The Department of Communication Disorders prepares masters level speech-language pathology professionals who prevent, assess and manage human communication disorders across the lifespan (from infants/toddlers to the elderly). Students enrolled in our graduate program acquire their professional competencies through pertinent educational coursework, clinical practica, and research opportunities. Completion of the program prepares graduates for speech-language pathology services in a variety of employment settings including schools, hospitals, nursing homes, community clinics, home health, private practice, and national/international government education and health agencies. Unique to the department is our focus on training bilingual speech-language pathologists and the use of assistive and augmentative communication devices with special populations. Graduates of the department are eligible for the 1) certificate of clinical competence in speech-language pathology (CCC-SLP) by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; 2) licensure by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Speech and Language Pathologists and Audiologists; and 3) advanced licensure by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The Department of Communication Disorders is fully accredited in the area of speech-language pathology by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
The General Assembly of 1939 authorized the establishment of graduate study programs in liberal arts and the professions at North Carolina Central University. In ensuing years with the creation of several programs, the Graduate School has grown to offering degrees in the following.
College of Behavioral and Sciences
College of Liberal Arts
College of Science and Technology
School of Business
School of Education
School of Liberal Arts
School of Library and Information Sciences
The mission of the School of Graduate Studies is to provide world-class education and to produce leaders that are culturally sensitive and engaged in their respective fields of study.