Required Cognates:

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

Required Departmental Courses (minimum 42 hours)

• SLHS 2000 - Communication Disorders and Sciences Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 2030 - Normal Language Acquisition Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 2040 - Phonetics Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 2041 - Phonetics Laboratory Credits: 1 hour
• SLHS 2050 - Speech Anatomy and Physiology Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 2051 - Speech Anatomy and Physiology Lab Credits: 1 hour
• SLHS 2060 - Hearing Science Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 2070 - Clinical Laboratory Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 2071 - Clinic Observation Credits: 2 hours
• SLHS 2080 - Introduction to Audiology Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 4560 - Rehabilitative Audiology Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 4590 - Neuroscience for Communication Sciences and Disorders Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 5010 - Principles of Speech Science Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 4000 - Practicum in Speech Pathology and Audiology I Credits: 2 hours
• SIGN 1010 - American Sign Language I Credits: 3 hours

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  Three Credits of Specified Departmental Electives:

• SLHS 2090 - Communication Diversity and Access Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 5801 - Pediatric Audiology Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 5370 - Speech Sound Disorders Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 5380 - Childhood Language Impairment Credits: 3 hours
• SLHS 5530 - Stuttering and Other Fluency Disorders Credits: 3 hours

Examples of Academic Minors

American Sign Language Studies
Anthropology
Biological Sciences
Communications
Global and International Studies
Integrative Holistic Health and Wellness
Psychology
Spanish

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.

Continuance Policies for the undergraduate major in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

A student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 in the University to remain in the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences undergraduate program. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.5, the student will be placed on Departmental Probation and will have one semester to raise the cumulative GPA to at least 2.5. If after a semester of Departmental Probation, a student restores the cumulative GPA to at least 2.5, the student will continue to progress in the undergraduate major. If, after a semester of Departmental Probation, a student fails to achieve at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA, the student will be dismissed from the undergraduate program.

Exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances at the department’s discretion.

1. Transfer courses must be reviewed and approved for transfer by a department advisor. A grade of “C” or better must be earned for a course to transfer.
2. A student must maintain professional behavior as determined by the Code of Ethics of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (asha.org/Code-of-Ethics) and the WMU Student Conduct Code (wmich.edu/conduct/code). Violations of these standards shall be cause for sanctions including dismissal from the program.
3. A student who fails to meet any of the above criteria will be notified of this in writing by the Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences undergraduate program coordinator.

Students in this major should be aware that some graduate programs in Speech Language Pathology or Audiology may require a GPA higher than the minimum 2.5 GPA required to remain in the major.

Honors in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

Students admitted to the undergraduate major who are members of the Lee Honors College and/or 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 undergraduate 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). In addition, as individuals, states regulate the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology, and students must consult with the state’s regulatory boards and department of education for licensure requirements.