Who We Are

The programs offered by the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Speech-Language Pathology encompass a wide range of services related to both schools and communities. Our central goal is to equip exceptional practitioners with the knowledge and skills to truly make a difference in the lives of the people they engage with and in the communities they serve. Within our program offerings, our dedicated faculty members deliver innovative curricula across various domains, including Communication Sciences and Disorders, Counselor Education, and Higher Education Administration. Currently, our department boasts a team of 13 faculty members, committed to guiding students at all levels, from undergraduates and master's students to specialists and doctoral candidates.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Our primary focus revolves around catering to the needs of Georgia's population by providing top-notch education and training for adept mental health professionals, school counselors, speech-language clinicians, and those pursuing careers in higher education. Through these efforts, we aim not only to educate the people of Georgia, but also to extend our impact far beyond state borders.

The department faculty have expertise and can provide training in the following areas:

• Suicide Prevention 
• Self-Injury Intervention
• Crisis Intervention
• Gender and Sexuality Counseling Competence
• Higher Education Leadership
• Communication-Related Disorders/Differences
• Language 
• Speech (Articulation, Voice, and Fluency/Stuttering
• Identifying Differences versus Disorders (Dialectal Variation, Bi/Multilingualism)
• Accent Modification
• Dysphagia (Swallowing Disorders)
• Literacy and Reading Disabilities such as Dyslexia
• Early Intervention
• School-Based Issues: IEPs, Transition Planning, Modifications
• Hearing impairments and deafness
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Training and Counseling
• Inclusive Coaching 
• Program Evaluation and Assessment
• In-service workshops for school staff, faculty, and mental health personnel 
• Live workshops and webinars on a variety of professional practice topics
• Agency policy and/or procedure consultations on topics such as school-based services, IEPs, higher education policies, medical speech-therapy services, mental health counseling 
  School-based screening for speech, language, and hearing disorders