Students at Georgia Highlands College (GHC) now have a defined path to advancing toward a master’s degree through the Bachelor of Science to Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders-Speech Language Pathology degree pathway, created in conjunction with Piedmont University.
“Because the pathway is based on the Middle Grades Education-STEM program of study, students may already be taking classes that satisfy the first two years of this degree,” Division Chair for Social Sciences and Education Sean Callahan said. “Students that aren’t already in this pathway can begin their journey in the Spring 2023 semester.”
The BS-MS Communication Sciences and Disorders-Speech Language Pathology degree pathway sets students up for a number of different career options upon graduation. With a bachelor’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology students can work as Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPAs), supporting Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in preventing, assessing, diagnosing and treating speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults.
There is a high demand for speech-language pathologists and speech-language pathologist assistants. According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, “employment of speech-language pathologists is projected to grow 21 percent from 2021 to 2031” with “14,000 openings…projected each year on average.”
Students will complete their first two years at GHC and complete their subsequent years of study at Piedmont University.
“One of the large draws to this program is the opportunity to complete a master’s degree online in one year,” Callahan said. “So, a student who completes this program could make almost $80,000 five years after their high school graduation. If they completed one to two years of dual enrollment at GHC, that cuts the time down to three to four years.”
