Careers and Resources

Interested in Medical SLP or Audiology?

The CSD program at Penn State Harrisburg has a strong relationship with Hershey Medical Center and the Penn State College of Medicine, both located less than 10 miles from campus. These collaborations provide students access to one of the nation’s premier medical centers. Students will spend class time at the medical center observing speech-language pathology and/or audiology services first-hand as part of the undergraduate curriculum. Students will also gain direct experience working with other disciplines in the hospital, including surgery, neurology, ENT, and intensive care.
In addition to the Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine, the Penn State Health Children’s Hospital is also on the same campus. Those students interested in working with infants and children in a medical setting will be able to see first-hand how speech-language pathologists and audiologists assess, diagnose, and treat disorders in this population.
The CSD program offers one of the first undergraduate courses in dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) in the U.S. This is an important factor for those interested in working in the medical world, where nearly 90% of the work may be devoted to people with dysphagia. Most programs only offer one course at the graduate level for this extremely important and complex area. Because of this, the CSD program at Harrisburg will better prepare you for that content area in a graduate program - as well as in clinical practice.

Want to learn from actual SLPs and Audiologists?

Did you know that some programs have faculty who are not speech-language pathologists or audiologists? It’s not uncommon with many programs. You should learn from people who have actually worked in the field and know what it’s like to work with patients with communication and swallowing disorders. At Penn State Harrisburg, all program faculty and instructors have earned their Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in either speech-language pathology or audiology. This means that all of the instructors have actual experience diagnosing and treating people with a variety of disorders and have worked in the content areas in which they teach.

Want small class sizes?

The student to faculty ratio at Penn State Harrisburg is 15-1. Our small class sizes allow for more faculty interaction and experiential learning. Additionally, our faculty are actively engaged in clinical research and interested students may have the opportunity to assist with a variety of research studies.

Can I transfer to Penn State Harrisburg?

Absolutely! If you are a current PSU student and want to the experience of being on a large campus at University Park, you can take advantage of the 2+2 option. With this option, our classes are designed so that people can take all of their general education credits during the first two years and then complete the CSD coursework in only two years. See the suggested academic plan for more information or contact [email protected] to speak with an advisor.
Coming from a community college? If you have completed all of your general education and required prerequisite coursework for the CSD major, you too can graduate in only two years! Please contact one of our advisors at [email protected] for more information.

Careers and Resources page

Nearly all students who complete the undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) continue on to graduate school in either speech-language pathology (SLP) or audiology. Master’s degree programs in SLP are typically completed in two years while students interested in audiology need to complete a clinical doctorate (Au.D.) which typically takes an additional year.

Students who complete a graduate degree in speech-language pathology evaluate, diagnose and provide treatment for people of all ages who have communication disabilities and differences as well as swallowing disorders. Speech-language pathologists with master’s degrees work in hospital and rehabilitation centers, schools, community clinics, nursing homes, and private practice.

Audiology students who complete the Au.D. evaluate, diagnose and treat people of all ages with hearing loss and vestibular (balance) problems. Speech-language pathologists and audiologists who earn doctorate (Ph.D.) degrees typically teach and conduct research in a university setting.

SLP or Audiology? Curious about which career may be right for you? Take the Quiz!