Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Opportunities
In the Speech-Language Pathology program, you have the opportunity to engage in hands-on experiences with assessment and treatment of all communication and swallowing disorders in individuals of all ages. Here are the possible clinical placements that you may have during your time in the graduate program:
| Semester (number of clinic credits) | Possible clinical placements |
|---|---|
| Summer (second session) | No clinical placement |
| Fall (3 credits) | Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education On-campus externships |
| Spring (3 credits) | Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education On-campus externships |
| Summer I (3 credits) | Summer Speech-Language Specialty Clinics (SSC) Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education On-campus externships |
| Summer II (3 credits) | Summer Speech-Language Specialty Clinics (SSC) Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education On-campus externships |
| Fall (3 credits) | Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education On-/off-campus externships |
| Spring (3-6 credits) | Internships |
Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education
The Carls Center for Clinical Care and Education houses our on-campus clinic which provides services for individuals in the surrounding community. Your first clinical experiences will be in our on-campus clinic and/or in externship placements with our on-campus clinical supervisors.
On-campus externships
On-campus externship experiences include part-time placements that are typically provided for a fee to the surrounding community. Clinical instruction is provided by licensed and certified speech-language pathologists employed at CMU.
Summer speech-language specialty clinics
Our Summer Specialty Clinics program, SSC, was started in 1946 and currently serves children aged 3 to 14 years or age with communication disorders. All children who will be attending SSC are evaluated before starting the program to be sure they are eligible and to establish recommendations for SSC. These evaluations typically happen during the summer I semester, although some may be completed during the spring semester if the child is receiving services through the Carls Center. SSC runs for five weeks during the summer II semester. Children attend either half-day or full-day programming. Clinical instruction is provided by on-campus certified and licensed speech-language pathologists employed by CMU.
Off-campus externships
Off-campus externships include part-time placements at educational, medical, or private practice settings in Mount Pleasant and surrounding areas. Clinical instruction is provided by off-campus certified and licensed speech-language pathologists.
Internships
Internships are full-time placements that occur for a full 16-week semester. Interns are responsible for working 35+ hours on site during the semester. Internships may occur locally or throughout the United States. They occur in off-campus settings where we are able to execute an affiliation agreement. Clinical instruction is provided by off-campus, certified and licensed speech-language pathologists.