MS in Speech-Language Pathology

Mission, Values, and Goals

Mission

The mission of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at LIU Brooklyn is to nurture future change agents in speech and language therapy. We aim to empower students to assist clients in expressing their diverse perspectives and identities. Our mission promotes understanding the interconnectedness of individuals and communities, the dynamics of identity and power relationships, and the de-pathologization of language and linguistic variations. It involves a deep exploration of the profession's history and the active dismantling of biases in SLHS research and practice, advocating for a relationship-based and reflective practice that supports a neurodiverse approach to communication

Vision

The vision of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at LIU Brooklyn is to be a catalyst for change in the SLHS field by equipping the next generation of clinicians and scholars to champion social justice work and the fundamental human right of individuals to express themselves. 

Core Values

• Cultural and Professional Humility: Valuing human diversity, cultural identities, and perspectives, while acknowledging power dynamics and systemic inequalities in a reflective and inclusive care approach.
• Dignity and Human Rights: Upholding the dignity of individuals with communication disabilities and advocating for their rights and holistic well-being.
• Community Action/Relationship Building: Fostering a network that connects pre-service and in-service SLPs, faculty, and individuals with communication disabilities in a student-centered, community-focused manner.
• Critical Inquiry: Committing to critical thinking that challenges and evolves our discipline through self-reflection and an awareness of our biases.
• Creativity and Innovation: Encouraging advancements in care and imaginative solutions that improve the lives of individuals with communication disorders and inspire future generations of SLPs.

Strategic Goals, Objectives, Outcomes, and Strategies:

Goal 1: Optimize Departmental Functionality and Student Support

• Objective 1.1: Streamline academic and clinical scheduling.

Outcome: Schedules that are conducive to students' clinical practicum commitments and academic workload.

Strategy: The clinic committee will design a better synchronized scheduling system to be presented at the May retreat and decision will be made for implementation in the following academic year (Fall 2025).

• Objective 1.2: Develop a TSSLD and bilingual extension handbook.

Outcome: Clear, accessible information for students about TSSLD requirements and bilingual extensions, distinct from the general handbook.

Strategy: The externship coordinator will create the handbook, with a draft due by May retreat, and after faculty input, will be ready for students in Fall 2024.

• Objective 1.3: Provide comprehensive clinical course guidance.

Outcome: Detailed and explicit information for students regarding expectations, clinical hours, and types of experiences for different clinical courses.

Strategy: The clinic director will compile this information to be shared and discussed at the May retreat. Subsequently, the clinic handbook will be updated based on the discussion and shared with students in the Fall 2024 semester.

• Objective 1.4. Update curriculum based on internal and external feedback.

Outcome: A curriculum that meets current medical and school externship demands.

Strategy: The curriculum committee will present feedback from exit surveys and externship coordinators during May retreat to guide curriculum modifications process and decisions.

• Objective 1.5: Implement a course coordinator system for each course within the curriculum.

Outcome: Enhanced consistency in learning objectives and goals across different sections of the same course, and effective professional support for faculty.

Strategy: Appoint faculty course coordinators who will communicate with adjunct professors teaching various sections of each course. These coordinators will ensure uniformity in course objectives and learning goals and provide necessary professional support to faculty. This system will be reviewed and refined during the January annual retreat for effectiveness and alignment with curriculum standards.

Goal 2: Expand and Diversify Student Clinical Experience

• Objective 2.1: Enhance co-treatment opportunities and spaces.

Outcome: Increased co-treatment sessions across health profession departments.

Strategy: The clinic committee, spearheaded by the clinic director, will identify and set up co-treatment opportunities and present findings at the January retreat for immediate action plan.

• Objective 2.2: Strengthen community outreach and advocacy.

Outcome: Established partnerships with community organizations like SAY, Adler center, and initiation of ASL classes.

Strategy: By Spring 2025, the Academic Program Director will develop relationships with at least one community partner and support the offering of ASL classes for students in collaboration with NSSHLA student leadership group.

• Objective 2.3: Integrate students into the School of Health Professions IPE Task Force activities.

Outcome: Active student participation in IPE Task Force events, fostering interprofessional education and practice.

Strategy: Starting in the Spring 2024 semester, the professor teaching course 604 will coordinate with the department's Inter-professional Education (IPE)Task Force representative to ensure all students enrolled in the course participate in the IPE Task Force event each semester. Other students will be encouraged to join and participate in these events to enhance their educational experience. A message about the event will be shared with all students by the department chairperson.

• Objective 2.4: Initiate and implement international clinical rotations and externship placements in diverse populations.

Outcome: A portfolio of international and diverse externship opportunities available to students.

Strategy: The curriculum committee chair and externship coordinator will collaborate to research and establish relationships with potential international and diverse externship sites. They will present their findings and recommendations at the January retreat for review and potential implementation.

• Objective 2.5: Expand specialty clinic offerings and language services.

Outcome: Increased specialty clinic options and therapy services in high-demand languages.

Strategy: The clinic director will assess community needs and feasibility, aiming to report on expansion plans at the January retreat.

Goal 3: Advance Academic Excellence and Research Productivity 

• Objective 3.1: Promote student research engagement and thesis track selection.

Outcome: Increased student participation in research and selection of the thesis track. We currently have one student engaged in research. We aim to have at least five students conducting research by Spring 2025

Strategy: Starting Fall 2024, offer workshops and advising sessions each semester to encourage student research engagement in orientations, information session, and research class 

• Objective 3.2.: Develop research opportunities within the clinic.

Outcome: Established interdisciplinary research projects involving clinic faculty and students.

Strategy: Create a task force for clinic-based research projects to present specific ideas for at least one interdisciplinary study to be initiated in Fall 2024

• Objective 3.3: Explore and apply for funding to support research and community engagement initiatives.

Outcome: Secured funding to enhance research capabilities and community impact.

Strategy: The Academic Program Director will collaborate with the Dean to identify potential funding sources and prepare at least one funding application by Summer 2025.

Goal 4: Promote faculty research endeavors 

• Objective 4.1: Increase faculty participation in research conferences

Outcome: enhance research dissemination and networking for faculty, ensuring at least one research presentation for each faculty member.

Strategy: The Academic Program Director will collaborate with the Dean to identify high quality conferences for submission of faculty research.

• Objective 4.2: Identify grant opportunities for junior faculty.

Outcome: Share funding opportunities with faculty through the dean and provost's office.

Strategy: Collaborate with the dean and provost's office to identify at least one research grant opportunity relevant to the faculty's research work. Provide administrative support for submission if the opportunity is of interest to the faculty, in coordination with the Academic Program Director.

• Objective 4.3: Enhance the use and development of the research lab.

Outcome: Increased utilization of research lab facilities, leading to higher quality research output and successful grant applications by faculty.

Strategy: Appoint a research space coordinator by the end of Summer 2024 and establish a research support committee by the end of Winter 2025.

Goal 5: Enhance Department Sustainability and Resource Management

• Objective 5.1: Maximize administrative support for clinical and academic functions.

Outcome: Efficient administrative operations with clear delineation of responsibilities.

Strategy: Reorganize administrative roles to ensure dedicated support for clinic and academic activities.

• Objective 5.2: Enhance faculty retention, foster a sense of belonging, and attract a diverse faculty body.

Outcome: Improved faculty retention rates, a stronger sense of belonging, and increased hiring of diverse faculty members.

Strategy: The Academic Program Director will lead the implementation of faculty development and support programs by the end of the 2024 academic year. This will involve collaboration with the Dean and faculty to create an inclusive and supportive environment that promotes a sense of belonging among faculty and attracts a diverse range of candidates.
 

Goal 6: Establish a Dynamic and Responsive Strategic Planning Process

• Objective 6.1: Conduct annual strategic plan reviews.                                                                                 

Outcome: A strategic plan that is current, aligned with program goals and mission, and reflects both internal and external input and feedback.
 Strategy: The Academic Program Director will be responsible for planning and facilitating the annual strategic plan review. This review will take place during the first retreat each year, with a substantial portion of the retreat dedicated to assessing and updating the strategic plan. The Academic Program Director will provide all relevant data for the review and ensure the involvement of all stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and external partners, to gather comprehensive input and feedback. Additionally, the Academic Program Director will facilitate smaller-scale reviews of specific items during monthly program meetings and the May retreat as appropriate and needed to ensure continuous assessment and alignment with strategic goals.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum

Overview

The graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology at the Brooklyn Campus can be completed in 6-8 semesters (2-3-years) by full-time students. The department is mindful of the diverse commitments and obligations our students have, including family and employment responsibilities. Therefore, we support students in choosing a longer pathway to completion, such as an 8-semester sequence, to ensure they can achieve the best possible learning experience without compromising their other obligations. Opting for a longer pathway will not negatively affect students' progress in the program and we will try our best to accommodate their needs.

All students must demonstrate English writing proficiency as a requirement for graduation.

All students are required to complete a minimum of 400 competent clock hours of clinical practicum, including 25 hours of observation. Up to 25 clock hours of undergraduate practicum and 25 hours of observation may be credited toward clinical practicum requirements. Clinical practice are completed in several locations: on campus, in the university clinic; at LIU satellite centers; at off-campus hospital settings, and in school settings. Students will be issued a clinic manual with further information upon beginning their clinical sequence. Students also must complete the following courses in order to obtain ASHA certification (if they do not enter with them completed in their undergraduate studies): aural rehabilitation, one course in the physical sciences (biology, chemistry or physics), psychology, sociology, and statistics.

Foundation Coursework

The Foundation Sequence provides the basis from which students may progress to advanced coursework and clinical practice. The foundations courses are listed below.

• SLP 601: Introduction to Research in Speech-Language Pathology (3 credit)
• SLP 602: Advanced Language Acquisition (3 credits)
• SLP 603: Bilingual/Multicultural Foundations I (3 credits)
• SLP 606: Advanced Neuroanatomy for Speech-Language Pathology (3 credits)
• SLP 608: Seminar in Speech-Language Pathology (1 credit)
• SLP 620: Comparative Phonology and Phonological Disorders (3 credits)

Students may retake a maximum of two foundation courses to remediate grades of C+ or C. Each foundation course may be retaken only one time.

Students must complete any outstanding undergraduate pre-requisites by the end of their first year of graduate coursework.

Higher Level Courses

Higher level courses consist primarily of evaluation and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders, including clinical practica and seminars. Students who are performing well in foundation courses may begin taking higher level courses in their second semester of study; this will be determined during academic advisement.

Students may receive up to one grade of C+ or C in their non-foundation, higher level courses. Students may opt to retake only one higher-level course a single time to remediate a grade. Grades lower than a C must be remediated.

Clinical Practicum Courses

Students begin their clinical practicum sequence after they complete the foundation coursework. Students must resolve all incomplete grades and/or remediation plans prior to starting the clinical practicum sequence. Students must have earned an overall GPA of 3.0 or above to start their first clinic course, SLP 610A.

Clinical skills are developed and evaluated throughout the practicum sequence. Full details of practicum requirements and evaluations of clinical performance are presented in the Clinic Procedures Manual of the Department of CSD, LIU/Brooklyn Campus.

Grading Policy

The University grading policy involves a plus and minus grading system (A, A_, B+, B, B_, C+, C, F).

Minimum Grade Requirements

To continue in the program, students must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average within and across all courses. Students are placed on Academic Probation when they fail to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Students are only allowed one grade of C+ or C in their graduate coursework. This single C+ or C may not be for a course in the Clinical Practicum sequence: 610A, 610B, 610C, 611A, 612A, 614A, 614B, 615A. This single grade of C may not be used for the clinic prerequisite course SLP 640: Language Disorders in Children or SLP 639: PRAXIS Exam Preparation course. Students with two or more grades of C+ or C will receive a letter of dismissal from the department chair, which they may appeal by writing to the Academic Standing Committee.

The graduate program in speech-language therapy at LIU Brooklyn emphasizes both formative and summative assessment methods to monitor the progress of all students across all courses and clinical practices.

Formative Assessment: Formative assessment is ongoing and occurs throughout both academic and clinical courses. Examples include quizzes, homework assignments, projects, papers, mid-term assessments, clinical supervisor comments on diagnostic reports, weekly therapy plans, and long-term therapy plans. These assessments provide continuous feedback and are integral to ensuring students' acquisition of the necessary knowledge and skills. Student support is offered at each juncture where a student's formative assessment shows a need for support or limited mastery of a desired skill or achievement of a goal or learning of knowledge. These include offering extra time to meet after classes to review material, extra activities and exercises, simulated case studies, sharing information of support centers at the university, etc., as needed for each specific individual’s identified need, which is done collaboratively with the student.

In addition, the program is designed in a way that there are specific knowledge base and skills that need to be mastered before a student moves to the next level in their studies. For example, students enroll in the first practicum seminar, SLP 610A, following the completion of the foundational course sequence. Students need to show mastery of foundational knowledge courses taken in the first semester to be able to enroll in 610A. Similarly, 610A prepares students for the higher level expectations for their clinical practicum courses 610B and 610C. For example, in 610A, which is a pivotal course for developing clinical practice decision-making, since it examines principles of problem-solving and decision-making involved in intervention planning for individuals across various communication disorder types, age groups, and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Weekly, students engage in goal and procedure planning for three assigned clients with communication problems, in collaboration with the course instructor. These clients include preschool-aged children, school-aged children, and adults. For the final summary project, students plan for a fourth client.

The intervention planning assignments in SLP 610A serve as a formative assessment of the skills and knowledge achieved in the foundational coursework taken prior and their preparation for their advanced clinical practicum to be taken after they succeed in 610A. The point is that the formative assessment is cumulative and is based on a well-designed program plan that is developmental.

Summative Assessment In addition to coursework and clinical requirements, students must complete either a comprehensive examination or Master’s thesis to fulfill the M.S in Speech-Language Pathology.

Master's Degree Program with a Comprehensive Examination Option

Students must take a comprehensive examination as part of the program and degree requirements unless the Master’s Thesis Option is approved. Students take the comprehensive exam during their last semester in the program. Students who fail the exam will be allowed to retake the exam that same semester one additional time. Students who fail this second attempt will be allowed to re-take the comprehensive exam up to 2 times in subsequent semesters. Students who do not pass the comprehensive exam in these 4 attempts will not receive a terminal master’s degree. Passing threshold on the Comprehensive Exam is 75%.

Master's Degree Program with a Master's Thesis Option

Students complete a research-based master’s thesis guided by a thesis director and a thesis committee. Completion of the requirements for the research option will be accepted in lieu of the comprehensive examination. The research topic will be developed by the student and the thesis director.

The thesis director must have a research-based doctoral degree. The student researcher selects two other committee members under the advisement of the thesis director. Committee members may include non-tenure track faculty and faculty from other institutions. Committee members and thesis directors may be changed by the student at any time. In this case, the student researcher must approach the thesis director and the program Director.

Course of Study

Student Outcome Data

*Data are reported from September 1st to August 31st for each of the years listed

Length of Time for Students to Complete Residential Program of Study

• Full-time with CSD undergraduate major: 2.5 to 3 years (7-8 semesters)
• Full-time without CSD undergraduate major: 2.5 to 3 years (7-9 semesters)
• Part-time with CSD undergraduate major: 3.5 to 4.5 years (9-13 semesters)
• Part-time without CSD undergraduate major: 3.5 to 5 years (10-15 semesters)

Faculty

DEPARTMENT FACULTY

• Miriam Baigorri, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Professor (bilingual Spanish Extension) Miriam.Baigorri@liu.edu
• Nelson Moses, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Professor Nelson.Moses@liu.edu
• Reem Khamis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Professor and Academic Program Director Reem.khamis@liu.edu
• Gina Youmans, PhD., CCC-SLP, Associate Professor Gina.Youmans@liu.edu
• Jason Rosas, PhD., CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor and Clinic Director Jason.Rosas@liu.edu

CLINICAL FACULTY AND ADJUNCTS

●  George Pagano, M.S., CCC-SLP, Assistant Clinic Director & Adjunct Professor George.Pagano@liu.edu

●  Julia Agranovich, M.S., CCC-SLP (bilingual Russian Extension): Supervisor and Clinical Placement Coordinator Julia.Agranovich@liu.edu

●  Stacy Renelique, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor (bilingual Haitian Creole) Stacy.Renelique@liu.edu

●  Erin Bestreich, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor Erin.Bestreich@liu.edu

●  Diana Sánchez, , M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor (bilingual Spanish) Diana.Sanchez@liu.edu

●  Mayya Teytel-Cocozza, M.S., CCC-SLP Clinical Supervisor and Adjunct (bilingual Russian) Mayya.TeytelCocozza@liu.edu

●  Irene Kling, PhD, CCC-SLP (Gender affirming voice program for transgender clients) Irene.kling@liu.edu

●  Clare Villanueva, AuD., CCC-A (bilingual Greek) Clare.Villanueva@liu.edu

●  Theresa C. Donohue, M.S. CCC-SLP, Bilingual TSSLD

●  Fiegi Halberstam, MS, CCC-A/SLP

●  Elaine Geller, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Professor Emerita (Relationship-based reflective supervision)

Department and Clinical staff
Anette Blas, MBA., Office Manager Anette.Blas@liu.edu