Communication Sciences & Disorders
Welcome from Chair Dr. Marylou Pausewang Gelfer
On behalf of the faculty and staff of CHS' Communication Sciences & Disorders, I welcome you. Communication Sciences and Disorders is an academic discipline in which deficits in hearing, language and speech are studied, as well as normal communication development and processes. Graduates of our program start their careers as speech-language pathologists or audiologists. Speech-language pathologists specialize in diagnosing and treating disorders such as stuttering or problems in understanding and producing language, while audiologists specialize in diagnosing and treating hearing and balance disorders which stem from trauma at birth, viral infections, genetic disorders, exposure to loud noise or aging. Careers in speech-language pathology or audiology are ideal for individuals who consider themselves "people" people.
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has a long history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. We were one of the first departments in the College of Health Sciences and our program's excellence has been cited in US News and World Report's evaluation of graduate programs. We have an active Speech and Language Clinic that serves as a training site for students and a resource for the community. Our collaboration with the Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CDHH) provides clients in Metropolitan Milwaukee with Audiological services provided predominantly in our Hearing Evaluation Center.
Students in our programs enjoy these opportunities for experiential learning and also receive expert advising from both professional advisors and faculty along the way. In addition, our students have a very strong, long-standing student organization. This ensures a connection to the program outside of the classroom and participation in campus, College, and Departmental events and service projects.
I invite you to explore CHS's Communication Sciences and Disorders program. Should you have any questions, please contact me directly at gelfer@uwm.edu.
Marylou Pausewang Gelfer, Ph.D.
