Communication Disorders - Master of Arts
Students entering the graduate program with an undergraduate major in Communication Disorders can expect to complete the program in two years if they enroll full-time or in three years if they enroll part-time and be awarded a Masters of Arts in Communication Disorders with a specialization in Speech-Language Pathology. The graduate program for students without a Communication Disorders background is generally one year longer because one year of leveling is required. Enrollment in graduate courses in Communication Disorders is limited to students who have been accepted into the graduate program in Communication Disorders. To complete this course of study, each student is expected to meet the program’s academic and clinical competency criteria which are aligned with the requirements of state and national certifying bodies for licensure and clinical certification. Details regarding certification are available from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), and the New Mexico Regulations & Licensing Department.
The residential Master of Arts education program in speech-language pathology at New Mexico State University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.
Program Requirements
The traditional Master's degree plan requires a minimum of 62 graduate credit hours and the completion of at least 400 clinical hours.
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| SPHS 5110 | Research Methods | 3 |
| SPHS 5120 | Assessment of Communication Disorders | 3 |
| SPHS 5130 | Pediatric Language and Disorders | 3 |
| SPHS 5210 | School Age Language and Disorders | 3 |
| SPHS 5140 | Speech Sound Disorders | 3 |
| SPHS 5220 | Adult Neurogenic Language Disorders | 3 |
| SPHS 5350 | Voice Disorders/Head and Neck Anomalies | 3 |
| SPHS 5230 | Fluency Disorders | 3 |
| SPHS 5330 | Dysphagia | 3 |
| SPHS 5340 | Motor Speech Disorders | 3 |
| SPHS 5410 | Professional Issues and Multicultural Practices in Communication Disorders | 3 |
| SPHS 5988 | Clinical Education | 2 |
| SPHS 5990 | Practicum in Speech-Language Pathology | 13 |
| SPHS 5989 | Externship in Communication Disorders | 9 |
| Elective Courses - Choose 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Interprofessional Education and Learning: Foundations of Collaborative Practice | 1 | |
| Cognitive Communication Disorders | 3 | |
| Swallowing and its Disorders in the Pediatric Population | 2 | |
| Introduction to Augmentative and Alternatice Communication | 3 | |
| Communication Disorders in Neurodiverse Populations | 3 | |
| Best Practices in Bilingual/Multicultural Assessment for Practitioners | 3 | |
| Special Topics | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 63 | |
Leveling Program
The Leveling Program is designed for students with an undergraduate degree other than Communication Disorders. The courses to be taken during the leveling year are listed below. In addition to these courses, students who did not complete at least one 3-credit hour course in all of the following subjects: Biology, Physics or Chemistry, and Statistics before starting the leveling program should also plan on completing these courses.
| Prefix | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SPHS 4710 | Speech Disorders Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| SPHS 4520 | Audiology | 3 |
| SPHS 4720 | Anatomy and Physiology of Speech Mechanisms | 3 |
| SPHS 4810 | Clinical Methods and Procedures | 3 |
| SPHS 4820 | Neural Bases of Communication Disorders | 3 |
| SPHS 4830 | Aural Rehabilitation | 3 |
| SPHS 4620 | Speech and Hearing Science | 3 |
| SPHS 4610 | Language Acquisition | 3 |
| SPHS 4715 | Language Disorders Across the Life Span | 3 |
| SPHS 4510 | Phonetics | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |