Mission

The mission of the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program is to advance students’ professional knowledge regarding disorders of human communication and swallowing. Through a variety of academic and clinical training experiences, students are prepared to become professional and competent speech-language pathologists who incorporate evidence-based practice and provide quality services to people with communication and swallowing disorders and support their care partners. Students will be prepared to assume leadership roles in the workplace. Students will meet all academic requirements for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the Council for Clinical Certification. The Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program will enhance service to the community by providing clinical services through the Mississippi University for Women Speech and Hearing Center.

Strategic Objective 1: Increase the number of high-quality student applications and attract them to our speech language pathology program.

Methods of attainment

1. Faculty will attend at least one professional conference a year.

2. Have at least 3 marketing push outs to students from traditional and nontraditional undergraduate degree backgrounds each academic year.

3. Increase or maintain funding for graduate students through graduate assistantships, scholarships, and other sources.

Schedule of analysis: Annually during Spring Faculty Retreat

Method of analysis: Faculty will engage in progress review during Spring Faculty Retreat. The chairperson will analyze quality of student applications annually.

Strategic Objective 2: Promote and cultivate leadership in faculty and students.

Methods of attainment

1. Faculty will encourage and provide support for an increase in students attending professional conferences.

2. Faculty will serve on university, state, and/or national committees.

3. Faculty will support local NSSLHA chapter in their efforts to maintain National NSSLHA honors.

Schedule of analysis: At the end of each semester.

Method of analysis: Faculty will engage in progress review during end-of-the-semester faculty meetings.

Strategic Objective 3: Participate in community engagement opportunities.

Methods of attainment

1. Conduct free speech, language, hearing screenings for children in the community at identified sites at least once a year.

2. Students will provide speech, language, and/or hearing information to community members at identified events/activities at least once a year.

3. Provide free hearing screenings for Mississippi University for Women faculty, staff, students and alumni.

4. Conduct annual off-site visits and interviews with supervisors.

5. Conduct alumni surveys, employer surveys, gather off-campus supervisor feedback, and create an advisory board to evaluate SLP program preparation to meet community needs annually.

Schedule of analysis: Ongoing monthly during academic year.

Method of analysis: Faculty will engage in progress review during monthly faculty meetings.

Strategic Objective 4: Increase opportunities for scholarship and creative activities.

Methods of attainment

1. Provide travel support for faculty to present research at state and/or national conferences.

2. Provide travel support for clinical faculty to attend SEUCE conference.

3. Offer opportunities for graduate and/or undergraduate to engage in research activities.

Schedule of analysis: At the end of each semester.

Method of analysis: Faculty will engage in progress review in end-of-the-semester faculty meetings.

Strategic Objective 5: Engage in ongoing program assessment.

Methods of attainment

1. Gather and evaluate data from multiple sources regarding the needs and performance of the program including: student performance data, student surveys, alumni surveys, employer surveys, off-campus supervisor feedback and advisory board feedback.

2. The program will regularly discuss and evaluate faculty, staff, and student needs regarding technical infrastructure.

3. The program will evaluate progress towards strategic objectives (goals) annually during Faculty Retreat.

4. The program will evaluate and revise strategic objectives (goals) annually during Faculty Retreat.

Schedule of analysis: At the end of each semester.

Method of analysis: Faculty will engage in progress review in end-of-the-semester faculty meetings.