Clinical and Research Opportunities
Students in Emerson College’s on-campus graduate Communication Disorders MS program gain valuable hands-on clinical experience both on and off campus. The program also offers opportunities for students to participate in research alongside our faculty.
Clinical Placements
During clinical practice, you will have opportunities to participate in multiple clinical settings while evaluating and treating a wide variety of culturally and linguistically diverse individuals.
Clinical placement settings include:
- Robbins Center
- Early intervention programs
- Public and private schools
- Private practices
- Acute care and rehabilitation hospitals
Your first clinical placement will be on campus in the Robbins Center, where you will participate in one of the specialty programs devoted to children and adults with communication disorders, such as aphasia; developmental speech, language, or learning disorders; and stuttering.
Before the end of your second year, you will take a written comprehensive examination in communication disorders (administered twice per year) or complete a thesis.
Throughout your time in the program, you’ll be compiling a portfolio reflecting the integration of your academic and clinical work.
Typical Semester Format
- 3 academic courses (3 credits each)
- 1 clinical methods course (1 credit each)
- 1 clinical practicum (1 credit each)
Research Opportunities
The graduate program takes advantage of Emerson’s technologically enhanced classrooms and laboratories and the on-campus Robbins Speech Language and Hearing Center, as well as a wide variety of off-campus community clinical sites.
The Robbins Center is an active outpatient community clinic. Facilities include:
- Individual and group treatment rooms for children and adults, each outfitted for digital recording for remote recording/viewing;
- Student clinician preparation room;
- Augmentative and alternative communication laboratory;
- Voice analysis lab;
- Audiological testing booth.
On-campus clinical experiences are enhanced by access to iPads, clinical applications, and a wide array of the most current testing and treatment materials.
The CSD Research Suite offers you the opportunity to partner with the department’s faculty to gain research experience in our cutting-edge laboratory facilities.