Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences

Welcome to the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences! We are located within the School of Allied Health Sciences at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Our department consists of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology undergraduate and graduate students interacting with faculty in an innovative teaching, clinical, and research environment.

According to the November 2001 Monthly Labor Review, our professions are ranked among the top 30 out of 700 fastest growing occupations over the next decade, with the number of Audiology positions expected to climb by 45% and the number of Speech-Language Pathology positions to grow by 39% from 2000-2010. Work settings include hospitals, schools, clinics, private practices, long term care facilities, early intervention programs, and universities.

What do Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists do?

Audiologists: Measure hearing ability, identify hearing disorders, provide rehabilitative services, select amplification devices and instruct in their care, provide training in speech reading, and serve as consultants to government and industry on issues concerning noise-induced hearing loss.

Speech-Language Pathologists: Help those who stutter to increase their fluency; assist people who have experienced brain injuries to regain lost language, speech; and swallowing skills, teach children and adolescents to use oral and written language skills needed to succeed in school; select augmentative communication devices for persons who cannot speak, and counsel individuals and families about speech and language disorders.

At the department’s Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic, students get to experience first-hand the many facets of our professions as they work with faculty providing diagnostic and rehabilitative services to children and adults. Because graduate degrees are required to practice as a speech-language pathologist or audiologist, the undergraduate program here at TTUHSC is designed primarily to prepare students for graduate school. Undergraduate students learn about the normal processes of speech, hearing, and language, and also learn about a variety of communication disorders.

Please use our website to gain more information concerning the profession, our faculty and students, our curriculum, the application process, and financial aid information. If you have any questions or want additional information, contact me by e-mail at sherry.sancibrian@ttuhsc.edu. I hope that you will seriously consider a career in this rewarding field!