Rarely is an academic department so prestigious, yet virtually unknown, as the School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology at The University of Memphis.
The Speech and Audiology department at The U of M ranks in the top 10 in its field among national colleges and universities, according to the U.S. News and World Report’s college rankings.
“We are a hidden entity at The University of Memphis,” said Maurice Mendel, director of the Memphis Speech and Hearing Center
Speech and audiology are basically two different programs in the same building.
The department focuses on teaching its students to understand and come up with solutions for various types of speech and hearing problems.
The faculty involved with the department spend much of their time researching different aspects of speech and hearing.
Their research covers everything from hearing aids to communication techniques.
The department has been ranked in the top 10 for the past 15 years, according to David Wark, director of graduate studies in speech and audiology.
“We must be doing something right — or we have fooled a lot of people,” said Mendel.
The department was recognized by the state of Tennessee as a Center of Excellence in the mid-1980’s.
The department was also ranked in the top 10 by a study at Arizona State, an authority in the study of speech and hearing.
Herb Gould, director of Audiology, attributes much of the department’s success to the faculty and their research.
Dr. Robyn Cox, Dr. Gerald Studebaker and Dr. David Wark are long-standing members of the award-winning faculty.
“I have been here for 14 years, and I was the new kid on the block until the new faculty member came on board in July,” Gould said.
The program offers a Ph.D. in Audiology and Speech Pathology and master,s in Speech and Audiology.
“There’s a lot of good things coming out of this department.” said Gould.
In addition, this semester the department will offer a Doctorate of Audiology — a professional doctorate program.
There are less than 10 centers in the United States that offer this Doctorate program.
Eight students are enrolled in the new Doctorate program this fall.
“They are learning as they go, and so are we,” said Mendel.
The master’s program in audiology will eventually be phased out because of the Au.D. program. The American Speech and Hearing Association will require all clinical audiologist to have an Au.D. by 2012.
“We are just trying to get a head start on the future expectations,” said Mendel.
The Au.D. focuses on the clinical aspect of audiology, as opposed to the research aspects concentrated on by the Ph.D.
The new doctorate will be a four- year program designed to better equip audiologists with clinical skills.
The program focuses on rehabilitative clinical work rather than medical work,
Along with the new program the department is expanding its staff and includes clients of all ages.
“We see clients as young as infants all the way up to geriatrics,” Wark said.
Graduate students see the patients in a clinical setting supervised by clinical faculty.
“Our department is about helping people, and that makes me feel great,” Mendel said.
