M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology

Mission, Values, and Goals

We believe that the cornerstone of health is quality education and research in health professions. Our uniquely wide range of programs provide access for diverse student populations in the pursuit of rewarding careers that promote health and wellness; maximize the management of disease, disability, or injury; improve quality of life; and reduce health disparities. Students who come to the Long Island University School of Health Professions will have the unique opportunity to learn with students from other professions and serve the community in which they study throughout their programs.

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus seeks to advance the study of human communication sciences and disorders within a culturally and linguistically diverse society. Intellectual growth is promoted through the recognition and expression of multiple theoretical, cultural, and individual perspectives. The department fosters respect for diversity and a commitment to serve individuals with communication problems.

Vision

The School of Health Professions at Long Island University - Brooklyn will be a premier school of health professions, recognized for innovation and academic excellence, scholarship, interprofessional education, collaboration, and practice, as well as for community involvement and service.

Core Values

Diversity: We value and develop strong foundations of ethics, integrity and respect for diversity.

Innovation: We value and cultivate creativity, independent thinking, and flexible problem solving, in clinical and research endeavors.

Advocacy: We value and cultivate advocates, who will support clients and their families with compassion.

Community Action: We value community involvement and outreach.

Strategic Goals

Goal 1. Re-organize and standardize CSD Department procedures to better serve the needs of our students.

• Objective 1. Establish online application to our graduate program *
• Objective 2. Reorganize advisement to facilitate registration and student progress through the program *
• Objective 3. Integrate academic and clinic scheduling in order for courses to be planned flexibly around clinical practicum schedules.

Goal 2. Broaden student experiences to facilitate entry into a dynamic, team-oriented, multi-cultural profession

• Objective 1. Identify opportunities for co-treatment among health profession departments
• Objective 2. Identify spaces and patient care models that can facilitate co-treatment
• Objective 3. Broaden community and professional outreach and advocacy
• Objective 4. Explore and establish international clinical rotations *

Goal 3. Continuous improvement academic and clinical curriculum

• Objective 1. Prepare students to meet the increasing demands of competitive and intensive medical and school externships
• Objective  2. Ensure student ability to meet program and professional summative requirements
• Objective 3. Explore possible use of distance technologies and frameworks
• Objective 4.  Incorporate clinical certification opportunities into clinical training

Goal 4. Increase support for faculty research endeavors to meet increased demand for grant funding

• Objective 1. Explore possibilities to expand or share research lab space*
• Objective 2. Identify internal and small external grant opportunities for junior faculty, and have all faculty take advantage of University support for conference travel to ensure academic and clinical continuing education. 

Goal 5. Ensure department sustainability

• Objective 1. Obtain and staff a full time clinical coordinator position *
• Objective 2. Obtain and staff a full time advisement and admissions director position. *
• Objective 3. Ensure that LIU clinic space and supervision is adequate to support increasingly larger entering graduate student cohorts.

Goal 6. Review and update this strategic plan

• Objective 1. Review and update the department’s strategic plan to reflect progress, and ensure that the plan meets changing department, university, and professional needs, on a recurring annual basis.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum

Overview

The graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology at the Brooklyn Campus can be completed in 2.5 to 3 years by full-time students. The time limit for the degree is 5 years. All candidates for the degree must have completed a minimum of 64 credits and a comprehensive exam or research thesis.

All students must demonstrate English writing proficiency as a requirement for graduation.

All students are required to complete a minimum of 400 competent clock hours of clinical practicum, including 25 hours of observation. Up to 25 clock hours of undergraduate practicum and 25 hours of observation may be credited toward clinical practicum requirements. Clinical practica are completed in several locations: on campus, in the university clinic; at LIU satellite centers; at off-campus hospital settings, and in school settings. Students will be issued a clinic manual with further information upon beginning their clinical sequence. Students also must complete the following courses in order to obtain ASHA certification (if they do not enter with them completed in their undergraduate studies): aural rehabilitation, one course in the physical sciences (biology, chemistry or physics), psychology, sociology, and statistics.

Foundation Coursework

The Foundation Sequence provides the basis from which students may progress to advanced coursework and clinical practica. The foundations courses are listed below.

• SLP 601: Introduction to Research in Speech-Language Pathology (3 credit)
• SLP 602: Advanced Language Acquisition (3 credits)
• SLP 603: Bilingual/Multicultural Foundations I (3 credits)
• SLP 606: Advanced Neuroanatomy for Speech-Language Pathology (3 credits)
• SLP 608: Seminar in Speech-Language Pathology (1 credit)
• SLP 620: Comparative Phonology and Phonological Disorders (3 credits)

Students may retake a maximum of two foundation courses to remediate grades of C+ or C. Each foundation course may be retaken only one time.

Students must complete any outstanding undergraduate pre-requisites by the end of their first year of graduate coursework.

Higher Level Courses

Higher level courses consist primarily of evaluation and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders, including clinical practica and seminars. Students who are performing well in foundation courses may begin taking higher level courses in their second semester of study; this will be determined during academic advisement.

Students may receive up to one grade of C+ or C in their non-foundation, higher level courses. Students may opt to retake only one higher-level course a single time to remediate a grade. Grades lower than a C must be remediated.

Clinical Practicum Courses

Students begin their clinical practicum sequence after they complete the foundation coursework. Students must resolve all incomplete grades and/or remediation plans prior to starting the clinical practicum sequence. Students must have earned an overall GPA of 3.0 or above to start their first clinic course, SLP 610A.

Clinical skills are developed and evaluated throughout the practicum sequence. Full details of practicum requirements and evaluations of clinical performance are presented in the Clinic Procedures Manual of the Department of CSD, LIU/Brooklyn Campus.

Grading Policy

The University grading policy involves a plus and minus grading system (A, A_, B+, B, B_, C+, C, F).

Minimum Grade Requirements

To continue in the program, students must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average within and across all courses. Students are placed on Academic Probation when they fail to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Students are only allowed one grade of C+ or C in their graduate coursework. This single C+ or C may not be for a course in the Clinical Practicum sequence: 610A, 610B, 610C, 611A, 612A, 614A, 614B, 615A. This single grade of C may not be used for the clinic prerequisite course SLP 640: Language Disorders in Children or SLP 639: PRAXIS Exam Preparation course. Students with two or more grades of C+ or C will receive a letter of dismissal from the department chair, which they may appeal by writing to the Academic Standing Committee.

The program offers both formative and summative assessments for students in the Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) program.

Formative Assessment (SLP 610A):

In the SLP 610A course, students engage in goal and procedure planning for clients with communication problems across various age groups and cultural backgrounds. This assignment serves as a formative assessment of the skills and knowledge acquired during the foundations coursework. The focus is on applying evidence-based knowledge related to speech and language, bilingualism, cultural influences, communication disorder factors, and language learning theories. If students require remediation, they may need to enroll in additional courses, engage in self-study, or complete simulated clinical assignments. A student under remediation may have limited course options until the remediation plan is completed or the student retakes the exam.

Summative Requirement (Master's Degree):

To fulfill the M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology, students must complete either a comprehensive examination or a Master's thesis.

Comprehensive Examination Option:

Students must take a comprehensive examination during their last semester in the program. If they fail the exam, they have opportunities to retake it, with a passing threshold of 75%. However, if they do not pass the exam after four attempts, they will not receive the terminal master’s degree.

Master's Thesis Option:

Students choosing this option complete a research-based master's thesis under the guidance of a thesis director and committee. The thesis topic is developed by the student and the thesis director, and the thesis director must hold a research-based doctoral degree. Students can select two other committee members, including non-tenure track faculty and faculty from other institutions, under the guidance of the thesis director. Students can change committee members and thesis directors if needed, with approval from the program director.

Course of Study

Student Outcome Data

*Data are reported from September 1st to August 31st for each of the years listed

Length of Time for Students to Complete Residential Program of Study

• Full-time with CSD undergraduate major: 2.5 to 3 years (7-8 semesters)
• Full-time without CSD undergraduate major: 2.5 to 3 years (7-9 semesters)
• Part-time with CSD undergraduate major: 3.5 to 4.5 years (9-13 semesters)
• Part-time without CSD undergraduate major: 3.5 to 5 years (10-15 semesters)

Faculty

Miriam Baigorri, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor
Reem Khamis, Ph.D., Professor & Academic Department Chair
Nelson Moses, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Professor
Gina Youmans, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Professor

Clinic Administration

Joyce Babik, MA, CCC-SLP, Clinic Director
George Pagano, MS, CCC-SLP, Associate Clinic Director
Julia Agranovich, MS, CCC-SLP, Clinic Placement Coordinator

Clinic Supervisors

Angela Giraldo, MS, CCC-SLP
Specialty: Craniofacial Anomalies , School Aged Language and Learning, Reading Disorders, Bilingual Spanish

Stacey Bastien -Renelique, MS, CCC-SLP
Specialty: School Aged Language and Learning, Reading Disorders, Bi-lingual Haitian Creole

Larissa Kazanchieva, MS, CCC-SLP
Specialty: School Aged Language and Learning, Adult Neurogenic Disorders, Bilingual Russian

Leigh Metherell, MS, CCC-SLP,
Specialty: Adult Neurogenic Disorders, Pediatric Communication Disorders

Carol Norman, MS, CCC-SLP
Specialty: School Aged Language and Learning, Adult Neurogenic Disorders, LSVT, Prompt Certified

Diana Sanchez, MS, CCC-SLP
Specialty: School Aged Language and Learning, Adult Neurogenic Disorders, AAC Systems, Speech Sound Disorders, Bilingual Spanish

Mayya Teyel Cocozza, MS, CCC-SLP
Specialty: Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Adult Neurogenic Disorders, Bilingual Russian