Overview

The Department of Speech & Language Therapy is one of the two Greek Departments in Higher Education in Greece, based in north west part of Greece, Epirus, Ioannina and has been providing courses and professional credentials to meet the cultural and career needs of today’s speech and language therapists. About 800 students have graduated from the department.
The four-year undergraduate degree program leads to a Bachelor degree (240 ECTs units). The knowledge and training provided during the curriculum focuses on speech and language pathology, hearing, voice and swallowing disorders.

Today, 1280 students follow the department's contemporary curriculum which comprises introductory courses, namely medicine, linguistics and psychology, specialized courses concerning voice, speech, verbal/written language and hearing disorders, as well as courses on speech and language pathology technological competences. At the same time, according to the program, students are obliged to attend a significant number of clinical courses (approximately 900 hours) under the supervision of professional Speech Pathologists/Therapists. Under this clinical setting students and staff work in mutual collaboration with a wide network of clinical services, including schools in special education, institutions, public and private hospitals and clinics, aiming at gaining assessment and intervention, clinical learning opportunities and facilitate research in both student education and clinical work.

Aims

The Department of Speech & Language Therapy aims to:

• educate students and integrate theory into practice in the field of hearing, communication and swallowing disorders in a range of areas, including dysphagia, developmental/acquired language and learning disorders, fluency and voice disorders, audiological deficiencies as sensorineural hearing loss, acoustic neuropathy and rehabilitation.
• support research opportunities on audiology and neurootology, on normal and abnormal speech, voice, language development with an emphasis on Greek language and technology advances.
• assist students in developing professional and clinical skills in human communication and interaction that will allow them to join the profession of speech and language therapist.
• provide a range of clinical services such as screening, assessment, diagnosis, intervention of speech and language disorders in both children and adult population in the clinical service network.

Expected Learning Outcomes:

1. The graduate will demonstrate knowledge and competency in explaining and describing key concepts and practices in speech and language therapy, such as theories underlying the typical processes of speech, language and hearing development and the distinctions between, normal, different and disordered communication phonetics, the physio-pathological processes of verbal, non-verbal and written communication, cognitive language and learning disorders, hearing, voice, fluency and swallowing in different age groups, audiology and neurootology, aural rehabilitation, computer systems, information management and computing competencies for speech therapists, communication skills and so forth, using field-appropriate terminology through course examinations, class projects, and presentations.
2. Graduates will demonstrate knowledge of cultural and linguistic variables that may impact the diagnosis and treatment of speech, language and hearing disorders in culturally and linguistically (CLD) diverse populations through course examinations, class projects, and presentations.
3. Graduates will demonstrate evidence of being professional, ethical, and empathetic in all clinical and professional encounters.
4. Graduates will illustrate understanding of research methodology as it is applied to clinical and classroom work and will demonstrate competency in the ability to access, interpret, and participate in scholarly research in the field of speech and language therapy as demonstrated by appropriate use of scholarly resources, both electronic and printed, as well as through written and oral scholarly presentations and products.
5. Graduates will demonstrate competency in professional and technical writing. In particular students will demonstrate:

• strong writing skills with a clear ability to express thoughts and point of view using correct grammar, syntax, spelling, punctuation, word choice (semantics), transitions, and general structure. 
• correct scientific documentation, i.e. APA (including reference page, cover page, in-text citations, appropriate number of reputable sources used for support, paraphrasing skills etc.).
• writing with a clear and cohesive message, including an appropriate sense of audience (sensitivity to diversity in culture, socioeconomic, and educational background).