About SPPA
WMU Program History
Speech pathology and audiology programming at Western Michigan University dates from 1936, when Dr. Charles Van Riper came from the University of Iowa to establish a speech clinic and to develop a curriculum in speech correction. It was one of the nation's earliest clinics for the study and treatment of speech disorders and for the preparation of "speech correctionists." Graduate-level study began some 20 years later, and in 1966 Western's graduate program became the first in Michigan, and one of the first six in the nation, to gain accreditation.
Over the years, Dr. Van Riper's remarkable success in treating stuttering in clients from around the world earned him the reputation of being a giant in the field. He authored one of the primary textbooks still used in classrooms today. Along with the continuing growth in his stature, and the quality contributions of other faculty, came an enhancement in the department's reputation for excellence, diversity, and leadership, a trend that continues to this day.
Today - Why WMU?
For the faculty and staff of the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, the foremost concern is to assist individuals who have communication disabilities, and students who share this point of view are especially welcome. The enhancement of personal as well as professional growth of the students is, in turn, a fundamental and ongoing commitment of the faculty. As a result, professionals are educated who are maximally effective in providing clinical services to individuals of all ages with speech, language, and hearing impairments.
The outcome for students is that knowledge is enhanced and a variety of skills and competencies are developed, including those related to evaluation, diagnosis, rehabilitation, and prevention as well as those related to research, education, and administration.
In other words, the mastering of the elements of the educational regimen outlined in these web pages and the graduate program pages will likely be a blueprint for success. The large number of department graduates who have gone on to satisfying and even preeminent careers in the field validates the WMU educational experience.
The Professions and Opportunities
What
is speech-language pathology and audiology?
Impairments of communication — speech,
language, and hearing disorders are among the most prevalent
of human disabilities and can leave myriad problems in their wake.
Speech-language pathology and audiology are areas of professional
specialization that focus on the prevention and treatment of communication
disorders.
What do speech-language pathologists and audiologists do?
Speech-language pathologists work with children and adults in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. They provide diagnostic treatment services for a vast array of communication disorders, including those related to:
stroke,
autism,
deafness,
cerebral palsy,
paralysis,
cleft palate, and
aging.
Audiologists also work with people of all ages in many settings including private audiology practices, hospitals, physician's offices, schools, and research centers. They provide services to diagnose, treat, and prevent hearing loss and balance disorders. Diagnostic testing ranges from conventional behavioral tests to detailed electrophysiological procedures. Treatment services include the selection and fitting of hearing aids, determining candidacy for, programming of, and rehabilitation with people who receive cochlear implants, and providing aural rehabilitation services for people with any degree of hearing loss. Prevention services include the development and evaluation of hearing conservation programs and the selection and evaluation of hearing protectors for those exposed to excessive noise.
Where do speech-language pathologists and audiologists work?
In Michigan, almost 60 percent of speech-language pathologists are employed in elementary and secondary schools. The remainder, as well as audiologists, are employed in:
clinics,
speech and hearing centers,
private practice, and federal, state, and local government or administration.
Employment is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the first decade of the new millenium.
Other information about careers is available by contacting the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Blvd., Rockville, Maryland 2085-3289 or www.asha.org.
Mission Statement
The basic mission of the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Western Michigan University is to prepare professionals who will be maximally effective in providing clinical services to individuals with speech, language, and hearing impairments. The enhancement of knowledge and the development of a variety of skills and competencies -- including those related to evaluation, diagnosis, rehabilitation and prevention, as well as those related to research, education and administration - are subsumed by the basic mission.
As a corollary to this mission, the department is also committed to the furthering of a fuller understanding of human communication processes and of communication disorders through its instructional programs, through laboratory and clinical research, through information dissemination and through professional and community service activities.
Our
foremost concern is assisting individuals who have communication
handicaps, and we welcome students who share this point of view.
The enhancement of personal as well as professional growth in our
students is, in turn, a fundamental and ongoing commitment of our
faculty.