Communicative Disorders & Sci (CDS)

Surveys the field of communication disorders and introduces the professions of speech-language pathology and audiology. Introduces the nature of communication disorders and the effects of speech-language-hearing handicaps on the lives of individuals, families, and society. An informational course for students in education, social, and health-related fields who deal with persons whose communicative behaviors are at variance with the norm.

The one credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps transition to UB through an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 198 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.

The three credit UB Seminar is focused on a big idea or challenging issue to engage students with questions of significance in a field of study and, ultimately, to connect their studies with issues of consequence in the wider world. Essential to the UB Curriculum, the Seminar helps students with common learning outcomes focused on fundamental expectations for critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and oral communication, and learning at a university, all within topic focused subject matter. The Seminars provide students with an early connection to UB faculty and the undergraduate experience at a comprehensive, research university. This course is equivalent to any 199 offered in any subject. This course is a controlled enrollment (impacted) course. Students who have previously attempted the course and received a grade of F or R may not be able to repeat the course during the fall or spring semester.

Basic aspects of articulatory and acoustic phonetics and transcription. Recognize and describe phonetic symbols, transcribe American English using the International Phonetic Alphabet. Describe and explain the normal aspects of speech production, including basics aspects of speech anatomy and physiology, speech acoustics, suprasegmentals, phonological processes, and dialects.

Involves an anatomic presentation of the respiratory, laryngeal and supralaryngeal areas of the speech mechanism. Examines muscle and skeletal structure for each speech component. Emphasizes in-depth discussion of breathing physiology for speech, laryngeal function for phonation and supralaryngeal function for articulation and resonance. Provides an anatomic and physiologic basis for all speech and voice disorders.

Basic concepts of energy, force, and tube acoustics. Acoustic characteristics of vowels and consonants with methods for analysis. Time permitting, theories of speech perception are included.

Introduces etiology, diagnosis, and rehabilitation of auditory disorders.

Explores the acquisition of language form and function by typical developing children. Discusses the normal development of phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics from infancy through early adolescence by examining empirical data and current theoretical issues and controversies. Examines the emergence of literacy skills and the differences in acquisition between mono- and bi-(or multi-) lingual children. Includes the impact of cultural, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic, and individual variation on children's normal language acquisition.

Presents the acoustic science background necessary for study in speech pathology, audiology, physical acoustics, electroacoustics, speech acoustics, psychoacoustics, psychology, and hearing science.

Introduction to sound acquisition in typically developing children and atypically developing children who exhibit speech or phonological disorders. Examine the major etiologies of speech disorders and coexisting conditions correlated with phonological disorders. Case studies will introduce various aspects of a comprehensive phonological evaluation and data analyses, and current approaches to phonological remediation.

Studies language disorders in children, including mental retardation, language learning disabilities, and autism. Topics include assessment techniques emphasizing language sample analysis, consideration of dialect differences, and treatment techniques to facilitate generalization.

Examines basic concepts of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology as the foundation for understanding communication, sensory, motor and other processing problems of neurologically impaired children and adults.

Involves presentations and class discussions related to assessment and remediation of a variety of communication disorders. Minimum of twenty-five clock hours of directed observation in diagnosis and treatment of speech, language, and hearing disorders, which is required by ASHA as a prerequisite to clinical practicum.

Covers procedures involved in the formal and informal evaluation of a variety of speech and language disorders in children and adults. Units include the diagnostic process, interviewing, psychometrics, and testing procedures across disorders.

Provides practical experience in interviewing, test administration, oral facial examination, and conferencing during the diagnostic process.

Studies the effect of hearing impairment on children and adults. Examines the application of knowledge of acoustics, linguistics, cognition, learning, and counseling psychology to the reduction of hearing handicaps.

Organization and administration of speech, language, and hearing programs in schools. Current legislation and practices in school programs. Includes models of service delivery, individualized educational programming, rights and responsibilities of teachers and other staff; instructional design and planning including case selection; multicultural and bilingual considerations; speech-language pathologist's role in language and literacy development. Required for New York State certification of Teachers of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities.

Content varies each semester.

Students admitted to the Early Admission Program (early admission to the graduate program in CDS at UB) participate in tutorials from individual academic and clinical faculty members in the department covering research and clinical methods in speech, language, and hearing abilities and disorders. Readings are pertinent to each topic, and students complete a paper or project with a faculty member in an area of interest.

This internship program provides field experience at the undergraduate level for potential future clinicians of speech and language pathology and possible school professionals. The intern attends at the host site under the supervision of the assigned mentor. A broad exposure to the variety of professions collaborating at the host site, and what they do is achieved. Success in fulfilling the attendance hours, supervisor's grading, and a written report submitted at the end of the semester by the intern, all contribute to the final grade. 112 hours of attendance is needed to get the three credits, and a letter grade is assigned at the end of the semester.

Accepted seniors pursue a specialized, independent study leading to an honors thesis or project.

Students collaborate with faculty research mentors on an ongoing project in a faculty member's laboratory or conduct independent research under the guidance of a faculty member. This experience provides students with an inquiry-based learning opportunity and engages them as active learners in a research setting.

Individualized student work under the guidance of a faculty member, intended to pursue topics that are not currently offered through regular coursework at the university.