of accredited programs before you decide on a graduate school to attend. Some schools offer graduate degrees only in speech-language pathology or graduate degrees only in audiology. A number of schools offer degrees in both fields.

If you plan to practice in some states or go into research, teaching, or administration, you will need to complete a doctorate degree.

Other Education or Training

The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association offers continuing education courses, web/telephone seminars, live and self-study Web workshops, and conferences. Topics include practice issues, legal documentation, technology, ethics, language and literacy, and working with children who do not speak English as a first language. The American Auditory Society and the Educational Audiology Association also provide professional development opportunities. Contact these organizations for more information.

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