Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

Laura DeThorne, Chair
Main Office: 4476 CHHS (Oakland Campus)
Telephone: (269) 387-8045
Fax: (269) 387-8044

Judith Seymour, Administrative Assistant II
4476 CHHS (Oakland Campus)

D’Jaris Coles-White
Robin Criter
Teresa Crumpton
Suma Devanga
Heidi Douglas-Vogley
Matthew Dumican
Alyssa Eminhizer
Hope Gerlach
Katherine Rigley

Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Undergraduate Program

Communication is the most complex aspect of human behavior. Impairments in the processes of communication - speech, language, and hearing - can significantly affect the lives of children and adults across the age span. Speech-language pathology and audiology are the areas of professional specialization that have developed out of concern for individuals with disorders of communication.

The mission of the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences is to educate speech, language, and hearing professionals for a diverse and changing population, to advance knowledge through research, to deliver quality clinical services, and to serve as a resource for the community and professions. It is the vision of the department to continue recognition as a national leader for advancing knowledge in human hearing and communication processes and disorders through education, research, and service.

The Bachelor’s degree in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences was designed to prepare you for graduate programs in audiology and speech-language pathology. But beyond grad school, this program’s foundation in communication sciences will give you a knowledge base rooted in basic science and communication diversity that can open up possibilities in a number of different career fields.

National data suggest that admission to a graduate program typically requires a grade point average higher than the minimum for the undergraduate major, as well as a similar grade point average in the cumulative undergraduate GPA. Information about the professions and current admission statistics can be obtained from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: asha.org or asha.org/edfind, and the Academy of Audiology: audiology.org.

Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Admission

Students who wish to major in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences will declare the pre-Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (SLHP) major at the time of admission to the University. Declaring the pre-SLHS (SLHP) major does not guarantee admission to the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences major. Information necessary for admission includes the following documents:

Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Undergraduate Application
College-level transcripts from any institutions other than Western Michigan University

All applications are submitted to the undergraduate advisor of the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. The deadline for submitting applications is February 1 of each year. Selection of candidates is based on the following criteria:

Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 for all coursework after high school
Grade in an introductory course in communication disorders, and/or demonstrated familiarity with the field and grades in required non-departmental coursework (college-level writing course, college-level biology/anatomy course, college-level general physics course, required math course, college-level statistics course)
Students must be advised by the College of Health and Human Services undergraduate department advisor prior to application.

Transfer Students

It is recommended that transfer students enroll at WMU at the beginning of the first semester of the sophomore year. Those applicants who enroll at a later stage may find that an additional period of study will be required to complete the undergraduate curriculum.