CHAIR'S MESSAGE

Careers in audiology or speech-language pathology provide professional satisfaction, stimulation and financial security. The undergraduate program in communication sciences and disorders (CSD) assists students in their preparation to work with people who have communication disorders. Individuals entering into these professions are among the most marketable in the allied health industry. These disciplines offer diversity of setting, client/student age ranges, and specialization areas. In addition to the exciting traditional areas of service provided by a speech-language pathologist (child and adult language, motor speech, fluency, voice, and cognitive processing), newer areas of service delivery include the use of technology to aid speech and hearing disabled individuals, swallowing or dysphagia diagnosis and treatment, and communication disorders that affect literacy and learning.

Preparation for graduate studies in audiology or speech-language pathology is the major thrust of our undergraduate program. We provide students with a strong scientific foundation to succeed in graduate school. The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and meets all of the requirements needed to train students upon graduation to enter a master’s degree program. This department is a national leader because of its outstanding faculty, concentrated focus on multiculturalism, quality of comprehensive training and well-organized curriculum. The training that is provided by the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Howard is considered a model for other universities throughout the country.

Because of our small undergraduate program, students get the needed attention and personalized training tailored to help them gain a strong grounding in communication disorders. Our student organization, the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association, engages in exciting pre-professional activities such as attendance at national conferences in major cities across the United States, professional clinic symposia and our annual spaghetti dinner to welcome new students. This department provides a wonderful nurturing, learning environment combined with scientific knowledge and skills for students to begin careers as allied healthcare professionals in audiology or speech-language pathology.

Ovetta L. Harris, Ph.D., CCC-SLP.
Assistant Professor and Chair
Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders