Although this certificate's didactic work is primarily provided in an online teaching environment, to prepare students for clinical engagement, an in-person clinical practicum is required for CSD 604.
There is an acute shortage of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) who can provide the medical and educational services needed for the growing population of individuals who need those services. Moreover, there is an even greater shortage of SLPs with the training and clinical skills needed to provide effective and appropriate services for individuals from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Although the career of SLP is growing, it is made up of 92 percent white, monolingual English-speaking clinicians, whereas the population in the U.S. is rapidly becoming more diverse with more than 20 percent speaking languages other than English. This certificate is intended to provide academic training and hands-on clinical experiences to current graduate students and to practicing SLPs to enable them to provide high-quality educational and medical services for individuals from all cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
All the courses needed to complete the certificate in Culturally Responsive Practice in SLP will be offered asynchronously online so that students in other cities or states can participate. This will also allow for practicing SLPs to participate in the coursework to earn additional training or the full certificate in culturally responsive practice. Students enrolled in the NAU MS program will be able to take some of these courses (without officially enrolling in the certificate) as electives. Because so few programs offer training with diverse populations, this certificate is geared toward the enrollment of students and postgraduate students from other programs.
Students enrolled in the certificate program will be required to complete 9 units of coursework and a 3-unit practicum (12 units total). The courses will teach content related to dual language development and disorders, assessment and intervention strategies for multilingual/multicultural individuals across the lifespan, cultural perspectives on intellectual and physical disability, sexual orientation and identity, and how to use evidence-based practice and a toolkit developed with expert faculty to use in practice with diverse populations. Hands-on/applied practicum experiences will provide opportunities to apply what they have learned under the supervision of the faculty who teach the courses.
The purpose of the Culturally Responsive Practice in Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Graduate Certificate coursework is to teach students and SLPs the skills that will make them good problem solvers and users of best practices with individuals from all cultures and linguistic backgrounds. They will learn how to choose appropriate assessments based on individual client needs and areas that may have concerns or need additional support. For this purpose, they will learn procedures for assessment, aside from standardized/normative assessments, which may include dual language assessment, language sample analysis, dynamic assessments, or materials they have created. They will be able to follow the industry standards to correctly work with interpreters to conduct assessments and meet with families. They will be able to base their educated diagnoses and goals on triangulated data, which includes evidence-based research, family and client needs, and data collected during clinical practice. They will understand the limitations of, but also be able to seek help from the client or family in a respectful and understanding way, acknowledging differences in family dynamics across cultures. In addition to client assessment, students and practitioners will learn how to conduct ethnographic interviews with diverse populations. They will also help families with identifying and referring clients/patients for other services (e.g., occupational therapy) as appropriate.
Students and SLPs who complete the certificate hours will learn how to interpret, integrate, synthesize, and augment assessment information to develop diagnoses and make appropriate recommendations for intervention. They will be able to develop setting-appropriate intervention plans with measurable and achievable goals that meet clients/patients needs. They will collaborate with clients/patients and relevant others (e.g., families, interpreters) in the intervention process. They will implement intervention plans that involve all other relevant parties in the intervention process. They will select or develop and use appropriate materials and instrumentation for prevention and intervention. Measure and evaluate clients¿/patients¿ performance and progress. Modify intervention plans, strategies, materials, or instrumentation as appropriate to meet the needs of clients/patients using culturally relevant information. Finally, they will be able to complete administrative and reporting functions necessary to support intervention taking into consideration the family structure and beliefs.
Finally, completion of the certificate will help students and SLPs to serve as advocates for diverse clients in a variety of settings. They will learn how to provide counseling regarding communication and swallowing disorders to clients/patients, family, caregivers, and relevant others. And of course, always adhere to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Code of Ethics and behave professionally with diverse populations.
Federal financial aid is not available for some certificates if the certificate is pursued and completed as a stand-alone certificate (i.e., not completed concurrently with a degree program). See the “Details” tab for additional information.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 12 |
| Major GPA |
Purpose Statement
The Graduate Certificate in Culturally Responsive Practice in Speech-Language Pathology will offer students in the MS in Clinical Speech-Language Pathology program at NAU and practicing clinicians the tools to assess and treat culturally and linguistically diverse individuals with a wide range of communication disorders.
The certificate covers dual language development and disorders, best practice in providing assessment and intervention for culturally and linguistically diverse individuals across the lifespan, and investigates cultural aspects of neurodiversity and intellectual disability. The coursework will prepare clinicians to use least biased assessment for individuals who speak a language or dialect other than Mainstream American English or are not represented in normative data samples, while equipping them with evidence-based practices and cultural humility to effectively provide speech-language intervention. The lessons learned will be applied in a practicum, supervised by experts in the field who have experience working with a wide range of cultures, languages, ability levels, and clinical settings.
Completing the certificate program will give students and practicing speech-language pathologists the skills to problem-solve and make culturally informed decisions based on an understanding of an individual's lived experiences, values, communication styles, and unique worldview when working with individuals from any culture.
Student Learning Outcomes
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and course standards, students will learn the following competencies through participation in the required and elective coursework available to earn a culturally responsive practice certificate.
In addition to the professionally provided learning standards, the following objectives will be highlighted within the certificate curriculum and practicum.
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
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International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
This certificate may be pursued and completed concurrently with a degree program or as a stand-alone certificate. Federal financial aid cannot be used if the certificate is completed as a stand-alone certificate.
Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
Although this certificate's didactic work is primarily provided in an online teaching environment, to prepare students for clinical engagement, an in-person clinical practicum is required for CSD 604.
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