Communication Science and Disorders

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The goal of the bachelor program in Communication Science and Disorders is to prepare students for entrance to graduate school in speech-language pathology or audiology. The program will begin Fall 2014. A capstone experience/project completed during the senior year of undergraduate work will encourage students to explore the broad scope of practice available to certified SLP’s and audiologists, allowing students to better tailor a graduate program to suit their specific areas of interest.

The undergraduate curriculum is offered on a full-time basis through the day program, and requires 128 credit hours to graduate. The program is built on a strong liberal arts and sciences core. The curriculum allows for electives which may be used for various pursuits including necessary coursework for the foundation of a student services certificate in speech-language pathology (granted after completion of the master degree), and/or necessary coursework to attain a minor in Spanish, helping to prepare students to serve the global community of healthcare.

While no hands-on clinical work is required at the undergraduate level, a great deal of preparation for graduate clinical work is incorporated into the curriculum. Observation hours in the campus speech-language clinic are required, as is a clinical management class. Additionally, students are required to complete a clinical shadowing course in which they observe a single case for the entire semester. During this time, the student has access to the treating or supervising clinician to discuss and ask questions regarding client goals, treatment materials, etc.

Maryville is in the process of achieving CAA (Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology) candidacy status for the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program.

Health and Other Special Requirements

 The following requirements must be met prior to participating in clinicals:

• Physical Examination
• Documentation of Immunization or Titer Immunity
  • Measles/Rubeola, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) 
  • Tetanus, Diphtheria and Acellular Pertussis (Tdap)
  • Polio series completed
  • Varicella titer or Varicella vaccinations
  • Hepatitis B Vaccine Series or Declination
    (Students may not be able to go to certain fieldwork sites if they do not receive the vaccine)
  • Annual Flu Vaccine
    
• TB-Tuberculin PPD Test (documented 2-step initially, then annual)
• Health Insurance (copy of card required annually)
• CPR Certification-American Heart Association Basic Life Support for the Health Care Provider required
• Urine Drug Screen (from the Maryville authorized lab)
• Criminal Record Background checks from Maryville University’s authorized agency and signed release to clinical sites (possible checks include:  state criminal checks, disqualification lists, sex offender lists, social security number, address, and alias).
• Any additional requirements that may arise
• Fitting for a respiratory isolation device (i.e. N95 Mask) may be required by some clinical sites
• A few hospitals in Missouri now require nicotine screenings for all new employees.  Therefore it is anticipated that students may be excluded from some clinical sites based upon their use of nicotine

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