Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the MyBU Student Portal for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• SAR SH 732: Fluency Disorders
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  Theories, diagnosis, and approaches to modification of stuttering behavior. Analysis of cases and review of pertinent research.
• SAR SH 733: Voice and Resonance Disorders
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  This course outlines the structural and functional bases of typical and disordered voice and resonance. Assessment and therapeutic techniques are structured around the fundamental principles of the science of speech production, including acoustic phonetics, basic signal processing, speech analysis, and speech perception. Both pediatric and adult disorders of voice and resonance are covered, with special emphasis on the function of interdisciplinary teams in assessment and treatment.
• SAR SH 734: Acquired Cognitive Disorders
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  An introduction to the rehabilitation of individuals with acquired brain injury across the recovery continuum from acute care to post-acute rehabilitation and reintegration into the community. Primary focus is on the role of the speech-language pathologist and the knowledge and skills required for diagnosis and treatment of this population. Formal and informal assessment tools, treatment paradigms, function of the interdisciplinary team, prevention, advocacy, and strategies to address the needs of family members are presented.
• SAR SH 735: Preschool Language Disorders
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  This course explores communication disorders from infancy through the preschool period. Topics addressed include theoretical frameworks for the assessment and treatment of childhood language disorders, etiology and characteristics of language/communication disorders in infants and preschool children, principles and methods of assessment and intervention, multicultural issues in assessment and intervention, and current issues in the early childhood language disorders research literature. Class sessions and assignments are designed to facilitate students' critical thinking and problem solving abilities in the area of infant and preschool communication/language disorders.
• SAR SH 736: Aphasia
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  This course will cover current theories of language processing and of language breakdown subsequent to neuropathology. Course topics cover neuroanatomy, neuroimaging and psycholinguistic models of language processing. Evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of adults with aphasia will be covered. Students will learn how to analyze language disorders in relation to current theories using a variety of diagnostic instruments and how to use the results of this analysis to plan for therapy.
• SAR SH 737: Evaluation and Diagnosis in Speech Pathology
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  Differential diagnosis in speech pathology. Review of pertinent research, interpretation of test results, and discussion of the implications of the diagnostic findings in a total rehabilitation process.
• SAR SH 738: Dysphagia
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: SAR SH 756 and SAR SH 737; For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  This course will provide basic information necessary to understand normal and abnormal swallowing and will impart the knowledge and skills needed to assess and treat patients with dysphagia. Topics include neuroanatomy and physiology of swallowing, the clinical evaluation, instrumental evaluations (fluoroscopy and endoscopy), treatment, swallowing disorders in children, and complications of dysphagia. Videorecorded swallow studies will be shown in most classes to enable the student to become proficient in identifying abnormal findings.
• SAR SH 739: Advanced Dysphagia
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: SAR SH 738; For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  This course will delve more deeply into topics of importance to clinical practice in dysphagia. Topics include evaluation procedures, analysis of FEES and MBS studies, efficacy of novel and established treatments, difficult decision making, dysphagia in head and neck cancer, neurologic disorders, dementia. Lab dissection and hands-on scoping sessions. Case studies to highlight each topic. The size of the class will be limited to encourage class discussion.
• SAR SH 740: Introduction to Clinical Practicum: Speech and Language
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: Successful completion of undergraduate pre-professional courses and consent of clinical faculty.
  Students are assigned to the Boston University Speech, Language and Hearing center for their first practicum experience. Clinical work is accompanied by regular group and individual meetings with the clinical staff. Acceptable hours may be applied to certification.
• SAR SH 741: Clinical Practicum: Speech and Language
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only.
  Students are assigned to their first field-based experience from a variety of clinical settings. Students may also be assigned to Boston University specialty clinics. Acceptable clinical hours may be applied to certification.
• SAR SH 742: Clinical Practicum: Speech and Language
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only
  Students are assigned their second field-based experience from a variety of clinical settings. Students may also be assigned to Boston University specialty clinics. Acceptable clinical hours may be applied to certification.
• SAR SH 743: Clinical Practicum: Speech and Language
  Graduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only
  Students are assigned their third field-based experience from a variety of clinical settings. Students may also be assigned to Boston University specialty clinics. Acceptable clinical hours may be applied to certification.
• SAR SH 744: Clinical Practicum: Diagnostics
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only.
  Upon successful completion of SAR SH737 and SAR 740, students are assigned to the Boston University Speech, Language, and Hearing Center Diagnostic Team. Acceptable clinical hours may be applied to certification.
• SAR SH 748: Hearing Practicum I
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: SAR SH 535, SAR SH 547 or equivalent, and consent of clinical faculty.
  Clinical practicum for students in the Masters of Speech-Language Pathology program. Students conduct hearing screenings for children and adults under the supervision of an audiologist, following protocols established by the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association. Some clinical sites are in local schools.
• SAR SH 752: Hearing Practicum II
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  Establishing written goals for aural habilitation and rehabilitation though sample cases, online. Hands-on training and practice with hearing aids and other assistive listening devices in a workshop format.
• SAR SH 756: Cognition and Neural Bases
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  The purpose of this course is to provide students with a thorough understanding of the brain and its neuroanatomy; students will also learn about common models of language processing and the latest advances in neuroimaging studies on language processing in the brain. When students have completed this course, they should be able to (a) be able to identify various structures in the brain and their significance, (b) relate specific communicative disorders to their etiology in the brain, (c) relate models of language processing with specific regions in the brain, and (d) critically evaluate existing neuroimaging studies based on models of language processing and neuroanatomy.
• SAR SH 757: Aging and Dementia
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  This course provides students with an overview of the methods and procedures used to evaluate and treat individuals with dementia and degenerative cognitive communication disorders. Students will learn about the characteristics of a variety of dementia sub-types, as well as risk factors for developing language and cognitive impairment. We will discuss assessment of cognitive and language skills and various evidence-based treatment methodologies.
• SAR SH 759: Ind Study
  
• SAR SH 760: MS Thesis Res
  
• SAR SH 770: Advanced Augmentative and Alternative Communication
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: SAR SH691. For MS-SLP students only or with consent of the instructor.
  Case based clinical application of AAC assessment and intervention. This course offers a detailed investigation of varied populations, implementation of high-tech, low-tech and no-tech solutions, partner training and development of measurable goals. A selection of hardware and software solutions that represent appropriate options for emerging, context dependent and independent communicators will be explored with a focus on language support, integration and partner training. As available, students may be paired with consumers of AAC to support implementation and appropriate design of communication options. Format includes lecture and hands on training both at BU and during select Saturday sessions at Boston Children's Hospital's Waltham site.