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Why study Speech and Hearing Science BA at UB?

The undergraduate program in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences (CDS) is a pre-professional program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree. The speech and hearing science major provides the common core of knowledge concerning the normal processes of speech, language, and hearing that is required for a background for study of disorders of communication. Students who successfully complete the undergraduate major in speech and hearing science may apply for the graduate program for speech-language pathology or audiology.

The University at Buffalo offers undergraduate and graduate programs in speech-language pathology, and audiology. Our programs rank very high nationwide. The graduate degree is the entry level into the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology. No certification is available based on the undergraduate curriculum.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of all requirements, the student will have knowledge to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of biological sciences, physical science, mathematics, social and behavioral sciences, and basic communication.
• Demonstrate knowledge across the age span of basic human communication processes related to their biological, neurological, acoustic, psychological, developmental, linguistic, and cultural bases.
• Demonstrate in standard oral and/or written form the ability to: recognize and describe normal aspects of the development and use of phonology, receptive and expressive language, fluency, vocal production, resonance, cognition/communication, social communication, and hearing.
• Demonstrate in standard oral and/or written form the ability to: identify the clinical characteristics of possible etiologies for a variety of communication differences and disorders, cognition/communication, and hearing.

Career Outlook

Recent publications from government and private sources indicate that the field of speech-language pathology and audiology will grow approximately 20% over the next 10 years, exceeding the average growth rate in the health-care industry. Currently, the average salary in both professions is approximately $76,000 per year. The majority of audiologists and speech-language pathologists work in hospitals, community clinics, and school systems. Some trained individuals also are employed in universities, industry, governmental agencies, private practice, or in group practice working with physicians and other specialists.

Speech and hearing professionals evaluate, treat, and conduct research into human communication and its disorders, working with infants, children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric populations.