Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences

Communication Disorders and Sciences: Philosophy

The underlying basis for the graduate degree programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology is the practitioner-teacher model, whereby students learn from faculty who have taken on dual roles as academicians and practitioners. This approach to professional education helps to bridge the gap that can exist between classroom teaching and clinical service delivery. Students learn in an environment where teaching, research, and patient care are  integrated. The faculty at Rush have established records in clinical service delivery and participate  in the clinical process in addition to teaching and research. Students receive outstanding clinical education experiences with diverse patients who present a full range of communicative disorders. The Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology programs are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

The programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology are based on the philosophy that professional education is optimized by drawing upon the patients, health care providers,  and other resources of an academic medical center. The resources at Rush University enrich and enhance faculty and student research and scholarship, and they provide unique opportunities for interprofessional education and collaborations. The clinical skills of Rush students are fostered and developed through didactic courses, clinical observation and instruction, and supervision by practitioner-teachers. The department faculty is supplemented by the expertise of physicians, scientists, and other health care practitioners within  Rush University Medical Center.

Mission Statement of the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences

The Department of Communication Disorders & Sciences at Rush University will provide outstanding graduate education in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology characterized by the teacher-practitioner model, superior patient care, excellence in research and scholarship, and commitment to serve diverse communities.

Vision Statement

The Department of Communication Disorders & Sciences will be recognized as offering the programs of choice for graduate education in Audiology and Speech - Language Pathology in the United States.

Professional Credentialing

Rush programs in Communication Disorders and Sciences offer the academic and clinical education background necessary to begin the ASHA clinical fellowship year (speech-language pathology) and to meet requirements for certification in audiology and speech-language pathology. Upon graduation students are eligible to do the following:

• Obtain Illinois licensure
• Meet requirements for professional certification in speech-language pathology or audiology
• Meet the requirements for the Illinois Educator License as a (non-teaching speech-language pathologist). This is under the School Services Personnel category. Eligibility for the Illinois Educator License may require adjustment to a student’s didactic or clinical experiences