The Department of Communication Disorders is housed within the College of Health Professions. We offer an undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Disorders and both a Master of Arts and a Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders. Those students who elect to write a Master's thesis earn an MA degree. Graduate students also have the opportunity to participate in our Bilingual/Multicultural Cognate. Our graduate program is accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in speech-language pathology.
Mission Statement: To accomplish our vision, the mission of the Department of Communication Disorders at Texas State University is to produce master’s level speech-language pathologists who meet all requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). In addition, we strive to provide undergraduate students with the academic background enabling them to successfully enter graduate education in Communication Disorders. To accomplish this mission, the department must (1) maintain Council of Academic Accreditation (CAA) standards of accreditation in the academic and clinical education of its graduate students (2) maintain high standards in the clinical services it provides and (3) encourage the development of new knowledge through faculty and student research activities.
Vision Statement: The Department of Communication Disorders at Texas State University aspires to be the premiere institution in the State of Texas for producing certified and licensed speech-language pathology graduates.
History
The current Department of Communication Disorders began offering degrees in the 1960s at Southwest Texas State University . At that time, the program was housed in the School of Education underneath the area of Special Education following SWT’s long-standing tradition of producing quality teachers. Not long after that, SWT established a master’s degree program in the field of speech-language pathology. As the profession changed, so did the program. It evolved from training speech-language pathologists for schools to producing speech-language pathologists who were equipped to work in schools, hospitals, rehab facilities, clinics and beyond. During this time, the department was the first in the state of Texas to offer an academic course in dysphagia. Its two-week intensive Summer Stuttering Institute drew families from around the country.