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Communication Sciences and Disorders

95-100% of our graduates who apply to graduate programs are admitted.

Do you see your career as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, or working in the field of speech-language or hearing science or health care? If yes, Augustana is your place.

Every year, 95-100% of Augustana Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) graduates who apply to graduate programs are admitted. Half received teaching or research fellowships, because they know what they’re doing (and they love what they do). Career paths for CSD majors.

It comes down to substantial clinical experience, research and service, with the supervision of devoted faculty.

You’ll be trained in working with clients in Augustana’s on-campus clinic: The Barbara A. Roseman Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing. Supported by faculty, students provide intervention to about 90 families each semester.

With the new $3.75 million expansion to the CSD department’s home in Brodahl Hall, you’ll have the benefit of the new and the original — new facilities and technology, with the reputation as one of the nation’s first and finest college-based speech and language clinics.

Based on our longstanding excellent program, and in response to the need for more high-quality speech pathology graduate programs around the country, Augustana added a master of science program in speech-language pathology (MS-SLP) in 2020.

What you'll learn

Disciplinary knowledge

Disciplinary knowledge

Gain a deep understanding of your subject and how it connects to other subjects.

Communication competence

Communication competence

Read and listen carefully. Express ideas (writing or speaking) suited to the audience.

Intercultural competence

Intercultural competence

Understand real and imaginary similarities and differences. Use more than one perspective to view issues.

Ethical citizenship

Ethical citizenship

Examine and embrace your strengths, passions and values. Develop ethical convictions and act on them.

Creative thinking

Creative thinking

Combine ideas to create something new. Use imaginative ways of solving problems.

Distinctions

  • Augustana offers a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. A one-year, non-degree post-baccalaureate course sequence is also offered for students with a bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than CSD who would like to apply for graduate study in speech-language pathology.
  • For nearly 80 years, Augustana has been serving community clients with speech, language, and hearing disorders. Our clinic clients reflect the linguistically diverse community of the Illinois-Iowa Quad Cities (pop. 450,000) along the Mississippi River.
  • Augustana's undergraduate and graduate programs include substantial clinical experience, research and service learning, all with the close support of the faculty. CSD majors and MS-SLP students perform clinical services while they are supervised by faculty who hold the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
  • Along with hands-on clinical experience, Augustana CSD grads are successful because of their experience performing data-based research. Every year for nearly 25 years, Augustana CSD majors have been selected to present their research findings at the national convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. For more than 25 consecutive years, CSD majors have presented at annual state conventions.

The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at Augustana College 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.

Recent grads

Ella Aldridge '23 is pursuing a master's in speech-language pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Rebecca Smuck '23 is pursuing a master's in speech-language pathology at the University of Kansas.

Kathryn Boyle '21 is pursuing a master’s in speech-language pathology at Purdue University.

Molly Bastida '21 is attending Illinois State University for a Doctorate of Audiology (Au.D.).

Courtney Baker '20 is pursuing her doctorate in audiology at Northwestern University.

Claire Benisch '19 is a speech-language pathologist at the Children’s Therapy Center in the Quad Cities.

Michelle Johnson '17 is a speech-language pathologist at Young & Well in Washington, D.C.

Natalie Tomerlin '16 is a clinical assistant professor at Northwestern University and a speech-language pathologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Annette Schneider
More Than I Imagined Annette Schneider
“The faculty in the CSD department truly want every student to succeed, and they are willing to take the time and effort to make that happen.”
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Danielle Palmieri
More Than I Imagined Danielle Palmieri
“Augustana's clinic is an amazing opportunity at the undergraduate level to gain clinical experience in CSD.”
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Linnea Tabaka
More Than I Imagined Linnea Tabaka
“Dr. Jakielski, Dr. Haskill and other faculty in the CSD department have been mentors to me throughout my entire time at Augie.”
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