Speech-Language Pathology

M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology

Welcome to the Graduate Program of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) at the LIU Brooklyn campus (hereafter referred to as "The Graduate Program"). The Department of CSD 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.

Public Notice of Accreditation Status:

The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

The program is registered by the New York State Department of Education. Graduates of the program receive a Master of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology that satisfies the academic and professional requirements specified by ASHA for the CCC-CLP, and are eligible to apply for licensure in SLP by the New York State Department of Education's Office of the Professions. Students who wish to satisfy the New York State Education Office of Teaching requirements for Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD) may also prepare for this certification as part of their graduate program. Students demonstrating proficiency (i.e., speaking, listening, reading and writing) in a language other than English may further prepare for a certificate in Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities with a Bilingual Extension. This program will prepare students to work with individuals who are bilingual or speak a language other than English.



Admissions

The university-wide institutional policy for admission of students to graduate study is a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university indicating an acceptable record, with additional requirements set by individual graduate programs. The faculty of the Graduate Program in Speech-Language Pathology has set the following specific admissions standards for entry into the program:

  • B.A. or B.S. degree with a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.2, including completion of pre-requisite coursework in speech-language pathology and audiology. Students may receive a minimum grade of B- in all pre-requisite courses. The following courses (or their equivalents at other institutions) must be taken as pre-requisites: 
    • SLP 104 Articulatory Phonetics
    • SLP 113 Anatomical and Physiological Bases for Speech & Language I
    • SLP 133 Speech Science I: Acoustic Phonetics
    • SLP 231 Language Acquisition Across Life Span I: Early Years
    • SLP 321 Audiology I-Hearing Science
    • SLP 410 or 411 Introduction to Communication Disorders Across the Life Span
  • A brief personal statement describing their interest in the field, LIU Brooklyn, and career goals
  • Official transcripts from all universities attended
  • Three letters of recommendation (at least two must be academic)
  • Applicants whose undergraduate, graduate or pre-requisite course work was completed in an institution where English was not the principle language of instruction must present scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Course credit may be granted for courses completed within the previous 5 years from time of application to the program. The pre-requisite coursework may be taken as a Post-Baccalaureate student at LIU Brooklyn or another university. Post-Baccalaureate students must complete a minimum four undergraduate pre-requisite courses prior to applying to the graduate program. The other two pre-requisite courses must be completed by admitted Post-Baccalaureate students before beginning of graduate studies. Students admitted to the graduate program must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their pre-requisite coursework to matriculate fully and continue into the graduate program.

Students preparing to obtain the Bilingual Extension to the Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities Certification must also demonstrate written and oral language proficiency in a second language on the Bilingual Education Assessment (BEA) or other approved examinations.

International Students Admission

Applicants whose undergraduate, graduate or pre-requisite course work was completed in an institution where English was not the principle language of instruction must present scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION

Applications are accepted via the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSD-CAS). Students must go to the website and provide all of the appropriate information/documentation:

CSDCAS Applicant Portal Linkhttps://csdcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login 

The LIU Brooklyn Spring Deadline is December ​​​15, 2023. Applicants must have a complete application by the deadline date posted. A complete application requires that the application is e-submitted and all transcripts, and payments, have been received by CSDCAS. Documents should be sent to CSDCAS several weeks prior to the deadline date to ensure all items arrive on time. 

CSDCAS Customer Service is available Monday thru Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone: 617-612-2030
Email: csdcasinfo@csdcas.org
Address (All official transcripts MUST be sent to CSDCAS at the address below):

CSDCAS Verification Department
P.O. Box 9113
Watertown, MA 02471

Note: CSDCAS posts Frequently Asked Questions on the applicant portal, which can be accessed even before an application is created. Please read the FAQs before submitting your application.


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.
* These Objectives have been obtained.

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

Foundation courses (16 credits):
SLP 601 Introduction to Research in Speech-Language Pathology
SLP 602 Advanced Language Acquisition
SLP 603 Bilingual/Multicultural Foundations I
SLP 606 Advanced Neuroanatomy for Speech-Language Pathology
SLP 608 Seminar in Speech-Language Pathology
SLP 620 Comparative Phonology and Phonological Disorders
Higher-Level Courses (40 credits):
SLP 604 Bilingual/Multicultural Foundations II
SLP 605 Diagnostic Process
SLP 607 Advanced Clinical Audiology
SLP 609 Speech Science and Instrumentation
SLP 621 Fluency Disorders
SLP 622 Voice Disorders
SLP 626 Dysphagia
SLP 627 Motor Speech Disorders
SLP 630 Topics In Communication Disorders
SLP 639 PRAXIS Exam Preparation
SLP 640 Language Disorders in Children
SLP 641 Aphasia and Adult Neurogenic Disorders
SLP 642 Speech-Language-Hearing Service in Schools for Language/Learning Disabilities
SLP 644 Speech-Language-Hearing Services in Multicultural/Multilingual School Settings
SLP 720 Independent Study-Research on Disorders of Speech
Practicum sequence (6 credits):
SLP 610A Clinical Practicum: Intervention Planning for the Treatment of Speech-Language and Hearing Disorders
SLP 610B Clinical Practicum: Introduction to the Treatment of Speech-Language and Hearing Disorders
SLP 610C Clinical Practicum: Introduction to the Treatment of Speech-Language and Hearing Disorders
SLP 611A Intermediate Clinical Practicum in the Treatment of Speech-Language and Hearing Disorders
SLP 612A Advanced Clinical Practicum: Assessment and Treatment Speech-Language and Hearing Disorders
Diagnostic Practicum Courses (3 credits):
SLP 614A/B Diagnostic Practicum: Children/Adults
SLP 615A Practicum in Audiology
Additional Courses
SLP 616 Clinical Observation 

Student Outcome Data

Praxis Examination Pass Rate


Period  Number of Test Takers Taking the Exam Pass %
Recent Year 55 52 94.55
1 Year Prior 25 17 68.00
2 Years Prior 45 39 86.67
3 Year Average  
83.07%

Program Completion Rate



Period  Number completing on time  Number completing later than on-time  Number not completing  Total
Recent Year 47 0 0 47
1 Year Prior 25 1 3 29
2 Years Prior 51 0 0 51
3 Year Program Completion Rate 96.85%

*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

CONTACT

School of Health Professions