Departmental Policies

Specific to the Department of Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences, the policies listed below are in addition to any and all policies set by the University and the College of Health and Applied Sciences.

DEPARTMENT CULTURE AND CONDUCT

The SLHS Department adheres to MSU Denver’s Student Code of Conduct & Academic Responsibilities including its statement on academic integrity.  “As students, faculty, staff and administrators of Metropolitan State University of Denver, it is our responsibility to uphold and maintain an academic environment that furthers scholarly inquiry, creative activity and the application of knowledge.  We will not tolerate academic dishonesty.  We will demonstrate honesty and integrity in all activities related to our learning and scholarship.  We will not plagiarize, fabricate information or data, cheat on tests or exams, steal academic material, or submit work to more than one class without full disclosure.”

As a pre-professional program, SLHS faculty and students will adhere to the principles of ethics described in the American Speech-Language Pathology Code of Ethics.  These principles will serve as a framework of professional and ethical behaviors to abide by while an SLHS student at MSU Denver.

• Adhere to all confidentiality rules to protect the privacy and rights of those that are served.
• Comply with all external site rules related to maintaining the safety of all individuals served.
• Provide services in a competent, caring, and compassionate manner.
• Communicate with clients, caregivers, and professionals with accuracy and clarity.
• Meet all academic responsibilities in a timely and punctual manner.

The SLHS Department at MSU Denver seeks to foster a culture of diversity, inclusivity, respect, and integrity that will support the continued personal and professional growth and achievement of all students, clients, faculty, and staff.  We believe this culture is central to the successful preparation of graduates who value and advocate for communication access across all abilities and identities.  To both contribute to and benefit from this culture, we expect all members:

• Be accountable for all personal actions, including acknowledging and seeking support for situations in which inadequate preparation or physical, mental, or health related conditions might result in unsatisfactory performance.
• Work collaboratively with others in an engaging, respectful manner.
• Promote an environment that respects human rights, personal values, and cultural and spiritual beliefs.
• Commit to nondiscriminatory interpersonal and professional relationships.

EXTRA CREDIT

The Department of Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences has established a policy that no individualized opportunities for extra credit will be granted.  Course instructors may elect to give all students in a class an opportunity to earn a select number of points from additional course engagement.

GRADES

The Department of Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences is committed to having assigned grades reflect mastery of content and skills appropriate for this course.  You should also know that a competitive grade-point-average is required for entrance to graduate school in audiology, speech-language pathology or other related disciplines.

INCOMPLETE REQUIREMENTS

The University policy is that an incomplete (I) notation may be granted when a student, who is achieving satisfactory progress in a course is not able to complete all class assignments due to extenuating circumstances such as documented illness, military leave, disability, or circumstances beyond their control. In addition, students must have completed at least 75% of total coursework.  If an incomplete is granted, the student and faculty member must fill out and sign an SLHS Incomplete Agreement Form to clarify what outstanding work the student should complete within the designated time frame.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION & JOB REFERENCES

Students who plan to apply to graduate school in audiology, speech-language pathology, or related discipline will be required to provide letters of recommendation.  The majority, if not all, of these recommendations will come from academic faculty.  SLHS faculty have different procedures for requesting a letter of recommendation (LOR).  Use procedures published in courses or reach out to faculty directly for a copy of their LOR procedures.  Decide early which professors you plan to ask for a LOR (a rule-of-thumb is at least 6 weeks in advance of application deadline).  Only ask professors who have had the opportunity to observe your strongest skills as student and potential applicant.

Faculty are often asked to provide references for students applying for field-related jobs.  Before submitting a faculty member’s contact information to the prospective employer, adhere to the following professional courtesies.  First, do not provide the employer(s) with the professor’s contact information until you have confirmed via email that the professor will provide a reference.  Second, provide the professor with a brief job description as well as a current resume when asking if they will serve as a reference.

OBSERVATIONS

Students who plan to pursue the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Certificate (SLP-A) and/or graduate study in speech-language pathology must have completed 25 direct hours of guided observation of activities within an SLP’s scope of practice.  Students who use Master Clinician Network (MCN) to obtain additional hours outside of class requirements must ask a professor to review additional MCN observations.  Professors will not retroactively approve MCN observations for students who did not receive prior approval.