Required Non-Departmental Courses

The minimum requirements below specify college-level coursework (i.e., not AP or CLEP credit)

Required Departmental Courses (minimum 39 hours)

• SPPA 2000 - Communication Disorders and Sciences Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 2030 - Normal Language Acquisition Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 2040 - Phonetics Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 2041 - Phonetics Laboratory Credits: 1 hour
• SPPA 2050 - Speech Anatomy and Physiology Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 2051 - Speech Anatomy and Physiology Lab Credits: 1 hour
• SPPA 2060 - Hearing Science Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 2070 - Clinical Laboratory Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 2080 - Introduction to Audiology Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 3510 - Phonemic Disorders Credits: 2 hours
• SPPA 3540 - Language Disorders in Children Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 4000 - Practicum in Speech Pathology and Audiology I Credits: 2 hours

• (by instructor approval only, based upon strong GPA in SPPA coursework; 25 hours of observation must be completed)

• SPPA 4560 - Rehabilitative Audiology Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 4590 - Special Studies in Communication Disorders Credits: 3 hours
• SPPA 5010 - Principles of Speech Science Credits: 3 hours

Elective options

• SPPA 5530 - Stuttering and Other Fluency Disorders Credits: 2 hours
• SPPA 5801 - Pediatric Audiology Credits: 3 hours
• IPE 3050 - Study Abroad and Global Learning in Health and Human Services Credits: 1 to 6 hours

Baccalaureate-Level Writing Requirement

Students who have chosen the Speech Pathology and Audiology major will satisfy the Baccalaureate-Level Writing requirement by successfully completing:

• SPPA 4590 - Special Studies in Communication Disorders Credits: 3 hours

Examples of Academic Minors

Anthropology
Biological Sciences
Communications
Gerontology
Global and International Studies
Integrative Holistic Health and Wellness
Psychology
Spanish

Continuance Policies for the undergraduate major in Speech Pathology and Audiology

1. A student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.8 in the University to remain in Speech Pathology and Audiology undergraduate program. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.8, the student will be placed on Departmental Probation and will have one semester to raise the cumulative GPA to at least 2.8.

If after a semester of Departmental Probation, a student restores the cumulative GPA to at least 2.8, the student will continue to progress in the undergraduate major. The student will be dismissed from the undergraduate program if, after a semester of Departmental Probation, the student fails to achieve at least a 2.8 cumulative GPA. 

2. Students in the major must receive a grade of “C” or higher in each required Speech Pathology and Audiology course. Students in the major may repeat one required Speech Pathology and Audiology course one time to raise a grade; no more than two registrations for the same SPPA course will be permitted. The student will be dismissed from the undergraduate program in Speech Pathology and Audiology if a grade lower than “C” is earned upon repeating the course.
3. A student must maintain professional behavior as determined by the Code of Ethics of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (www.asha.org/Code-of-Ethics) and the WMU Student Conduct Code (www.wmich.edu/conduct/code). Violations of these standards shall be cause for sanctions including dismissal from the program.

A student who fails to meet any of the above criteria will be notified of this in writing by the Speech Pathology and Audiology undergraduate program coordinator.

Honors in Speech Patholgy and Audiology

Students admitted to the undergraduate major who are members of the Lee Honors College and who meet the academic requirements listed below are eligible to join the Departmental Honors Program for undergraduate majors in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. The academic requirements include 1) completion of a minimum of 40 semester hours, and 2) a minimum university GPA of 3.5. Further information and specific requirements of the departmental honors program are available through the departmental honors advisor.

Licensure and Certification

Completion of the curricular requirements, together with the completion of a master’s degree program in speech pathology or doctoral program in audiology, typically satisfies all academic and practicum requirements of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association for a Certificate of Clinical Competence in the emphasis area (speech-language pathology or audiology) pursues in graduate school and/or State Licensure. States regulate the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology. Consult with your state’s regulatory boards and department of education for detailed information.