MS in Speech-Language Pathology

Mission, Values, and Goals

Mission

The mission of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at LIU Brooklyn is to nurture future change agents in speech and language therapy. We aim to empower students to assist clients in expressing their various perspectives and identities. Our mission promotes understanding the interconnectedness of individuals and communities, the dynamics of identity and power relationships, and the de-pathologization of language and linguistic variations. It involves a deep exploration of the profession's history and the active dismantling of biases in SLHS research and practice, advocating for a relationship-based and reflective practice that supports a neurodiverse approach to communication.

Vision

The vision of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at LIU Brooklyn is to be a catalyst for change in the SLHS field by equipping the next generation of clinicians and scholars to champion social justice work and the fundamental human right of individuals to express themselves. 

Strategic Goals, Objectives, Outcomes, and Strategies:

Goal 1: Optimize Departmental Functionality and Student Support

• Objective 1.1: Coordinate academic and clinical scheduling within the cohort system.

Outcome: Clinical practicum experiences and academic schedules will be coordinated to support students' full engagement in both as measured by exit survey outcomes.

Strategy: Maintain an annual cohort-based scheduling process to align clinical placements and academic advising and ensure fair access to both.

• Objective 1.2: Embed Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) principles into all advisement processes.

Outcome: SEL-informed guidelines for faculty-student engagement will guide advisement policies and procedures.

Strategy: Implement SEL advisement training (including Mindfulness Institute participation), pilot practices, and adopt program-wide SEL advisement guidelines with specific supports for students needing remediation or additional assistance.

• Objective 1.3: Develop updated Clinical Education Handbook for both in-house and externship settings.

Outcome: Students and clinical supervisors will have clear, collaborative guidelines on roles, expectations, competencies, and support systems to enhance clinical training partnerships.

Strategy: Produce one developmentally- and community-oriented Clinical Education Handbook (in-house and externship sections) using welcoming, accessible language and accommodation guidance, with iterative review and implementation.

• Objective 1.4. Prepare students for externship interviews and improve interview preparedness resources.

Outcome: Students will be better equipped for externship interviews through structured practice and reflective learning tools as evidenced by their exit survey reports.

Strategy: Expand mock interviews with structured pre-briefs and debriefs, develop dynamic interview preparation resources, and refine tools annually using externship supervisor feedback.

Goal 2: Expand and Broaden Student Clinical Experience

• Objective 2.1: Increase access to innovative and collaborative clinical learning opportunities.

Outcome: The In-house clinic will offer a greater variety of sessions to support various models of student learning and peer collaboration.

Strategy: Clinic Committee will identify and plan a wider array of clinical opportunities across populations and approaches and present recommendations at retreats to guide implementation.

• Objective 2.2: Strengthen community outreach and advocacy.

Outcome: Sustained partnerships with community organizations (e.g., SAY, Adler Center), regular ASL class offerings, and expanded collaboration with organizations serving multilingual communities.

Strategy: Program leadership will pursue and sustain community partnerships and expand ASL and culturally responsive outreach in coordination with NSSLHA.

• Objective 2.3: Expand interprofessional education (IPE) integration into clinical training.

Outcome: Each student will participate in at least two structured IPE events per year, including small-group, program-specific IPE sessions and broader task force activities that foster interdisciplinary understanding and collaboration.

Strategy: Continue core IPE activities and plan additional smaller-scale IPE events (simulation labs, cross-program competence sessions, case-based days, interdisciplinary grand rounds), with instructors tracking participation.

• Objective 2.4: Support international clinical exposure and externship placements.

Outcome: Increased student participation in international experiences with growing awareness of global clinical practices.

Strategy: Curriculum and externship leads will promote and support international opportunities, create a centralized resource hub, and document and share student experiences annually to encourage participation.

• Objective 2.5: Expand specialty clinic offerings and language-accessible services.

Outcome: Addition of Alzheimer’s support group, pediatric feeding group, and literacy group, alongside therapy services in high-demand languages, enhancing the clinic’s relevance and service capacity.

Strategy: Clinic Director will annually assess demand and feasibility and lead phased development of specialty groups with proposals reviewed at the annual retreat.

Goal 3: Promote Faculty Research Endeavors

• Objective 3.1: Increase faculty participation in research conferences.

Outcome: Each faculty member presents at least one research presentation every two years, with growing interdisciplinary and collaborative submissions across national and international venues.

Strategy: Coordinate with leadership to identify target conferences, launch a shared calendar, and create a peer-support system for abstract review and collaborative submissions. 

• Objective 3.2.: Identify and support grant opportunities for all faculty, with focus on junior faculty.

Outcome: At least one external grant application submitted annually by faculty, prioritizing junior faculty and research with community, interdisciplinary, or student-engaged focus.

Strategy: Centralize and circulate relevant funding opportunities and establish a grant development support system (internal feedback sessions, budget consultations, mentorship).

• Objective 3.3: Expand the use and visibility of the research lab and infrastructure.

Outcome: The research lab becomes a collaborative, high-use space with regular student and faculty projects, pilot studies, and externally funded research activities.

Strategy: Develop a Research Lab Coordinator proposal and form a Research Support Committee to manage scheduling, resources, and plans for expanding lab use.

• Objective 3.4: Provide structural support for student engagement in research.

Outcome: At least five students from each annual cohort engage in research annually.

Strategy: Identify and mentor five students per cohort for structured engagement in community-engaged faculty research projects and highlight student work annually in a research showcase.

Goal 4: Graduates will demonstrate ethical, access-focused, and justice-minded practice by engaging with neurodivergent communities and people with communication disabilities, and by reflecting on culturally and linguistically responsive care in Speech-Language Therapy, as evidenced by program outcome assessments.

• Objective 4.1: Enhance student understanding of communication access and social participation through engagement with all communities.

Outcome: All students will participate in at least two community events led by or designed to include individuals with communication disabilities before graduation.

Strategy: Integrate these experiences into coursework and clinical requirements and use a standardized documentation form that records participation and accommodations provided.

• Objective 4.2: Strengthen student capacity for ideological reflection and critical cultural analysis.

Outcome: Demonstrated growth in students' ability to critically examine biases, systems of oppression, and positionality in clinical writing and classroom discussions.

Strategy: Embed longitudinal reflective writing assignments and facilitated critical analysis sessions (ideological debates, ethical case analyses) across practicums and student organization activities

• Objective 4.3: Improve assessment tools to better capture individual growth in access and justice.

Outcome: Valid, reliable pre-post data using matched student identifiers across all cohorts with at least one mixed-method (quantitative + qualitative) analysis per year.

Strategy: Implement confidential paired tracking using student-generated codes, add qualitative methods (open-ended prompts, focus groups), and adapt instruments to measure multiple identity dimensions.

Goal 5: Establish a Dynamic and Responsive Strategic Planning Process

• Objective 5.1: Conduct annual strategic plan reviews.

Outcome: A strategic plan that is current, aligned with program goals and mission, and reflects both internal and external input and feedback.

Strategy: Program Director will convene annual strategic reviews at the first retreat, provide relevant data, ensure broad stakeholder engagement, and facilitate smaller reviews as needed throughout the year.

Degree Requirements

Curriculum

Overview

The graduate program in Speech-Language Pathology at the Brooklyn Campus can be completed in 6-8 semesters (2-3-years) by full-time students. The department is mindful of the diverse commitments and obligations our students have, including family and employment responsibilities. Therefore, we support students in choosing a longer pathway to completion, such as an 8-semester sequence, to ensure they can achieve the best possible learning experience without compromising their other obligations. Opting for a longer pathway will not negatively affect students' progress in the program and we will try our best to accommodate their needs.

All students must demonstrate English writing proficiency as a requirement for graduation.

All students are required to complete a minimum of 400 competent clock hours of clinical practicum, including 25 hours of observation. Up to 25 clock hours of undergraduate practicum and 25 hours of observation may be credited toward clinical practicum requirements. Clinical practice are completed in several locations: on campus, in the university clinic; at LIU satellite centers; at off-campus hospital settings, and in school settings. Students will be issued a clinic manual with further information upon beginning their clinical sequence. Students also must complete the following courses in order to obtain ASHA certification (if they do not enter with them completed in their undergraduate studies): aural rehabilitation, one course in the physical sciences (biology, chemistry or physics), psychology, sociology, and statistics.

Foundation Coursework

The Foundation Sequence provides the basis from which students may progress to advanced coursework and clinical practice. The foundations courses are listed below.

• SLP 601: Introduction to Research in Speech-Language Pathology (3 credit)
• SLP 602: Advanced Language Acquisition (3 credits)
• SLP 603: Bilingual/Multicultural Foundations I (3 credits)
• SLP 606: Advanced Neuroanatomy for Speech-Language Pathology (3 credits)
• SLP 608: Seminar in Speech-Language Pathology (1 credit)
• SLP 620: Comparative Phonology and Phonological Disorders (3 credits)

Students may retake a maximum of two foundation courses to remediate grades of C+ or C. Each foundation course may be retaken only one time.

Students must complete any outstanding undergraduate pre-requisites by the end of their first year of graduate coursework.

Higher Level Courses

Higher level courses consist primarily of evaluation and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders, including clinical practica and seminars. Students who are performing well in foundation courses may begin taking higher level courses in their second semester of study; this will be determined during academic advisement.

Students may receive up to one grade of C+ or C in their non-foundation, higher level courses. Students may opt to retake only one higher-level course a single time to remediate a grade. Grades lower than a C must be remediated.

Clinical Practicum Courses

Students begin their clinical practicum sequence after they complete the foundation coursework. Students must resolve all incomplete grades and/or remediation plans prior to starting the clinical practicum sequence. Students must have earned an overall GPA of 3.0 or above to start their first clinic course, SLP 610A.

Clinical skills are developed and evaluated throughout the practicum sequence. Full details of practicum requirements and evaluations of clinical performance are presented in the Clinic Procedures Manual of the Department of CSD, LIU/Brooklyn Campus.

Grading Policy

The University grading policy involves a plus and minus grading system (A, A_, B+, B, B_, C+, C, F).

Minimum Grade Requirements

To continue in the program, students must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average within and across all courses. Students are placed on Academic Probation when they fail to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Students are only allowed one grade of C+ or C in their graduate coursework. This single C+ or C may not be for a course in the Clinical Practicum sequence: 610A, 610B, 610C, 611A, 612A, 614A, 614B, 615A. This single grade of C may not be used for the clinic prerequisite course SLP 640: Language Disorders in Children or SLP 639: PRAXIS Exam Preparation course. Students with two or more grades of C+ or C will receive a letter of dismissal from the department chair, which they may appeal by writing to the Academic Standing Committee.

The graduate program in speech-language therapy at LIU Brooklyn emphasizes both formative and summative assessment methods to monitor the progress of all students across all courses and clinical practices.

Formative Assessment: Formative assessment is ongoing and occurs throughout both academic and clinical courses. Examples include quizzes, homework assignments, projects, papers, mid-term assessments, clinical supervisor comments on diagnostic reports, weekly therapy plans, and long-term therapy plans. These assessments provide continuous feedback and are integral to ensuring students' acquisition of the necessary knowledge and skills. Student support is offered at each juncture where a student's formative assessment shows a need for support or limited mastery of a desired skill or achievement of a goal or learning of knowledge. These include offering extra time to meet after classes to review material, extra activities and exercises, simulated case studies, sharing information of support centers at the university, etc., as needed for each specific individual’s identified need, which is done collaboratively with the student.

In addition, the program is designed in a way that there are specific knowledge base and skills that need to be mastered before a student moves to the next level in their studies. For example, students enroll in the first practicum seminar, SLP 610A, following the completion of the foundational course sequence. Students need to show mastery of foundational knowledge courses taken in the first semester to be able to enroll in 610A. Similarly, 610A prepares students for the higher level expectations for their clinical practicum courses 610B and 610C. For example, in 610A, which is a pivotal course for developing clinical practice decision-making, since it examines principles of problem-solving and decision-making involved in intervention planning for individuals across various communication disorder types, age groups, and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Weekly, students engage in goal and procedure planning for three assigned clients with communication problems, in collaboration with the course instructor. These clients include preschool-aged children, school-aged children, and adults. For the final summary project, students plan for a fourth client.

The intervention planning assignments in SLP 610A serve as a formative assessment of the skills and knowledge achieved in the foundational coursework taken prior and their preparation for their advanced clinical practicum to be taken after they succeed in 610A. The point is that the formative assessment is cumulative and is based on a well-designed program plan that is developmental.

Summative Assessment In addition to coursework and clinical requirements, students must complete either a comprehensive examination or Master’s thesis to fulfill the M.S in Speech-Language Pathology.

Master's Degree Program with a Comprehensive Examination Option

Students must take a comprehensive examination as part of the program and degree requirements unless the Master’s Thesis Option is approved. Students take the comprehensive exam during their last semester in the program. Students who fail the exam will be allowed to retake the exam that same semester one additional time. Students who fail this second attempt will be allowed to re-take the comprehensive exam up to 2 times in subsequent semesters. Students who do not pass the comprehensive exam in these 4 attempts will not receive a terminal master’s degree. Passing threshold on the Comprehensive Exam is 75%.

Master's Degree Program with a Master's Thesis Option

Students complete a research-based master’s thesis guided by a thesis director and a thesis committee. Completion of the requirements for the research option will be accepted in lieu of the comprehensive examination. The research topic will be developed by the student and the thesis director.

The thesis director must have a research-based doctoral degree. The student researcher selects two other committee members under the advisement of the thesis director. Committee members may include non-tenure track faculty and faculty from other institutions. Committee members and thesis directors may be changed by the student at any time. In this case, the student researcher must approach the thesis director and the program Director.

Course of Study

Student Outcome Data

*Data are reported from September 1st to August 31st for each of the years listed

Length of Time for Students to Complete Residential Program of Study

• Full-time with CSD undergraduate major: 2.5 to 3 years (7-8 semesters)
• Full-time without CSD undergraduate major: 2.5 to 3 years (7-9 semesters)
• Part-time with CSD undergraduate major: 3.5 to 4.5 years (9-13 semesters)
• Part-time without CSD undergraduate major: 3.5 to 5 years (10-15 semesters)

Faculty

DEPARTMENT FACULTY

• Miriam Baigorri, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Professor (bilingual Spanish Extension) Miriam.Baigorri@liu.edu
• Nathalia Fonseca, SLPD, CCC-SLP, TSSLD/BE, Speech Clinic Director, Assistant Professor Nathalia.Fonseca@liu.edu
• Reem Khamis, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Professor Reem.khamis@liu.edu
• Jason Rosas, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor Jason.Rosas@liu.edu
• Laurie Summer, PhD., CCC-SLP Program Director, Assistant Professor Laurie.Summer@liu.edu
• Gina Youmans, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Professor Gina.Youmans@liu.edu

CLINICAL FACULTY AND ADJUNCTS

• Ken Anderson, M.S., CCC-SLP, Adjunct Faculty (Doctoral student specializing in cognitive and behavioral differences between males and females with ASD; ASD research using EEG) Ken.Anderson@liu.edu
• Kathy Bih, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Placement and Externship Coordinator Kathy.Bih@liu.edu
• Hannah Ciccarelli, M.S., CCC-SLP, Adjunct Faculty Hannah.Ciccarelli@liu.edu
• Erin Bestreich, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor Erin.Bestreich@liu.edu
• Merhan Hasan, Au.D., CCC-A, Adjunct Faculty (Staten Island University Hospital; specialization in Social Determinants of Health) Merhan.Hassan@liu.edu
• Jules Csillag, M.S., CCC-SLP, Adjunct Faculty (Specializes in inclusive educational practices for autistic learners and public school partnerships) Julia.Csillag@liu.edu
• Irene Kling, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor Irene.Kling@liu.edu
• Shaqueena Murreld, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor Shaqueena.Murreld@liu.edu
• George Pagano, M.S., CCC-SLP, Assistant Clinic Director & Adjunct Professor George.Pagano@liu.edu
• Stacy Renelique, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor (Bilingual Haitian Creole) Stacy.Renelique@liu.edu
• Diana Sánchez, M.S., CCC-SLP, Clinical Supervisor (Bilingual Spanish) Diana.Sanchez@liu.edu
• Mayya Teytel-Cocozza, M.S., CCC-SLP Clinical Supervisor and Adjunct (Bilingual Russian) Mayya.TeytelCocozza@liu.edu
• Clare Villanueva, AuD., CCC-A (Bilingual Greek) Clare.Villanueva@liu.edu

EMERITA FACULTY

• Elaine Geller, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Professor Emerita (Relationship-based reflective supervision) 

DEPARTMENT & CLINICAL STAFF

• Anette Blas, MBA., Office Manager Anette.Blas@liu.edu

OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION

• LIU Brooklyn Public Safety: 718-488-1078
• Weather Updates: 718-488-1000
• Psychological Services Center: 718-488-1266 (Located: Pratt 510)
• Student Support Services: 718-488-1044 (Located: Pratt 410) — bkln-studentsupportservices@liu.edu