Master of Arts - Speech-Language Pathology

Program Description 

Imagine the satisfaction of helping a child say his/her first words to his/her family or caregiver, or assisting an adult stroke patient to communicate with his family and friends. With the specialized, advanced training provided by the 58-credit Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology students will be equipped for a career diagnosing and treating a wide range of speech, language, swallowing, and hearing disorders. 

The Master of Arts program in speech-language pathology at LIU Post is designed to mentor and educate students to become competent, caring, qualified, and accountable speech-language pathologists who in turn will be well equipped to serve clients in a culturally and linguistically diverse society. LIU's mission is to provide students with a comprehensive program, built upon a sound theoretical foundation in speech, language, and hearing sciences, in which clinical skill development is integrated. Educational and clinical experiences will be guided by a strong adherence to evidence-based practice.  Strong clinical reasoning, decision-making, and communication skills will be developed through training and supervised practice.  Students will be required to demonstrate high standards of competency and ethical conduct within the scope of professional practice. An important element in the training of MA candidates includes inter-professional educational opportunities where students can learn from and work closely with other disciplines. Simulated experiences at the state of the art Simlab and with computerized simulators assist students to be prepared for clinical interaction and to practice their skills. LIU seeks to guide students through the program by providing advisement, instruction, as well as clinical and intellectual challenges. The program goals are both formative and summative in accordance with the standards of the professional accrediting organization, the Council of Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared to function in a pluralistic society as speech-language pathologists working alongside allied health professionals and educators in a variety of settings serving the needs of children and adults throughout the lifespan. In terms of employment, graduates have enjoyed a 100% employment rate in a variety of pediatric and adult sites on Long Island, New York City, and across the country.

Courses examine all facets of the field, including: Articulation/speech sound disorders, fluency, voice and resonance, language and literacy, hearing, feeding and swallowing, cognitive aspects of communication, social aspects of communication, and augmentative and assistive communication across the lifespan. Central to training will be 5 clinical practica:  a pre-clinic experience, two in the on-campus clinic, the 3rd in a school setting, and the 4th in a hospital, rehabilitation center or other adult facility. If the student follows their plan to study as initially established, attends full time and satisfactorily completes all classes, the program is usually completed in two years inclusive of summers.