CHAIR'S WELCOME
Our department takes pride in preparing the next generation of clinicians and scholars, conducting important research and offering vital community and clinical services – all of which contribute to Georgia State’s reputation as an enterprising and innovative institution.
Although we have trained highly sought-after speech-language pathologists in the Atlanta community for over 45 years, CSD began its journey as an independent department three years ago. In that time, we launched our new Ph.D. program and matriculated our first doctoral student! Our Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic continues to serve the Atlanta community and we have expanded our services with the Clarkston Clinic, which includes community partnerships and an on-site clinic that will benefit the city of Clarkston.
Our master’s program is truly unique because our array of clinical opportunities provides students with the chance to engage with underserved and marginalized populations. As a department, we continue to explore possibilities to expand our academic and clinical programming in a way that aligns with our strategic plan and honors Georgia State’s innovative and enterprising nature.
We are excited about the continued growth of our department, including our new Audiology Assistant Certificate program. The certificate program is available to students at the Atlanta and Clarkston campuses and is the first of its kind in Georgia. It creates a pipeline of qualified professionals who meet uniform standards of competency to deliver high-quality care and are eligible for national certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Graduates will be eligible to enter the workforce immediately and will find jobs plentiful, making an important contribution to our state’s goal to produce workers who are career ready.
CSD faculty and students have collaborative opportunities with units across the university, including the School of Public Health, the Center for Research on the Challenges of Acquiring Language and Literacy, the Urban Child Study Center, the Adult Literacy Research Center, the Neuroscience Institute and the Center for Research on Atypical Development and Learning.
Our department is more than just excellent academic and clinical programs and robust interdisciplinary collaborations. As you will read in our Statement of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, “…we value the unique differences of every human and are dedicated to providing equal opportunity and access for our students, clients, staff and faculty members.” At Georgia State, we are uniquely positioned to diversify our student body and, by extension, our profession. Please review our strategic plan and check it often for updates on our progress.
If you are interested in a career as a speech-language pathologist or an academic researcher in communication sciences and disorders, our department is the place for you! Please take some time to explore our website and reach out to us with any questions you might have.
Stay Healthy,
Aimee Dietz, Ph.D. CCC-SLP, RYT 200
Professor and Chair
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Director, Language Recovery & Communication Technology Lab
Georgia State University, College of Education & Human Development