Mission Statement

Communication

Because communication is a vital social phenomenon, the mission of the communication program at the University of Connecticut is to study and teach about communication with areas of specialization including interpersonal, persuasion, communication technology, nonverbal and media effects.

It is our goal to pursue theoretically grounded research and to disseminate knowledge by publishing our research and by teaching. We contribute to the university community through external grants and excellent teaching, and to the larger society by conducting socially meaningful empirical research.

Communication Disorders

A speech-language pathologist is trained to diagnose and treat communication disorders such as those involving deficits in comprehension or generation of language, speech or voice production, resonance, or speech fluency. Speech-language pathologists are also trained to diagnose and treat swallowing disorders. A master's degree is required as the professional entry-level degree for speech-language pathology.

An audiologist is trained to diagnose and manage disorders of hearing and auditory processing, to provide couseling and habilitation methods, and to apply a variety of technologies such as hearing aids and assistive listening devices to enhance hearing and auditory processing in persons diagnosed with impairment. A doctoral degree will be required by 2007 as the professional entry-level degree for audiology.

Educational requirements of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) specify that students receive a broad-based educational training involving both classroom instruction and clinical practicum. At UConn, clinical experience in speech language pathology and audiology are offered in the department's speech and hearing clinic as well as at many external sites. Sites within the UConn area include acute and rehabilitation hospitals, schools, out-patient centers, nursing homes, extended-care facilities, clinics, and private practive settings.