Speech therapy degrees teach students the skills they need to help people with speech and language disorders. Speech therapists usually work alongside other medical professionals, like neurologists and doctors, to address issues such as difficulty pronouncing words, lisps, slurred speech, or even difficulties with swallowing.
Speech therapists may also help with issues that have nothing to do with speech. Some patients require speech therapy because of physical disabilities or even brain injuries.
There are many different kinds of degrees available for speech therapists. The most common are a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders, or a Doctorate of Audiology (AuD). Both programs prepare students for careers in various aspects of speech therapy including working with children or adults suffering from neurological disorders.
Speech therapy degrees are designed to prepare students for careers as speech-language pathologists, helping patients who have disorders that affect their ability to speak, such as stuttering or aphasia. Speech therapy degrees help students learn how to evaluate and treat patients with speech, language, and swallowing disorders. Common courses in these programs include phonetics and articulation of speech, human communication development, and neurogenic disorders.
Speech therapy degrees, more commonly known as speech-language pathology degrees, are typically master’s programs that prepare students to diagnose and treat communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. If you want to become a speech-language pathologist (SLP), you will need to complete a speech therapy degree program.
As an SLP, you will work with patients who are experiencing difficulties with communication or swallowing. For example, you might work with children who have articulation problems or autistic children who have trouble with social communication. You may also work with people who have suffered from strokes or brain injuries that impair their ability to communicate effectively. As part of your SLP job duties, you will assess clients in order to determine the type and severity of their communication or swallowing disorder, create treatment plans for clients, collaborate with other professionals to provide the best care for clients, implement treatment plans, and track client progress.
If any of these areas sound interesting to you, a career as an SLP may be a good fit. Speech therapy degrees can help you achieve your goal of becoming an SLP by providing you with the preparation and education required for this career.
Speech therapy degrees are designed to train students in the study of speech and language disorders. Speech therapists, also called speech-language pathologists, treat patients who have difficulty speaking or swallowing due to injury, disease, or a developmental disorder.
There are two basic types of degrees: an Associate’s degree in Speech Therapy and a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Therapy. Both can be found at community colleges or universities.
An Associate’s degree typically consists of two years of general education courses and two years of specialized classes, with the latter focusing on communication disorders. The program will also include an internship in a school setting.
After earning an Associate’s degree in Speech Therapy, you can start your career as a speech therapist. However, because there are only so many jobs available for people with this level of education, it is important to earn a higher degree if you want to increase your chances of getting hired.
A Bachelor’s degree in Speech Therapy is more focused on the study of speech and language disorders than an Associate’s degree is. It usually takes four years to complete a Bachelor’s program, including general education courses. Students will learn about normal speech development and communication disorders as well as how to evaluate patients’ needs and create treatment plans for them.