Speech Pathology

Speech pathologists focus on human communication and its disorders. Students in this major learn how to prevent, assess and treat problems of language use and comprehension, voice and fluency. Ultimately, speech pathologists are trained to deal with people who have problems that are both minor and major – ranging from inappropriate pitch to cognitive communication impairment. A thorough understanding of the workings of the human voice system is essential. Many of these majors are closely tied to audiology – which studies hearing disorders – and therefore students become familiar with the details of different topics, like speech acoustics, sound, phonology, physiology, psychology and anatomy. Required courses may relate to language disorders, hearing science, audiology and differential diagnosis.

Students who have attained bachelor’s degrees in the field move on to graduate programs; a master’s degree is required from speech pathologists. After completion of their educational requirements, they can find employment in schools, hospitals, nursing care facilities and rehabilitation centers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field is expected to grow by 19 percent through 2018. Opportunity will be especially prevalent in schools, which have an ever-increasing need for qualified staff. Other graduates may choose to spread their knowledge by seeking careers in research and consulting. Average pay for all professionals in the field is solid: the median average salary is $62,930. Those who work at nursing care facilities earn the highest average median income – $79,120.