Clinical Sites

All of our graduate students obtain a well-rounded education and acquire clinical skills that can be applied across settings in their future career as a speech-language pathologist.

What is the Model of Community Based Clinical Education?

The School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Pacific University employs a model of community-based clinical education. Students provide services in the community and gain exposure to service delivery in a variety of settings.

Students gain experience across a variety of sites that include early intervention, Kindergarten through Grade 12 schools, specialty schools, rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics, hospitals, private practice, home health, extended care and other residential facilities and many more!

How Do Student Clinicians Work in the Community?

We take a stepwise, supportive approach to preparing students for clinical work. The first semester of the program focuses on pre-clinical skill building through on-campus labs, speech-language and hearing screenings, as well as supported clinical experiences across the lifespan.

Students are placed in their second, third, and fourth semesters of the graduate program with gradual increase in expectations for independence at each step of the program. In the final semester, students are placed in full-time externships.

Where are Students Placed?

We have over 200 affiliation agreements and contracts with school districts, medical facilities, residential facilities, specialty clinics, camps, and more! The Pacific University School of Communication Sciences and Disorders also supports several direct service outreach programs through community partnerships (see below). During the final semester there are no academic classes so students are able to accept placements in any state including Alaska or Hawaii.

In addition to our more than 200 partnerships and affiliations, the School of CSD directly supports a number of community outreach programs that serve individuals who would not typically have access to speech-language services.

These programs serve those in need and provide opportunities for students to apply knowledge and develop clinical skills with individuals across the lifespan.