Standards and Background Checks
Technical Standards for the MS-SLP Program
The following “Technical Standards” have been formally adopted by the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at Boston University College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College. Applicants and students for the MS-SLP degree must have abilities and skills in the areas of cognition/judgment/observation, communication, interpersonal/attitudinal attributes, and physical and sensory motor skills as described below and are built on the assumption that students have the capacity to make travel arrangements to and from classroom and/or practica settings and dress in a professionally appropriate manner. These Technical Standards are necessary for full participation in the academic and clinical work required by the Speech-Language Pathology Program at Boston University and must be demonstrated on a consistent basis.
Cognitive/Judgment/Observation
- Problem-solving ability sufficient to organize and complete multiple tasks (such as projects, assignments and work relating to client care) from multiple courses and/or clinical practica, accurately and within assigned time frames. These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis and synthesis.
- Ability to use appropriate judgment with clients, family members, and other stakeholders during lectures, independent studies, application sessions, and all clinical activities.
- Adherence to safety precautions and the ability to provide a safe environment for others and respond quickly to emergency situations.
- Ability to use your intellectual capacity, exercise good judgment, and promptly complete all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of clients under potentially stressful circumstances. These include intensive curricula with academic (classroom and independent studies) and clinical practica learning experiences that require effective and adequate coping and time management skills.
- Capability to complete self-evaluation and apply feedback to academic and clinical practica situations in order to develop appropriate strategies for professional growth.
- Aptitude to generalize and apply academic knowledge to clinical situations. Ability to incorporate new information from peers, teachers, supervisors and scientific literature in formulating diagnoses and treatment plans.
- Ability to initiate and attend to a task until completion.
- Ability to observe and participate in academic sessions and clinical practica settings determined essential by the faculty. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and other sensory modalities. The student must be able to observe a patient accurately both at a distance and close at hand, noting non-verbal as well as verbal signals.
Communication
- Ability to speak the English language intelligibly, hear sufficiently, and observe clients closely to elicit and transmit information; describe changes in mood, activity, and posture; and perceive nonverbal communication and cues.
- Comprehend and use the English language in an understandable, relevant and concise manner both verbally and in writing, including grammar and organization in an efficient time frame specific to the task.
- Capability for precise written work necessary for completing curricular demands, appropriate medical records, documents, and plans according to protocol, in a thorough and timely manner.
- Possess reading skills at a sufficient level to accomplish curricular requirements and provide care for clients in a thorough and timely manner.
- Ability to communicate sensitively, effectively, efficiently, appropriately and professionally with peers, faculty, supervisors, other professionals, clients, and their significant others on a one-to-one basis, in a small group, large classroom setting, and large group and to respect the confidentiality of client/patient information.
- Willingness to initiate and actively participate in classroom and clinical settings.
Interpersonal/Attitudinal/Logistical
- Ability to use intellectual capacity, exercise good judgment, and promptly respond and adapt to the client’s needs under potentially stressful circumstances. Must be flexible in being able to adapt to changing environments and client factors, and respond in the face of uncertainties inherent in clinical practica.
- Capability for empathy and the capacity to work within clinical environments that involve exposure to persons with physical and mental disabilities. Must also be able to appropriately deal with situations involving pain, grief, death, stress, communicable diseases, blood and body fluids, and toxic substances.
- Willingness to work with a diverse client population including persons of various ages, disabilities, sexual preferences, ethnic, racial, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Ability and willingness to modify behavior/ performance in the classroom or clinical settings after feedback from the instructor or clinical practicum supervisor. Understand and respect faculty and supervisory authority.
- Comply with all administrative, ethical, legal and regulatory policies.
Physical/Sensory Motor
- Manual dexterity and motor planning sufficient to manipulate evaluation and intervention materials and equipment.
- Hearing and visual acuity and visual field sufficient to respond independently to an emergency situation signaled by a change in an individual’s appearance, verbal, non-verbal, or physical communication of distress, and/or environmental event.
- Capacity to attend and actively participate in all lecture and application sessions including real-time tests and clinical practica situations. Coordination of gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, with functional use of the senses of touch, hearing and vision.
- Maintenance of appropriate personal hygiene.
- Visual and auditory capacity to monitor equipment, evaluate diagnostic imaging and perform all standard clinical procedures.
Applicants and students should review the Technical Standards for the MS-SLP program carefully and identify if additional supports are needed to meet these Standards consistently for any portion (classroom and clinical work) of the MS-SLP program. Students who have a disability may request reasonable accommodations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students are encouraged to contact the University’s Office of Disability Services to arrange an individualized consultation to discuss any support services or accommodations they may need.
Criminal Background Information
Students who are admitted into Sargent College routinely participate in clinical education experiences as a part of the respective program curricula. Most clinical education facilities require criminal background checks to determine student’s eligibility for participation. History of a criminal background may disqualify students from participating in these experiences which are required for successful completion of the degree program.