Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Florida Atlantic University was established and approved by the Florida Board of Regents in July 1985. The student body has grown from its original class of nine to a current census of over 50 students. The program received its initial accreditation in 1994.
Accreditation
The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at Florida Atlantic University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.
The program meets requirements for relevant Florida licensure.
Student Achievement Data
The Council on Academic Accreditation’s standard 1.9 requires that the program provide information about the program and the institution to students and to the public that is current, accurate, and readily available. One aspect of that information is student outcome measures. The data that must be available to the public are program completion rates, Praxis* examination pass rates, and employment rates for each of the three (3) most recently completed academic years. The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders is very proud of its students’ performances on these benchmarks.
On-time Program Completion Rates
| Period | # Completed within Expected Time Frame | % Completed within Expected Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| 2023/2024 | 23 | 96% |
| 2022/2023 | 22 | 92% |
| 2021/2022 | 18 | 86% |
Praxis Examination Pass Rates of Test-takers
* Praxis is the National Examination in Speech Pathology and Audiology. All students must obtain a passing score to receive the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
| Reporting Period | # Taking the Exam | # Passed Exam | % Passed Exam Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/2024 | 26 | 26 | 100% |
| 2022/2023 | 23 | 23 | 100% |
| 2021/2022 | 25 | 25 | 100% |
The department's mission is fourfold:
- To prepare highly qualified, capable, ethical professionals who will engage in reflective decision-making and promote and sustain authentic change, excellence, and equity, as well as meeting or exceeding the Department's and ASHA's guidelines for clinical and academic preparation in speech-language pathology;
- To engage in research of the normal and abnormal processes of speech, hearing, and language towards the furthering of both clinical and academic knowledge reflecting the diversity and needs of a global society while considering current methodologies and incorporating current technology;
- To provide quality speech, language, and hearing diagnostic and habilitation/ rehabilitation services to all FAU students, staff, and faculty and to any individual outside of the FAU community requiring such services;
- To act as a resource for the University, as well as for local, state, national, and international communities, by serving as consultants, liaisons, lecturers, facilitators, master clinicians, and authorities in the various areas of communication disorders.