Clarion University’s Master of Science in speech-language pathology was reaccredited Aug. 10 by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, the accrediting body for the American Speech-Language Hearing Association.
The program is housed in the department of communication sciences and disorders on the Clarion campus. The period of reaccreditation runs for eight years, beginning Sept. 1, 2016, and extending through Aug. 21, 2024. Dr. Janis Jarecki-Liu, department chair, noted that the program was found to be in full compliance with all national standards, affirming that its students have exceeded national student achievement measures for program completion, PRAXIS (certification) exam pass rate and post graduation employment.
Reaccreditation is a rigorous process and ensures that Clarion University's speech language pathology graduate program adheres to national standards pertaining to administrative structure and governance, faculty qualifications, academic and clinic curricular requirements, student outcomes, internal assessment and program resources. Continued accreditation, a hallmark of program excellence, reaffirms that those graduating from Clarion's program are educated in a core set of knowledge and skills which will allow them to qualify for the state and national credentials required for independent professional practice.
"This national distinction is a testament to the high quality of Clarion's program," said Dr. Roxanne Gonzales, executive dean of Venango College.
"Reaccreditation is a testament to the hard work of the faculty and the program's strong curriculum that prepares our graduates for successful professional careers after college," Jarecki-Liu said. "(The speech language pathology program) has a long-standing history of continued accreditation, indicative of its ongoing commitment to providing students with an excellent education."
The communication sciences and disorders department also offers an undergraduate degree in speech pathology and audiology. The undergraduate degree is pre-professional in nature and prepares students to attend graduate school to obtain an advanced degree in speech-language pathology or audiology.