Students who are interested in studying speech therapy can pursue a graduate degree in communication sciences and disorders. This two-year program teaches students about the anatomy and physiology of the speech, language, and hearing mechanisms, as well as how to conduct therapy with people of all ages.
Speech therapy, also known as speech-language pathology or speech and language therapy, is focused on helping people overcome communication disorders that prevent them from speaking and understanding others. If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a speech therapist, you’ll need to start by securing your bachelor’s degree. A master’s degree is usually required for careers involving clinical work. In this guide, we’ll explore the degrees and training needed to become a speech therapist, as well as some options for online schools that offer them.
A speech-language pathologist helps people with issues related to speech, language, and swallowing. They work with children and adults who have problems communicating due to a stroke, brain injury, hearing loss, developmental delay, or other conditions. Speech-language pathologists generally need a master’s degree to practice.
Speech therapy is a field that focuses on helping patients improve the way they speak, whether through the use of language or through speech sounds. Speech language pathologists work with patients who have had strokes, traumatic brain injuries, cleft palates, or other conditions that affect their ability to communicate.
A speech therapist’s job is to help patients with speech, language, and swallowing disorders rebuild their communication skills. This often involves identifying problems and developing treatment plans using various therapy techniques. Speech therapists may also provide patient education on ways to cope with their disorder or preventive measures they can take to minimize the risk of future issues.
A bachelor’s degree in communication science and disorders (CSD) will help prepare you for graduate school and give you the foundational knowledge needed to become a speech therapist. You can also pursue other degrees, such as linguistics or biology, before applying to graduate school for CSD. Some schools offer joint bachelor’s/master’s degree programs where students can complete both degrees in five years rather than six.
Selecting a college with a speech therapy program is an important decision in your career as a speech therapist. There are many factors to consider, including what kind of degree you want, how long the program is, and where the school is located.
This guide will help you research speech therapy programs by providing you with information on available degrees and the resources that will help you make your final decision.
Speech therapists work with patients who have problems communicating due to medical or mental health issues. They typically focus on helping their clients improve their speech patterns or develop alternative ways to communicate, depending on their needs.
There are many different careers in speech therapy, including working with children who have developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), cerebral palsy (CP), Down syndrome (DS) or other types of intellectual disabilities (ID).
There are also specialties like fluency disorders such as stuttering or cluttering; voice disorders like vocal nodules and muscle tension dysphonia; and augmentative alternative communication devices like picture boards for nonverbal people with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Some therapists even specialize in swallowing problems associated with dementia or stroke victims who’ve had damage done to their brain stem function (cognitive impairments).