Direct clinical experience begins at the graduate level. Students first participate in a pre-clinical experience (CMD 465, then CMD 565), followed by completion of both on- and off-campus internships throughout their graduate training. Note that the faculty of the Department of Communicative Disorders requires its students to supercede the clinical hour requirements of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). For example, although the ASHA allows students to graduate without specific hours of experience with fluency disorders, CMD does not. This was a collective decision made by the faculty because of our belief that beginning professionals need to have experience with a truly representative sampling of clients and communication disorders prior to graduation. That is one reason why many of our graduate students complete their M.S. program with significantly more than the 375 direct clinical hours required.
Below are listed selected off-campus placement sites for graduate student interns. This is just a small sampling, however; the department is fortunate to work with over 40 facilities in the clinical training of graduate students. In addition to local sites, out of state students are routinely able to participate in practicum experiences in their home state during the summer months.
Speech Pathology Placements
Placement |
Clinical Population |
Jamestown Schools |
Pre-K to 6th |
Kent Hospital |
Adult |
Meeting Street Center |
Ages 3-21 |
MHRH Facilities (Slater and Zambarano Hospitals) |
Adult |
South County Early Intervention |
0-3 years |
South Kingstown Schools |
Elementary, Middle School, |
The graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Welcome to spring semester, 2012!
National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) MEETING: Tuesday, April 24th, 2012 from 7:15 to 9 p.m., White Hall, Auditorium (Room 113)
At our upcoming meeting we will be voting on our new by-laws (pick up a copy in Suite H, INSQ in the lounge if you were not at our last meeting) and voting for officers for next year. Special Program: Advocacy for SLPs, presented by Ellen Connery, President of the Rhode Island Speech and Hearing Association!
Thanks to our former students: Lauren Carey, Christine Schiemer, and Ashley White, who spoke with our NSSLHA group about working as an SLP in the real world at our l;ast meeting on March 28th!
Check out our updated table of graduate student student outcomes: PRAXIS examination, graduation, and employment rates by linking to:
Why CMD at URI? - Communicative Disorders - University of Rhode Island
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS