College of Education Health and Human Services
School of Health Sciences
www.kent.edu/ehhs/hs

About This Program

The Speech Pathology and Audiology B.S. program at Kent State University offers a dynamic and innovative learning experience for students passionate about helping individuals with communication disorders. With state-of-the-art facilities, expert faculty, and a curriculum that emphasizes hands-on clinical experience, this program provides students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in this rewarding field. Read more...

Contact Information

• Cara O'Flannigan | coflanni@kent.edu |
  330-672-2141
• Speak with an Advisor
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*

^{* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.}

Admission Requirements

Admission to this major is selective. A minimum 3.000 GPA is required to be admitted to the major. Students who do not meet the GPA requirement at the time of admission for this major will be admitted to the EHHS General non-degree program until which time they have established a Kent State GPA of 3.000. They may then submit a change of program to declare this major.

Current Kent State and Transfer Students: Active Kent State students who wish to change their major must have attempted a minimum 12 credit hours at Kent State and meet all admission criteria listed above to be admitted. Students who have not attempted 12 credit hours at Kent State will be evaluated for admission based on their high school GPA for new students or transfer GPA for transfer students. Transfer students who have not attempted 12 credit hours of college-level coursework at Kent State and/or other institutions will be evaluated based on both their high school GPA and college GPA.

Admission to the combined bachelor's/master's degree program: Minimum 3.000 GPA (after 90 earned credit hours) and three letters of recommendation.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning a minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score, minimum 47 PTE score or minimum 100 DET score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive English Program. For more information on international admission visit the admissions website for international students.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill writing-intensive requirement.

²

Students must complete a laboratory from the Kent Core Basic Sciences category.

³

Maximum 9 credit hours may be used toward the major from courses in the M.A. degree for students admitted into the combined bachelor's/master's degree program. Any student interested in the combined program will be required to complete a total of 111 (undergraduate) credit hours prior to entry into the master's degree program.

Progression Requirements

• Minimum 3.000 overall GPA¹ (after 60 credit hours) is required to be admitted into the professional phase of the major.
• Students will not be able to register for professional phase courses until they meet the required GPA¹. Professional phase are all SPA courses required in the major with the exception of SPA 10002, SPA 34102, SPA 34103, SPA 34104, SPA 34107 and SPA 44111.

¹

Undergraduate students who have not completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours will be evaluated for advanced study and professional phase based on their high school GPA for new freshmen or transfer GPA for transfer students.

Graduation Requirements

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the nature of speech, language and hearing processes and disorders in children and adults.
2. Demonstrate the skills necessary to be successful speech-language pathologists, audiologists, or other health and human service professionals.
3. Gain entry into graduate programs in speech pathology, audiology and/or related fields, or obtain positions in health and human services related professions.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology is a pre-professional program focusing on the basic sciences of human communication, as well as the evaluation and treatment of communication disorders. This program provides a firm foundation for continuing to the master's degree in speech-language pathology or the doctorate in audiology.

The curriculum integrates a sequence of coursework designed to provide a strong liberal arts background and an understanding of normal and disordered aspects of the human communication process. Specific coursework includes anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanisms, hearing and speech science, neurology, phonetics, normal speech and language development, speech and language disorders, audiometry and aural rehabilitation.

Speech-language pathologists are required to hold a master’s degree, while audiologists hold a doctorate in audiology. Both are employed in a variety of settings, including rehabilitation centers, hospitals, schools, community clinics, private practice, research laboratories and colleges and universities.

Student may apply early to the Master of Arts degree in Speech Language Pathology and double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses toward both degree programs. See the Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program Policy in the University Catalog for more information.