Course Sequence

Electives

SPHS majors are required to take three elective courses. Students may select from these eight courses:

• CSD 3850 - Special Topics (3): This course covers pertinent topics which are timely in  the current expertise of practicing speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists. Offered occasionally.
• CSD 4100 - Understanding Children with Autism and their Families (3): This course is  intended to provide class participants with an introduction to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The class will provide an overview of the characteristics of ASD across the lifespan in the areas of language/communication, behavior, social- emotional, and cognition. Current developments and research findings will be highlighted related to diagnosis, etiology, and prevalence. A basic introduction to behavior analytic principles and concepts will be provided, as well as an introductory overview of intervention approaches in ASD. The course will also involve a focus on family impact and perspectives. Offered in the Fall semester.
• CSD 4150 - Communication Disorders in the Media (3): This course is suitable for a variety of majors and is intended to explore communication disorders and how they are portrayed in the media. Major communication disorders will be discussed from a clinical and scientific perspective, with information provided about the characteristics of the disorders, including etiology, assessment, and treatment options. The portrayal of these major communication disorders in  the media will be used to explore perceptions of the disorders and people who have them, such that students will learn about communication disorders in  general and then be able to compare that knowledge with the way the disorders are portrayed in the media. Offered in the Spring semester.
• CSD 2601 (CEL) - Community Engaged Learning in Communication Sciences and Disorders (1): CSD 2600 is a required prerequisite to this course. This course is an extension of CSD 2600: Serving Diverse Populations with Communication Needs (offered during fall). As a Community Engaged Learning (CEL) designated course, CSD 2601 is designed to maintain continued support for CEL partners in spring semesters. As such, students will continue employing concepts and practices obtained in CSD 2600 with their CEL partners during this course. As with CSD 2600, students will continue working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations, individuals with special needs, and/or marginalized individuals. Through CEL, students will gain a deeper understanding of the concept of health and educational disparities in our community. In addition, students will learn how to identify and work towards reducing barriers experienced by individuals marginalized in  the community. Students will participate in a CEL project that will help them to reflect and integrate key concepts from the course. Offered in the Spring semester.
• CSD 5100 (IR, CEL) - Communication and Culture in Health Professions: Learning Abroad in Mexico (3): This course provides students with theoretical and experimental learning opportunities. As a learning abroad course, students will engage in Spanish immersion classes, participate in learning projects with the agency of their choice, and participate in guided cultural tours within Oaxaca City, Mexico and its nearby towns (pueblos). The projects and tours will help students integrate key concepts from the course lectures. Students will also have the opportunity to enjoy meals and engage with host families during their time in Oaxaca. Offered in  the Fall semester.
• CSD 5450 Clinical Methods in Audiology Practice (1): This course will provide students interested in speech and hearing science the opportunity to learn about the profession of audiology and develop some fundamental clinical audiology skills. Students will develop foundational knowledge and skills for standard testing protocols implemented in diagnostic audiological assessments and will perform these clinical skills under the direct supervision of a licensed audiologist in the audiology clinic at the University of Utah Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic. Students will also have the opportunity to observe audiology patient appointments at the clinic. Offered in the Spring semester.
• CSD 5700 Foundations of Clinical Practice for the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (3): This course will explore topics required by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) in preparation for students to meet the qualifications for national and Utah state licensure as a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA). The course is designed to prepare students for the delivery of SLPA services to school-age children with speech and language disorders. Specific emphasis will be placed on understanding the roles of an SLPA in public schools, professional skill development of an SLPA, and treatment for disorders in phonological awareness, articulation, fluency, and receptive/expressive language development across multiple populations. Offered in the Fall semester.
• CSD 5710 Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Field-Base Clinical Externship (3): Students are required to complete a clinical externship in public schools. This meets the requirements set by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) of fieldwork experiences for learning the job responsibilities and workplace behaviors of the speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA). A total of 100 hours of clinical interaction are required for licensure as an SLPA. Eighty hours are to be in direct client interaction, and 20 in indirect interaction (e.g., documentation, observation, meetings). The clinical externships are completed under the direct supervision of a certified, licensed speech-language pathologist (SLP) as required by ASHA and the Utah State Board of Education (USBE). Offered in the Spring semester.