Communication Disorders

Overview

Communication Disorders majors study just about any disorder than impairs language abilities, speaking, hearing, or otherwise normal communication with others. This field deals not only with those people born with disorders, but also those who become afflicted with them later in life. As a Communication Disorders major, your focus will be two-fold: you’ll learn what fundamentally causes these disorders, as well as ways to manage them.

In this major, you’ll study how language develops, the acoustics of speech, audiology, and the acquisition of speech and language. You’ll learn the different ways disordered communication develops, and how these disorders are affected and viewed by society. You’ll learn about rehabilitation, American Sign Language, speech pathology, and other treatment services. You’ll learn how to identify, manage, and prevent communication disorders of all kinds.

If you’re looking ahead to a career in speech-language pathology or audiology, you should know that undergraduate work is not enough to become a professional in these fields; graduate work is required. There are plenty of graduate programs out there with great programs in these fields, so don’t feel pressured…yet.