The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences offers programs leading to a bachelor of arts degree in speech and hearing sciences and a master of arts degree in speech and hearing sciences in speech-language pathology.

Academic course work is combined with clinical practicum to prepare individuals for careers in providing a professional service designed to meet both diagnostic and therapy needs for individuals of all ages. Students are prepared to be competent and proficient professionals capable of addressing a wide variety of speech, language, learning, and hearing problems.

Students prepare to provide direct and consultative services in educational, industrial, medical, and private practice settings as speech-language pathologists and audiologists. The course of study emphasizes physiological, neurological, psychological, and behavioral processes in normal development, fundamental communication processes, and disorders of communication. Students are encouraged to combine analytical thinking and independent application of course content with the clinical process.

The Speech and Hearing Clinic is the Pullman campus's primary undergraduate training facility for clinical practicum in the undergraduate speech and hearing sciences department. Speech, language, and audiology services are available to the public through the clinic.

Training in speech and hearing sciences through the bachelor's level degree is considered a pre-professional degree. State and national clinical and educational certifications require completion of the master's degree.

The graduate program is located in Spokane and is a cooperative venture with Eastern Washington University. Washington State University and Eastern Washington University combine faculty and resources to form University Programs in Communication Disorders (UPCD). WSU students enroll through, and receive their degrees from, Washington State University. The Hearing and Speech Clinic, on the Spokane campus, is the graduate student training facility for UPCD. Spokane provides many additional opportunities to work with special populations including medical settings. The capstone internship program provides intensive practical experiences in numerous clinical and educational settings.

The graduate program in speech-language pathology is accredited nationally by the Council on Academic Accreditation of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and recognized at the state level by the Washington State Board of Education.

Read the department's 2007–2012 Strategic Plan.