What were classes like in college for a speech pathology major?

Fascinating! The curriculum varies a little depending on the school, the concentration and the region. However, you should expect to cover anatomy and physiology of the larynx, nasopharyngeal region and pharyngeal region. Some schools go in depth regarding the upper esophageal segment. You will learn about articulatory movement and oral motor movement as well. Many disorders to be covered in our field so expect the art and science of communication, voice, respiration, phonation, and swallow physiology!

Classes for a speech-language pathology major include anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanism (including the brain and respiratory system), introductory courses and specialized courses on specific communication disorders treated by SLP’s such as articulation (speech sound) disorders, language disorders, voice disorders, fluency disorders, Tramatic Brain Injury, and Aphasia. You are also introduced to therapy, first by observing and then by diagnosing and treating clients with the assistance of a supervisor.

My classes required outside reading, projects (both group and individual), and papers. Some of my most memorable assignments were: pretending to be a person who stutters to briefly experience what it’s like, programming an augmentative communication (AAC) device, learning to administer tests, and listening to voice samples to identify the voice disorder of the speaker. Classes were definitely technical and challenging but the material is very interesting. I appreciated how it all connected back to helping people.

If you have more questions about the specific courses, many Universities post their course catalogs online. Some also post their syllabi- the outline of a specific course for the semester- which will give you more in depth infirmation.

Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to Speech- Language Pathologists in your community to learn more. When I was researching the field, I found many professionals that were willing to share their time and experience with me.

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