Mission

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders engages students, faculty, and members of the community to advance the state of knowledge through basic and applied research, innovative professional and pre-professional education, and enhanced clinical practices to better serve those with communication disorders

Vision

We will be recognized for bridging science and clinical practice.

CSD Values

• Collaboration:  We recognize commonalities, respect differences, and search cooperatively for possibilities to engage in interprofessional and interdisciplinary research, teaching, and service.
• Innovation:  We pursue creative approaches/trends that strive toward new and effective solutions, while appropriately incorporating successful traditions and established best practices.
• Professionalism:  We commit to behaving in a manner consistent with personal, disciplinary, and departmental values to include integrity, respect, cooperation, and rigorous standards.
• Intellectual Curiosity:  We actively pursue knowledge inside and outside of CSD.  Explore new concepts and develop creative solutions through research and teaching.
• Excellence:  We strive for significant contributions in teaching, research, and service. 

Department Objectives for 2022-2024

1. CSD Program Assessment
   The department will continue its longstanding assessment process and its collaborative work with CARS. Target areas of work are B.A/B.S. and M.S. SLP for this upcoming academic year.
   • For the undergraduate (B.A., B.S.) assessment, the faculty will continue to examine assessment outcomes in alignment with curriculum objectives and program mission. The assessment measurements will continue to be evaluated to ensure that they meet the program assessment needs, and other/additional measures will be explored on an as-needed basis.
   • For the undergraduate (B.A, B.S.) the department seeks to improve undergraduate advising experiences to optimize the career planning and counseling components of the advising provided to our students
   • For the M.S. SLP program assessment, the foci are to improve a) the comprehensive student assessment approach and to b) improve feedback from alumni and/or employers of student preparation. 
     
     
2. JMU Audiology and Speech-Language Clinics
   To promote a center of excellence in which graduate students in the audiology and speech-language pathology professional preparation programs obtain clinical practice. The department will continue to develop the service, pedagogical, research, outreach, and entrepreneurial possibilities inherent in the CSD Clinic.
   • Expand compliment of payers for the AUD Clinic – such as Medicaid.
   • Optimize the exposure of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology graduate students to interprofessional practice through a variety of service delivery models.
   • Foster collaboration through with clinical entities involved in community engagement service delivery for the professions of audiology and speech-language pathology.
     
     
3. CSD Graduate Programs of Distinction - Doctoral Education
   The Department will continue its focus to recruit and retain qualified doctoral students with strategic initiatives to increase the number of full-time Ph.D. students and maintain the number of clinical doctoral audiology (Au.D.) students. The Department continues to monitor and refine recruitment practices to remain competitive. Ph.D. entry pathways of students admitted to the program, appropriate total number of Ph.D. students, students of diverse backgrounds and research interests.
   
   
4. CSD Productive Faculty with Inter/national Scholarly Reputations
   Department will seek the assistance of the University and other sources to increase resources to:
   • recruit and retain talented faculty
   • enhance the inter/national reputation of departmental faculty members, consistent with the University's expectations for graduate programs of distinction
   • support faculty travel to present their research at prestigious scholarly conferences.
   • incent external funding (grants, alumni gifts, etc.) to continue the notable progress toward a culture that emphasizes faculty and graduate student research and scholarship

View the department’s strategic goals for inclusive excellence