The University of the West Indies, Mona

Programme Overview

Speech-Language Pathology is an interdisciplinary field combining linguistics, medical sciences, psychology and special education. Students who do the Minor in Speech & Language Science will be exposed to courses in all these areas. The Minor is a bridge to the M.Sc. in Speech-Language Pathology that provides students with an opportunity to gain a foundation in that field while satisfying the qualifying requirements for entry into the M.Sc..

Programme Structure

The Minor in Speech and Language requires fifteen (15) credits from Level II courses. There are four Level I prerequisites for this minor.

Programme Objectives

The overall objectives of the Minor in Speech & Language Science are to produce graduates who: -

1. Exhibit a broad knowledge base of the fields linked with Speech-Language Pathology
2. Experience interdisciplinary learning in the areas of linguistics, anatomy and psychology
3. Achieve the qualification for admissions in postgraduate studies in the fields of communication sciences and disorders
4. Develop the social, cultural and linguistic academic formation to understand, support and grow the fields of communication sciences and disorders
5. Display knowledge of the basic principles of human speech, language, and hearing development 
6. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic theory and terminology related to human communication disorders
7. Show knowledge of the basic principles of evaluating and assessing individuals with communication disorders
8. Demonstrate knowledge of the basic standards of ethical conduct within the fields of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology

Programme Outcomes

On successful completion, the graduates of the Minor in Speech & Language Science should be able to:

1. Advocate for the profession, professionals, and other stakeholders of the fields of communication sciences and disorders.
2. Describe the role of the clinician in the management of communication disorders.
3. Demonstrate understanding of the scope of practice of Speech-Language Pathology in relation to other professions
4. Discuss clinical practice issues across the service spectrum (education, prevention, assessment/identification, therapy/management, and counselling)
5. Evaluate intervention/management considerations and approaches appropriate to a variety of service delivery models.
6. Apply basic skills in clinical record keeping, including report writing.
7. Examine ethical considerations in clinical practice.
8. Demonstrate reflective practice in all areas of professional and clinical behaviour.
9. Pursue postgraduate studies in the fields of communication sciences and disorders, and speech-language pathology

Programme Duration

The courses required for the Minor in Speech and Language Science are done alongside courses required for a student’s major.

FAQ

1. What’s the difference between the Minor and the Diploma in Speech and Language Science?
   
   Both allow you to be eligible to do the M.Sc. in Speech and Language Science. There are three major differences.
   1. The Minor is for current students. The Diploma is for students who are not enrolled in another programme.
   2. The Minor does not carry additional cost at this time; your tuition covers the cost for your major and minor. Diploma students have to pay for their courses.
   3. The Minor is done over the 3 to 5 years of your degree. The Diploma is done in 1 year.