ASHA Standard V-Skills Outcomes A, B, C, D, E, F
Clinical Coursework and Practicum
Clinical experiences are designed to develop the knowledge and skills in the areas outlined by the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (CFCC), and in compliance with the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology standards (CAA). Every student’s clinical plan is determined in consultation with the Graduate Program Director and the Graduate Practicum Coordinator, with consideration of the student’s interests and career goals. The practicum sequence is developmental in nature and is intentionally coordinated with academic coursework to support and promote clinical growth. Students must demonstrate adequate competencies consistent with the developmental skills expected at the graduate level to complete their clinical sequence.
By the end of the first semester of graduate study, students are required to complete at least 25 hours of clinical observation with a speech-language pathologist who holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP). Continued observation of SLPs and other disciplines throughout the entire graduate program is encouraged.
Students are required to take a minimum of 9 credit hours of clinical practicum. Each clinical placement can be associated with a 1-credit practicum, a 2-credit practicum, or a 3-credit practicum. The number of credit hours linked to each clinical placement is determined by the Graduate Practicum Coordinator, based on practicum parameters and individual student program plans. This allows students to gain credit-based clinical experience with populations across the lifespan and across disorders, inclusive of assessment and treatment. Experience with culturally diverse populations is considered an essential component of students’ clinical education.
Those who enter the program with minimal to no clinical experience will be required to take a 2-credit clinical methods course (CSD 500) and a 1-credit Clinical Methods Lab (CSD 500L) before they can begin to accrue the 9 practicum credits. The Clinical Methods Lab includes the provision of therapy to 1-2 clients over 1 semester in the on-campus clinic under the supervision of a Nazareth University clinical supervisor. All incoming students will be required to complete a 1-credit Initial Clinical Competency Experience (ICCE) under the supervision of a Nazareth University clinical educator. Upon successful completion of the Initial Clinical Competency Experience (ICCE), students will be required to complete at least 3 clinical placements (one in early intervention/preschool, one with school age-children, and one with adults). Students completing the Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities credential (TSSLD) will be required to take an additional 3-credit student teaching clinical experience.
Participation in clinical practicum experiences requires that graduate students demonstrate the knowledge and skills, professional and ethical behaviors, and essential functions necessary to ensure the welfare of the clients. Students should be familiar with the documents below that outline these standards:
Clinical Warning
Policy: Students may be placed on clinical warning at the end of a clinical practicum if the student demonstrates either or both of the following:
- Inability to carry out the clinical activities including the Essential Functions and Professional Skills without ongoing direct supervision.
- Failure to demonstrate appropriate level of clinical competency and professional growth/development expected at the graduate level.
Procedure:
- A student who is placed on clinical warning must meet with the Graduate Program Director and the Graduate Practicum Coordinator in order to develop a remedial plan. Together, the faculty and student will develop a plan to address areas of concern in order to promote success.
- The student will be required to sign a memo of understanding detailing the expectations for successfully meeting this plan.
- If a student’s performance remains unsatisfactory in any subsequent term, they may be dismissed from the program.
CLINICAL COURSEWORK CREDIT REQUIREMENTS:
Throughout the program, students complete at least nine credit hours of practicum experiences with individuals across the lifespan (early intervention, school-age, and adult), across various settings, and with a variety of populations. All clinical experiences are planned and designed to meet certification requirements.
Typical Graduate Status: 10-12 credit hour minimum - This option is for students who are completing the majority of their clinical practica at the graduate level. CSD 500 and CSD 500L are prerequisites to the 9-credit hour clinical practica (see below).
Advanced Standing Status: 9 credit hour minimum - This option is for students who have completed significant clinical practica at the undergraduate level and will not be required to take CSD 500 and CSD 500L.
All students will take a combination of the following courses to meet the 9-10 credit minimum. Plan to be made with the Graduate Program Director in consultation with the Graduate Practicum Coordinator.
ASHA Standard IVC
Students must complete at least 13 3-credit academic courses and three 1-credit special topics courses (42 credits) including required and elective coursework. Courses may not meet multiple requirements. Students who complete a concentration (see below) will only be required to take one 1-credit course.
ASHA Standards IVE and IVG
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Electives
Students complete 6-9 elective credits, determined in consultation with the Graduate Program Director. Courses used to fulfill electives cannot also be used to fulfill other requirements. Elective course options include:
Extended Program
Students admitted with undergraduate preparation in areas other than speech-language pathology will be required to complete the Extended Graduate Program. This is in accordance with the minimum 75 semester hours required by ASHA for certification. Students must earn a grade of B or higher in all foundational courses in order to continue in the program. Permission to repeat a foundational course may be granted on a case by case basis. The extended program includes the following foundational courses or their equivalents:
- 15 credit hours in Basic Communication Processes including: CSD 132 Speech-Language Acquisition; CSD 201 Phonetics; CSD 231 Anatomy of the Speech and Hearing Mechanism; CSD 232 Speech Science; CSD 252 Psycholinguistics. See Undergraduate Catalog for course descriptions. (When available, CSD 504 Language Acquisition may be taken to fulfill CSD 132 and 252.) See Undergraduate Catalog for course descriptions.
- 15 credit hours in Methodology and Practice: CSD 333 Speech Pathology I; CSD 335 Methods of Speech-Language Evaluation; CSD 500 and CSD 500L Methods of Speech-Language Therapy and Lab; CSD 437 Hearing Problems and Testing; CSD 438 Aural Rehabilitation. See Undergraduate Catalog for course descriptions.
Liberal Arts and Sciences Prerequisite Course Requirements
All students enrolled in the graduate program must have transcript credit (which could include coursework, advanced placement, CLEP or other examinations of equivalency) for each of the following areas:
(1) biological sciences (Biology);
(2) physical sciences (Physics or Chemistry);
(3) statistics;
(4) social-behavioral sciences.
Additional Credentials and Concentrations
Teacher Certification
Students who wish to pursue Initial Teacher Certification for Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD) at the graduate level are required to complete the following prerequisite courses:
- SPF 204 History and Philosophy of Education
- PSY 221 Developmental Psychology: Childhood and Adolescence or equivalent
- EDU 583 Health Education/Child Abuse/Violence Prevention and Intervention Workshop
- EDU 593 Harassment, Bullying, Cyberbullying, and Discrimination in Schools: Prevention and Intervention (DASA Training)
- CSD 565 Student Teaching for Speech-Language Pathology
- CSD 568 Speech-Language Services in the Schools *
*Note: CSD 568 is a strongly recommended elective for all students who wish to work in an educational setting, even if they are not pursuing NYS teacher certification
*Note: all students enrolling in the Professional Teacher Certification Program for Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD) at the graduate level must have active Initial Certification from NYS, which includes completion of the mandated DASA Training.
NYS Teacher Certification Tests & Applying for Teacher Certification through New York State
Teacher candidates use the NYS TEACH system to apply for Initial and Professional certifications and need to pay the fees in effect at the time they apply. New York requires all teacher candidates to have a fingerprint/background check on file with TEACH, pass all appropriate New York State Teacher Certification Examinations www.nystce.nesinc.com> and have the appropriate years of teaching experience. New York State Education Department maintains a website with certification requirements: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/
For Professional Certification the teacher candidate will need to pass the Speech-Language Pathology PRAXIS II Examination.
During a teacher candidate’s final semester, information on the certification application process will be sent via email. Additional support may be obtained by contacting Nazareth University Teacher Certification Office at (585) 389-2592 or by email tcert@naz.edu, or naz.edu/education/teacher-certification
Deafness Concentration
The Deafness Specialty Program prepares speech-language pathologists to work with families and children to promote their speech language, and listening skills, and maximize their potential for academic and social success. Graduate students in the program learn to work with individuals from birth through young adulthood who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as working with families, teachers, and service providers, after completing a three course sequence. They are prepared to work with a diverse population of children who are deaf or hard of hearing who may use hearing aids or cochlear implants and who may use a range of communication options including listening and spoken language, Cued Speech, and American Sign Language. Details can be found at the following link: https://www2.naz.edu/dsp.
Deafness Specialty Courses (DPS)
Autism Concentration (I-SPAN)
The Interdisciplinary Specialty Program in Autism (I-SPAN) is a graduate-level program that prepares professionals to work with individuals on the autism spectrum across the lifespan. It consists of a three-course sequence that examines contemporary topics related to best practice in person-centered support of individuals on the autism spectrum in multiple settings. I-SPAN is open to graduate-level matriculated students in a variety of disciplines, including speech-language pathology, education, social work, occupational therapy, physical therapy and nursing. More information is available at the following link: https://www2.naz.edu/academics/grad/interdisciplinary-autism-program.
Autism Specialty Courses (I-SPAN)
Medical Concentration
The Medical Concentration prepares speech-language pathology graduate students to work with patients, clients, and families in medical settings across the continuum of care and across the lifespan. The medical specialization consists of a four-course sequence exposing students to evidence-based best practice in person-centered care, preparing them for entry-level work in a range of healthcare settings. Coursework is paired with relevant experiential learning and clinical opportunities, both on campus and off-site at medical settings in the greater Rochester area. A variety of topics are explored including, but not limited to aphasia, right hemisphere brain damage, motor speech disorders, dysphagia, and cognitive-communication disorders associated with acquired brain injury, dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. Students will be required to take the courses listed below.
Note: All students in the M.S. program are required to take CSD 535 or CSD 579, but medical specialization students will take both of these, as well as two additional courses focused on medical speech-language pathology (one of these supplemental courses counts as an elective within the traditional MS program; the other two are in addition to the requirements of the traditional MS program).
Medical Concentration Courses
Early Intervention Concentration
The Rochester Scholars for Early Intervention (RISE) is an interprofessional concentration (track) to develop specialty knowledge and skills in early intervention to be a strong advocate for young children and their families. RISE interprofessionally prepares graduate students to advocate for change, to work with families in culturally responsive and trauma-informed ways, and to promote the overall development and well-being of young children (0-8 years), and children with different abilities. The RISE experience includes coordinated fieldwork; stackable one-credit, self-paced courses developed by field experts; and a final capstone experience mentored by a community partner.
Early Intervention Concentration Courses
Students choose three of the following six options
- INEC 500*70 Playful Learning: Integrating STEAM and Media
- INEC 500*71 Equity-Focused Consulting and Coaching in Childcare Settings
- INEC 500*72 Trauma-Informed Practices in Early Childhood
- INEC 500*73 Family Partnerships in Early Intervention
- INEC 500*74 Intervention Models in Developmental Services
- INEC 500*75 Exploring Early Literacy: Foundations and Equity
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