Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology

The Department of Speech Pathology & Audiology at the University of South Alabama offers programs for a Doctor of Philosophy in Communication Sciences and Disorders (PhD CSD), Doctor of Audiology (AuD), Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS SLP), Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences (BS SHS) and a Minor in Speech and Hearing Sciences.  Additionally, the department operates an active clinic, the USA Speech and Hearing Center, that serves as a referral site for the Gulf Coast and southern Alabama regions.

Prospective Student Events

Prospective students are invited to join us for the event(s) listed below to learn more about our degree programs. See below for more information. 

▼   Friday September 20th – Virtual Drop-In on Zoom

Faculty will be available to answer questions you have about our programs, facilities, and the application process. Registration is not required and anyone is welcome to join, although if you plan on joining one of these sessions, please complete the form below so we know approximately how many people to expect.

▼   Friday November 1st – Open House

Please consider joining us for a virtual or in-person open house on Friday November 1st. The virtual open house will be on Zoom from 10:00am-11:00am and the in-person session is from 1:00pm-2:00pm in our Department: 5721 USA Drive N HAHN 1119 Mobile, AL 36688. Sign-up forms for each are below

▼   Department Tours

Not available for one of our virtual sessions or either open house? You are welcome to sign-up for a department tour on a day/time that works for you.

Please send questions about prospective student events to Dr. Victoria Henbest: vhenbest@southalabama.edu

 

 
Open Faculty Positions

Quotes from SPA Students
  • I'm glad I chose USA because....
  • My favorite thing about Mobile is....
  • My favorite thing about the Dept. of SPA is....

 

Speech Pathology and Audiology Programs

The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology offers the following programs.

▼   Minor in Speech and Hearing Sciences
The Minor in Speech and Hearing Sciences program is for students across the University community with an interest in learning about communication sciences and disorders. Students in the minor degree program in Speech and Hearing Sciences will learn about communication across the lifespan, gain knowledge of communication disorders, and have a basic understanding of how to interact with individuals with communication disorders in educational, social, and employment settings.

 

▼   Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences (BS SHS)
The Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Sciences (BS SHS) program readies the graduate for a variety of career and educational options based on the knowledge gained from this degree and individual interests and skills. The skills acquired with this programs include:
  • General Knowledge, Skills, Aptitudes, and Experiences
  • Social, Behavioral, Biological, and Physical Science Foundations
  • Communication Sciences & Disorders Content Knowledge, Skills, Aptitudes, and Experiences

 

▼   Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS SLP)
The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS SLP) program serves either as a professional preparation for clinical certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) or as preparation for graduate study leading to the PhD degree. The master's program provides a broad range of basic science courses and specialized offerings emphasizing evaluation and treatment of language, articulation, fluency, voice, swallowing, and neurologically-based communication disorders.

 

▼   Doctor of Audiology (AuD)
The Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program serves either as preparation for professional clinical audiology, including certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), or as preparation for graduate study leading to the PhD degree. The AuD program provides a broad range of basic science courses and specialized offerings emphasizing assessment, intervention, and prevention techniques used with patients of all ages who have hearing or balance-related disorders.

 

▼   Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders (PhD CSD)
The Doctor of Philosophy in Communication Sciences and Disorders (PhD CSD) program offers students specialization in speech-language pathology, audiology, or communication sciences and disorders. The mission of the Ph.D. program is to prepare students for responsible and successful careers as scholars by enabling them to gain the necessary knowledge and skills in the CSD discipline. Graduates will be prepared for research, scientific writing, teaching and supervision/mentorship through pedagogy, mentorship, and internship activities.

 

  

MS SLP and AuD Accreditation

The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology {residential} at the University of South Alabama is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

The Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) education program in audiology {residential} at the University of South Alabama is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

MS SLP and AuD Student Outcomes Data

Below are the employment rate, Praxis Exam pass rate, and the on-time and overall program completion rate outcomes for the past 5 years. Our graduates from both programs continue to find employment in varied settings including outpatient medical facilities, hospitals, government agencies, public and private schools, outpatient rehabilitation facilities, and private practice.

Student Achievement Data

On-time Program Completion Rates

Reporting
Period
(Academic Year)
Speech Language Pathology Audiology
# Completed
within Expected
Timeframe
% Completed
within Expected
Timeframe
# Completed
within Expected
Timeframe
% Completed
within Expected
Timeframe
2023-2024 23 100% 8 100%
2022-2023 24 100% 11 100%
2021-2022 25 100% 10 100%
2020-2021 24 96% 9 100%
2019-2020 25 100% 9 100%

 

Praxis Pass Rates

Reporting
Period
(Academic Year)
Speech Language Pathology Audiology
# Taking
the Exam
# Passed
the Exam
% Passed
Exam Rate
# Taking
the Exam
# Passed
the Exam
% Passed
Exam Rate
2023-2024 18 18 100% 8 7 88%
2022-2023 24 24 100% 11 11 100%
2021-2022 25 25 100% 10 10 100%
2020-2021 24 24 100% 9 9 100%
2019-2020 25 25 100% 9 9 100%