Speech and Hearing Professor working with a student

Bachelor of Arts Speech and Hearing Sciences

The Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Hearing Sciences (BA SHS) degree is a four-year program that requires the final two years of course work, about 55 credits, on the WSU Spokane campus.

Graduates with the BA SHS degree are prepared for careers in industries such as healthcare, resource services, and education, as for example, speech-language pathology assistants, research assistants and public health associates.

The BA SHS degree is pre-professional and serves as a foundation for further study to become a licensed speech-language pathologist or audiologist.

To be admitted into the final two years, students must complete the WSU UCORE and 17 credits of complementary and approved elective course work. Students are encouraged to complete the Junior Writing Portfolio on the Pullman campus, although it can be completed on the Spokane campus as well. The Senior Capstone course is completed on the Spokane campus.

The undergraduate degree classes are student-centered, research-based and writing intensive. Students study the science underlying the range of communication disorders and learn the diagnostic and therapy needs of individuals of all ages with a wide variety of speech, language, learning, and hearing problems.

Prerequisites

  • Biology 106 (L) or Biology 102 (L)
  • Chemistry 101 (L) or Physics 101 (L)
  • Psychology 105
  • Stats/Math 212
  • If matriculating through WSU Pullman, complete or enroll in SHS 205, Introduction to Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology
  • Satisfy all UCORE and approved elective requirements prior to transitioning to the WSU Spokane campus in the fifth semester
  • SHS advisor approved electives (17 credits required) including any course 200-level or above that supports a good foundation in speech-language pathology or audiology
  • At least 24 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher

Application

The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences does not require a separate application for its BA SHS degree program. Students matriculating from any WSU campus should have contact with advisors and academic coordinators as soon as possible to anticipate the transition to WSU Spokane and to ensure prerequisite coursework is on track and fulfilled. Prospective students transitioning from outside WSU who have met the prerequisites must mark Spokane as their preferred locale on the WSU application for consideration of program admittance to complete SHS degree coursework.

It is highly recommended that all students contact the SHS undergraduate advisor as soon as possible in the application process.

WSU has a priority deadline of Jan. 31; however, the Speech and Hearing Sciences department will admit students into the program until July 15 prior to the fall semester starting in August.

The program admits for fall semester only.