When it comes to hearing impairments and communication disorders among children and adults, there are four cornerstones that drive the Department of Speech and Hearing Science in its work:

Prevention. Identification. Diagnosis. Treatment.

In the search for new and better ways to address speech and hearing disorders, the Department continually asks, researches and applies new findings to the following questions:

• Why do some people stutter?
• How can early language intervention diffuse language disorders?
• What's the relationship between literacy and language?
• Why is infant hearing screening important?
• How does the brain process sounds and speech?
• How does hearing loss occur and what can be done to prevent it?
• What's the difference between speech dialect and a speech disorder?

This translates into meaningful engagement for students. The Department provides outstanding academics and intensive clinical training in speech, language and hearing, including early intervention studies, normal and disordered language acquisition, adult language disorders, cochlear implants and hearing aids, auditory physiology, psychoacoustics and speech perception, and American Sign Language.

Imagine a world where clarity of speech and hearing was an everyday challenge – or just not part of your world. Imagine the child or adult who desires their own personal communication breakthrough. Then imagine the thrill of finding that solution or delivering that opportunity to a patient.

Just imagine. We do.