About Us

The School of Allied Health Professions is described in detail on the LSU Health Sciences Center Catalog/Bulletin. The complete curriculums for the Department of Communication Disorders are found here (Speech Language Pathology, Audiology). The department typically admits as many as 10-15 audiology candidates and 23-25 speech-language pathology candidates annually.

LSUHSC has regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Universities from January 2015 until 2025.

"The master's program in speech-language pathology (M.C.D.) and the doctoral program in audiology (AuD) at LSU Health Sciences Center are 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, Maryland 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700." The accreditation period is from April 2018 through March 2026.

Department graduates have a very high pass rate on the PRAXIS examinations in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The Department's urban setting is on the edge of the Central Business District of one of the oldest and most ethnically varied cities in the nation, one that offers a rich, cultural setting in entertainment, art, and recreation. The training program offers a wide range of practicum training sites, many of them medically related.

Faculty have been trained in many diverse colleges and universities and have in-depth experience with graduate teaching and clinical supervision.

Students who enroll in the program will find that they have been trained to think scientifically about diagnosis and treatment in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and to focus on problem-solving strategies. Classes are relatively small in size, and the social scene is both friendly and a foundation for professional networking following graduation.

 

Program History

The Master of Communication Disorders Degree Program was established in 1974 and graduated its first class in August 1975. Since that time there have been approximately 1000 graduates with Masters of Communication Disorders degrees in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.  Graduates are employed in diverse settings such as: public schools, hospitals, rehabilitation agencies, nursing homes, private practices, and university training programs.

A Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology and a Doctor of Audiology degree are offered on the New Orleans campus.

This professional program provides students with opportunities to participate in practicum in a variety of clinical settings. We provide for the integration of communication disorders with the interdisciplinary concept involving other professional personnel. Because we are housed in a Health Sciences Center, we have the opportunities to treat patients who have varied disorders. Our patients span the gap from infancy to geriatrics.

The faculty has diverse interests and expertise in most areas of Communication Disorders in both Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Special expertise is found in the areas of voice, dysphagia, augmentative-alternative communication, fluency disorders, developmental and geriatric language disorders, and speech science as well as evoked auditory potentials, digital hearing aids, auditory processing, oto-acoustic emissions, cochlear implants, and auditory rehabilitation.

Our students are trained to work in multiple settings because of the breadth of clinical placement opportunities and broad coverage in academic coursework. They are well aware of the usefulness of further education at the doctoral level. The New Orleans metropolitan area offers many cultural and historical events throughout the year. Our educational program coupled with our geographical location makes this training program unique. At a personal level, students experience the ambiance of the Creole/French culture of New Orleans which prizes food, entertainment, friendship, music and the arts, as well as conversation and other pleasantries of life.