Prevention
Screening
Assessment
Treatment
Behavioral modification
Follow-up
Administration
Consultation
Supervision
Teaching
Research
Public and private K-12 schools
Universities and colleges
Hospitals
Physicians’ offices
Speech, language, and hearing centers
Home healthcare offices
Nursing care facilities
Adult day healthcare centers
Residential facilities
Federal agencies:
Department of Veterans Affairs
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Education
Armed Services
State and local health departments
Community clinics
Rehabilitation centers
Private individual or group practices
Research laboratories
A master’s degree from an accredited speech-language pathology program is required to enter the field.
Nearly all states require licensure or certification of speech pathologists.
Obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association.
A passing score on the national examination and post-graduate supervised clinical experience are required for certification.
Some states may require additional certification to work with special education populations in public schools.
Some practitioners specialize in specific age groups.
A doctorate is required for university teaching and research positions.
Take undergraduate coursework in anatomy, physiology, psychology, and communication sciences.
Maintain a high GPA and seek related experiences to be competitive for graduate school.
Successful candidates have the ability to communicate effectively, demonstrate patience, and work well with others.
Learn to function effectively on a team as many speech-language pathologists collaborate with other healthcare professionals.
Audiologists identify, diagnosis, and treat people experiencing disorders associated with the ear and hearing. These disorders may include hearing loss or balance problems. Audiologists utilize technical equipment such as audiometers and computers to assess a patient’s impairment and to plan a course of treatment. Audiologists are concerned with the nature and extent of hearing loss and how this may impact a client’s quality of life.
Prevention
Screening
Diagnosis
Assessment
Treatment:
Dispense hearing aids
Fit and program cochlear implants
Administer hearing assistive technology systems
Counsel patients and families on communication methods
Tinnitus retraining therapy
Cerumen management
Fabrication of ear protection pieces
Follow-up
Administration
Supervision
Forensic audiology
Teaching
Research and development
Consultation
Hearing protection programming/education
Hospitals
Physicians’ offices
Speech, language, and hearing centers
Private individual or group practices
Home healthcare agencies
Nursing care centers
Residential facilities
Rehabilitation centers
Federal agencies:
Department of Veterans Affairs
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Education
Armed Services
State and local public health departments
Health and personal care stores (hearing aid stores)
Hearing manufacturing industry
Employers required by OSHA to protect hearing
Schools, K-12
Universities and colleges
Research laboratories
A doctoral degree in audiology, a passing score on the national examination, and post-graduate supervised clinical experience are generally necessary for licensure which is required by all states.
Obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A) offered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association or credentialing through the American Board of Audiology.
Many states require audiologists to have a Hearing Aid Dispenser license to dispense those devices.
Take undergraduate coursework in anatomy, math, physics, genetics, and normal and abnormal communication development. Maintain a strong GPA.
Learn to work well on a team as most audiologists collaborate with physicians, speech-language pathologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, or other professionals.
Audiologists who go into private practice may want to seek courses or training in business principles.
Research the fields of audiology and speech-language pathology to determine which is a better fit. Shadow professionals to experience their work environments.
Join the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association while in school and become an active member.
Volunteer in healthcare settings or other helping roles to gain experience working with people of diverse ages and backgrounds.
Display a desire to work with people who have disabilities and a strong sense of patience which is necessary as rehabilitation may progress slowly.
Develop excellent communication and computer skills. Learn about communication among various cultures.
Earn excellent grades and obtain strong faculty recommendations for graduate school admission.
Research the centralized graduate school application process managed by the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
Attend universities accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.