Communication Science and Disorders Course Descriptions

CSD 2000 RESEARCH AND THESIS--MASTER'S DEGREE

1-6 cr.

After successful completion of the master's-level Comprehensive Examination, students will become eligible for the Master of Arts degree. A thesis is required for the MS degree. During the planning, execution, writing, and defense of the thesis, the student must register for thesis credits under the supervision of a thesis committee chairperson.

CSD 2038 PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ACOUSTICS

3 cr.

   Alternating years
Clinical diagnostic tests and our general understanding of how the auditory system works find their bases in physiological and psychological acoustics. The former includes the functional anatomical, neurophysiological, and electrophysiological parameters and measures of auditory function, and the latter embraces the sensory psychology and psychophysics of audition and auditory capabilities. While touched upon briefly in other courses (undergraduate and graduate), this course provides concentrated treatment of these areas with the goal of helping the student to better understand test methods and their bases of interpretation.

CSD 2039 MOTOR SPEECH DISORDERS

3 cr.

This course will provide the student with an understanding of the nature of dysarthria and apraxia of speech. Content will include anatomy and pathophysiology, common neurologic diseases, structure and function of the speech production mechanism, instrumental assessment, diagnosis and prognosis, and development of treatment goals.

CSD 2040 AUDIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

3 cr.

   Corequisite: CSD 2042
An introduction to the basic audiometric test battery, focusing on pure tone and speech audiometry, basic immittance measures, clinical masking, and screening procedures.

CSD 2041 MANAGEMENT OF HEARING PROBLEMS

3 cr.

   Alternating years.
Professionals in the field of communicative disorders are often called upon to provide therapeutic, consultative, and referral services for hearing-impaired patients. It is the purpose of this course to allow the student to become familiar with the bases for providing these services. Specifically, the areas of assistive technology, communication, and counseling relating to hearing-impaired adults will be covered.

CSD 2042 AUDIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT LAB

1 cr.

   Corequisite: CSD 2040
Students will be given the opportunity for hands-on experience with the test procedures that are introduced and discussed in CSD 2040.

CSD 2044 DIFFERENTIAL ASSESSMENT

3 cr.

This course includes audiometric calibration standards and procedures and an in-depth analysis of differential diagnosis with the use of an advanced test battery.

CSD 2045 PHYSIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT

3 cr.

The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a basic background in clinical electrophysiologic methods, particularly the measurement and applications of the short-latency auditory evoked potentials. Upon completion of the course, the student should have a fundamental grasp of the underlying physiologic phenomena being recorded, methods and influence of mode of stimuli, the normal and pathologic variables involved, and audiologic applications and interpretations of these measurements. The student also should have developed a basic competency in the performance of evaluation of the short latency potentials and a conceptual grasp of the measurement of other evoked potentials. An overview of other evoked and related responses and their applications will also be given.

CSD 2046 PEDIATRIC EVALUATION

3 cr.

The goal of this course is to familiarize students with factors associated with hearing loss in infants and children as well as the application of audiology and diagnostic procedures with this population.

CSD 2047 AMPLIFICATION 1

3 cr.

This course provides an initial look at hearing aid evaluation, selection, validation, and orientation. Students will discuss historic as well as current topics in hearing aid selection and validation techniques.

CSD 2048 SOUND AND VIBRATION: MEASUREMENT AND MANAGEMENT

3 cr.

   Alternating years.
This course presents basic principles in the operation and configuration of instrumentation and related concepts of signal production and analysis for sound and vibration measurements. A special focus of interest will be the measurement and management of noise and its adverse auditory and non-auditory effects.

CSD 2049 AGING AUDITORY SYSTEM

3 cr.

   Alternating years.
This course will investigate the development of the auditory system across the life span. Changes due to aging will be discussed in terms of their impact on diagnostic and rehabilitative audiology. This course has a seminar format.

CSD 2055 PEDIATRIC AUDIOLOGIC REHABILITATION

3 cr.

   Alternating years.
This course is for students interested in the treatment of infants and children with hearing loss. The course focuses on the speech, language, and auditory characteristics of infants and children with hearing loss, their rehabilitative needs, and the effectiveness of various types of treatment approaches.

CSD 2056 CLINIC PRACTICUM IN AUDIOLOGY--NETWORK

varying cr.

Observational and clinical practicum experience in diagnostic and rehabilitative aspects of audiology, supervised by University personnel. Experience will be obtained within the University Speech and Hearing Clinic Network.

CSD 2057 CLINIC PRACTICE IN AUDIOLOGY--OUTPLACEMENT

varying cr.

Supervised observational and clinical practicum experience in diagnostic and rehabilitative aspects of audiology. Experience may be obtained within the University Speech and Hearing Clinic Network or in community clinic facilities associated with the department.

CSD 2058 CLINICAL PROCEDURES LAB

1 cr.

This laboratory experience involves clinical procedures covered concurrently in academic courses. Students will be given the opportunity for hands-on practice across the breadth of clinical audiology procedures.

CSD 2060 PROSEMINAR

0 cr.

   Graduate students are required to register for Proseminar each term that it is offered.
   Fall and Spring Terms
For doctoral students, the course has two components. The first is a weekly, school-wide doctoral colloquium (SHRS doctoral seminar). Students are encouraged and expected to present to a multidisciplinary group of other students and faculty about either completed projects or research-in-progress. They also are expected to participate in question-answer discussion sessions following the presentations. Topics may include any aspects of the health and rehabilitation sciences that are currently under exploration by any of the participants. Faculty members may on occasion address special topics or concerns. The second component is a bi-weekly, departmental research roundtable that allows for exchange of ideas among CSD doctoral students and faculty. Again, students are expected to present on completed projects or research-in-progress, and to participate in group discussions. In this forum, presenters also may solicit feedback or engage in focused problem-solving about evolving ideas or projects. Faculty may on occasion address special topics or concerns.

For master's students, the Proseminar requirement can be fulfilled by attending school-wide, departmental scientific, or clinical presentations. Students must attend a specified number of such presentations each term, and can mix and match from those offered in any of the following: SHRS doctoral seminar, CSD research roundtable, Audiology mini-seminar, and Speech-Language Pathology clinical forum.

CSD 2061 CLINICAL INTERVIEWING AND COUNSELING

2 cr.

The purpose of this course is to develop interviewing and counseling skills required of speech-language pathologists. The student will consider the process of counseling from both philosophical and technique perspectives. The course focuses on the social-emotional and practical impact that a communication disorder has on a person experiencing the disorder, its effect on the family, the client as a member of an ecological social system, and difficulties related to specific communication disorders. Special counseling conditions and techniques will be discussed and practiced through role-play. This course will involve the use of films, discussion, presentations, in-class exercises, and outside clinical observations.

CSD 2064 ORIENTATION TO CLINICAL PROCEDURES

3 cr.

This is a required course for all graduate student clinicians registered for their first term of clinic. Students learn the basic principles of observation, assessment, behavior management, instruction, and evaluation necessary to conduct individual and group therapy. Students will integrate their own clinical experiences with course activities to master the techniques of writing behavioral objectives and treatment goals, task analysis, data management and graphing, and documentation.

CSD 2065 CLINIC PRACTICUM IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY--NETWORK

1 cr.

Student clinicians participate in evaluation of and provide intervention to communicatively impaired clients, under the supervision of certified speech-language pathologists who are employed by the University of Pittsburgh. This practicum is taken by speech-language pathology students in their first 25+ hours of graduate clinical training. Students work towards achieving basic clinical competencies.

CSD 2066 CLINIC PRACTICUM IN SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY--OUTPLACEMENT

varying cr.

Student clinicians participate in evaluation of and provide intervention to communicatively impaired clients, under the supervision of certified speech-language pathologists in community outplacement settings.

CSD 2070 ARTICULATION AND PHONOLOGICAL DISORDERS

3 cr.

This course provides an overview of developmental phonological disorders, including discussions of normal phonological development, issues in diagnosis, and orientations to treatment. The nature and management of articulation disorders that are non-developmental (i.e., acquired) will also be addressed, but will not be emphasized. Illustrative phonological data and practice transcriptions will be presented throughout the course to allow students to refine their diagnostic and prescriptive problem-solving skills.

CSD 2071 CHILD LANGUAGE DISORDERS 1

3 cr.

In this course, students acquire the information and skills necessary to assess and provide treatment to children with language impairments.

CSD 2072 FLUENCY DISORDERS

3 cr.

This course provides an overview of the nature of stuttering and other fluency disorders in children and adults, including theories about causation, issues in diagnosis, and orientations to treatment.

CSD 2073 VOICE DISORDERS

3 cr.

This course will be an overview of the most commonly encountered voice disorders, their diagnosis, their clinical management, and the relationship of these problems to other professional disciplines.

CSD 2074 CLEFT PALATE AND CRANIOFACIAL DISORDERS

3 cr.

This course provides an overview of cleft lip and palate and craniofacial disorders in children and adults. Special emphasis is placed upon the interdisciplinary care of these individuals. Students are exposed to information from a variety of specialties including pediatrics, genetics, psychology, otolaryngology, surgery, dentistry, audiology, and speech-language pathology. Attention is given to speech and language development in children with orofacial defects, to the nature of the speech disorders they may have, and to differential diagnosis by speech-language pathologists and audiologists in conjunction with specialists from other disciplines.

CSD 2075 APHASIA

3 cr.

This course provides an introduction to the nature, appraisal, differential diagnosis, and management of aphasia, a neurologically based communication disorder.

CSD 2076 LARYNGECTOMY AND DYSPHAGIA

3 cr.

This course addresses the anatomy and physiology of normal swallowing, disorders of swallowing, evaluation of swallowing with an emphasis on conducting and interpreting the Modified Barium Swallow procedure, and management and treatment of dysphagic patients. In addition, the course covers issues related to management of alaryngeal speakers, including post-surgical alterations in anatomy and physiology, counseling, and selection and implementation of appropriate modes of alaryngeal communication.

Course descriptions continued in next section