Communication Sciences and Disorders Department

Teri James Bellis, Chairperson
Room 303, Noteboom Hall
(605) 677-5474
csd@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/csd

FACULTY

Professor:

Teri James Bellis, Central Auditory Disorders, Clinical Audiology, Central Auditory Neurophysiology and Electrophysiology, American Sign Language, Advanced Research Methods, Genetics of Hearing Loss, Professional Issues, Audiologic Assessment

Associate Professor:

Elizabeth Hanson, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Neuromotor Disorders, Communication Sciences, Research Methods
Marni Johnson Martin, Clinical Audiology, Pediatric Audiology, Advanced Aural Rehabilitation, Audiology Practice Management, Hearing Conservation
Mandy Williams, Fluency Disorders, Voice Disorders, Acquired Disorders of Language and Cognition, Craniofacial Anomalies

Assistant Professors:

Kyle Brouwer, Language Disorders in Children, Advanced Language Disorders, Disorders of Phonology and Articulation, Diagnosis of Speech and Language Disorders
Lindsey Jorgensen, Clinical Audiology, Amplification, Aural Rehabilitation, OAEs and Balance Function Testing, Pathologies of Hearing
Jessica Messersmith, Psychoacoustics, Signal Encoding, Cochlear Implants and Other Implantable Devices, Anatomy and Physiology of Hearing

Instructors:

Angela Brown, Clinical Speech-Language Pathology
Elizabeth DeVelder, Language Development, Organic Speech Pathologies, Clinical Speech-Language Pathology
Jane Clem Heinemeyer, Dysphagia, Clinical Speech-Language Pathology
Solveig Sperati Korte, Speech Science, Phonetics, Clinical Speech-Language Pathology
Tracey Lorang, Clinical Speech-Language Pathology

MAJOR:

Communication Sciences and Disorders, B.A., B.S.

MINOR:

Communication Sciences and Disorders

The undergraduate and graduate Communication Sciences and Disorders Programs prepare students for professional positions in the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology. Speech-language pathology is concerned with the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of persons with speech, language, swallowing, and related disorders. Audiology is concerned with the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of persons with hearing, other auditory, and balance disorders.

Professionals in this discipline are employed as clinicians, educators, administrators, and consultants in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, public school systems, colleges and universities, state and federal government agencies, and private practice. The master’s degree is required for entrance into the profession of speech-language pathology. The doctoral degree is required for the practice of audiology. National certification in speech-language pathology or audiology from the Council for Clinical Certification of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) requires completion of the appropriate graduate degree and all requisite clinical and related activities.

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology) offers a general bachelor’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders, a master’s degree program in speech-language pathology, and a doctoral degree program in audiology. The undergraduate degree program is a pre-professional program that is a blend of a liberal arts foundation and a general core curriculum in the communication sciences and in disorders of communication. Students do not emphasize either speech-language pathology or audiology at the undergraduate level but instead take courses in both areas. The academic and clinical practicum requirements for national certification in speech-language pathology and audiology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) may be completed across the undergraduate and graduate programs. The department’s graduate programs in audiology and in speech-language pathology are nationally accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.

FACILITIES

The USD Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic serves as a clinical education center for students majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and as a clinical services center for children and adults in need of diagnostic, therapeutic, and counseling services for a wide variety of communication disorders. The clinic contains clinical observation rooms, clinical service rooms, audiometric facilities, research laboratories, classrooms, offices and lounges, student computer labs, and study space for students. There is a USD Scottish Rite Children’s Speech and Language Clinic located in the USD Speech and Hearing Center in Vermillion and a second one at the Masonic Center in Sioux Falls.

SCHOOL CERTIFICATION IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY OR AUDIOLOGY

Students completing only the Bachelor’s degree will not be recommended by the University for public school certification. To be approved for this certification, students must complete the graduate degree in the professional area in which they want school certification, including specific academic and clinical practicum requirements. Consult your advisor for these requirements. Individual states have their own school certification requirements. Consult your advisors and individual certifying state education agencies as to their specific requirements. Speech-language Pathologists in South Dakota must be licensed by the South Dakota Board of Examiners for Speech-language Pathology for the credentials to practice in schools or any other setting. The master’s degree is required to be licensed as a Speech-language Pathologist in South Dakota. Individuals with their Bachelor’s Degree are eligible to obtain licensure as a Speech-language Pathology Assistant with additional clinical experiences.

NSSLHA CHAPTER

There is a USD Chapter of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) that is active in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

SCHOLARSHIPS

The Communication Sciences and Disorders Department offers a wide variety of scholarships and awards for students majoring in the discipline. Please contact the department for information about available scholarships and awards.