University of Central Arkansas

Speech-Language Pathology is a challenging and satisfying career which improves the quality of life for individuals with communication disorders. Speech-language pathologists are concerned with evaluation, treatment, and research in human communication and its disorders. Individuals of all ages, from infants to the elderly, who exhibit speech and language disorders benefit from treatment by speech-language pathologists. The design and carry out comprehensive treatment plans to achieve the following:

• Assist with developing proper control of the vocal and respiratory systems for correct voice production
• Assist individuals who stutter to increase the amount of fluent speech and to cope with their disorder
• Assist children and adolescents with language problems, such as understanding and giving directions, answering and asking questions, understanding and using English grammar, using appropriate social language and conveying ideas to others
• Assist individuals who have had strokes, or suffered other brain trauma, relearn language and speech skills
• Help individuals to use augmentative and assistive systems of communication
• Counsel individuals with speech and language disorders and their families or caregivers to understand their disorder and to communicate more effectively in educational, social, and vocational settings
• Advise individuals and the community on how to prevent speech and language disorders

Some speech-language pathologists may also be involved in the following: training future professional in colleges and universities; administer or manage agencies, clinics, organizations or private practices; engage in academic, laboratory or medically related research knowledge about human communication processes; develop new methods and equipment to test and evaluate problems; establish more effective treatment programs; and investigate behavioral patterns associated with communication problems.

*Speech-Language Pathologists are employed in many settings such as: public and private schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers,nursing care facilities, community classes, private practice, state and local health departments, home health agencies, long term care facilities, centers for persons with developmental disabilities, research laboratories and college and universities. Median salary range is from $45,000-$52,000 per calendar year.

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2003)  2003 Omnibus survey salary report: Annual salaries. Rockville. MD Author

Degree Options

Bachelor's Degree

For the official university undergraduate bulletin information and 4 and 3 year Program Completion Plans, refer to the undergraduate bulletin web page.

The University of Central Arkansas offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology. The degree is obtained by completing the traditional 4-year track of the 3-year track.

All students declaring a Pre-Speech-Language Pathology major are accepted as tentative candidates to the undergraduate program. Students apply for departmental Junior Class admission during the spring or summer of their sophomore year (4-year track), or during the spring or summer of their freshman year (3-year track)

Transfer Students

Students who are transferring from other institutions need to contact a departmental advisor immediately to insure that they have the necessary, prerequisite coursework completed for admission into the departmental program. To view the steps necessary for admission, refer to the Registrar's offiice web page on transger students policies and procedures.

Master of Science

A master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology is required to practice in Arkansas. A Master of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology can also be obtained at the University of Central Arkansas. This requires completion of 47-48 hours of graduate study. Included in the coursework is practicum placement in which the student in required to perform clinically while being supervised The department operates a speech-language-hearing clinic on the University of Central Arkansas campus. In addition, the program maintains affiliation with a number of agencies for graduate practicum including Baptist Medical Center, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Veteran's Administration Hospitat, Baptist Rehabilitation Institute, Central Arkansas Rehabilitation Hospital, St. Vincent's Infirmary, Arkansas Department of Health, and Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock, Timber Ridge Ranch in Benton,  and numerous public schools in central Arkansas. Externships can be arranged in virtually any part of the United States in settings where students desire to gain clinical experience. Students receiving the MS degree in Speech-Language Pathology   are well prepared for positions in medical facilities as well as public schools.

Deadline for admissions to the Masters program: February 1st