Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular term. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the MyBU Student Portal for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• SAR RS 650: Foundations of Rehabilitation Sciences
  This course provides an overview of the field of rehabilitation science and an introduction to the social constructs of disability with an emphasis on bio-psycho-social-environmental models of the enabling-disabling process across the life course. The historical, philosophical and theoretical foundations of Rehabilitation Science and the evolution of laws and policies related to rehabilitation that inform the ethical, funding, and social implications of rehabilitation research are analyzed. The course will also provide an in-depth understanding of person-environment interactions and the link between biomedical factors and community participation.
• SAR RS 750: Research Design
  This course serves as an introduction into research designs relevant to rehabilitation science. The first set of sessions provides the background and framework for understanding the reasoning behind different research designs. The remaining sessions focus on various categories of research designs, the types of research questions these designs address, and the types of data analyses that are appropriate to the designs. The course content is integrated with the content students received in Philosophy of Rehabilitation Science. Format of sessions are lecture, discussion, and experiential. Student assignments are individualized to student areas of mentored research. Student presentations are integrated into the topics presented according to the class schedule.
• SAR RS 790: Teaching Skills
  The role of the researcher as teacher is highly valued but seldom emphasized in graduate education. This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn and practice sound teaching and learning principles and mechanics into the teaching of College-level students. Students will be required to present a class four times during the semester. Following presentations, the student will be critiqued by the instructor and by peers. Students will also be given a number of readings around which discussion will take place. Discussion will emphasize how students might incorporate the lessons from their readings into the next presentation. Finally students will be required to develop a detailed course outline and schedule and a sample lesson. Ideally this will be preparation for a class that the student may eventually teach. The primary emphasis will be on teaching of medium to large classes using the lecture method.
• SAR RS 870: Emerging Topics
  A seminar for doctoral students that focuses on a different topic each semester.
• SAR RS 890: Doctoral Seminar in Rehabilitation Sciences
  This seminar allows for a discussion of topics of interest to doctoral-level students in the PhD program in Rehabilitation Sciences, and is designed to provide insight in 1) curricular aspects of the PhD program, 2) mentor-mentee relationship, 3) skills necessary for PhD graduates entering the field of rehabilitation sciences with a research doctorate, and 4) interdisciplinary nature of the field of rehabilitation. This course enhances the student's ability to successfully complete the PhD program by working on skills needed to write and critically review IRB proposals, research manuscripts and research grant proposals, to outline ethical dilemmas in research, to formulate and disseminate a line of inquiry, and to distinguish various career paths. Literature addressing these issues will be used throughout to illustrate the arguments.
• SAR RS 910: RS PhD Directed Reading
  For students working with a faculty member on a topic-specific literature review.
• SAR RS 911: RS PhD Directed Research
  For students working with a faculty member on a research project other than the student's final dissertation research.
• SAR RS 920: RS PhD Comprehensive Examination
  For students in the PhD program in Rehabilitation Sciences who are working on the comprehensive examination.
• SAR RS 930: RS PhD Dissertation Proposal Development
  Continuing registration for PhD students in Rehabilitation Sciences, used after passing the comprehensive exam and prior to beginning the final dissertation research. RS 920 should be completed with a grade of P.
• SAR RS 940: RS PhD Dissertation Research
  Continuing registration for PhD students in Rehabilitation Sciences who are completing the dissertation. RS 930 should be completed with a grade of P or waived by petition.
• SAR SH 110: Introduction to Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
  Introduction to various speech and language disorders found across linguistically and culturally diverse populations. Characteristics underlying biological systems and methods for evaluation and treating a variety of communication disorders are examined. Exploration of the professions of speech pathology and audiology. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Oral and Signed Communication, Teamwork/Collaboration.
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  • Oral and/or Signed Communication
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• SAR SH 220: Anatomy and Physiology of the Speech Mechanism
  Study of the physiological structures and functions that underlie speech production. Emphasis is placed on the respiratory, phonatory, and articulatory systems. Introduction to neuroanatomy and neural control of the production of speech as well as dysfunction of these normal processes in clinical disorders is included.
• SAR SH 221: Phonetics
  Phonetics is the science of the sounds of speech, including how they are produced, perceived, and classified. In this course, students will develop competence in perceiving and classifying the segmental and suprasegmental patterns of American English. Students will master the International Phonetic Alphabet for broad and narrow transcription of vowels, consonants, and connected speech. Classroom and lab-based activities will develop listening and transcription skills for analyzing individual differences in dialect and accent, phonological development, and disordered speech.
• SAR SH 230: Language Acquisition
  This course will focus on first language acquisition in infancy and childhood. We will cover the progression of language development in each of the traditional areas of linguistic analysis: phonology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics. The course will be focused on experimental research in typical language acquisition and on different theories that strive to explain the underlying cognitive and linguistic mechanisms at work in an early learner.
• SAR SH 240: Introduction to Audiology
  Requires both lecture and lab to cover hearing assessment through the use of pure- tone and speech audiometric techniques as well as the measurement of middle-ear function. The course also includes information about the anatomy and physiology of the auditory system, acoustics, and the effect of noise on hearing.
• SAR SH 325: Speech Science
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (SARSH221 & SARSH220) - Lecture, laboratory, and demonstrations. Introduction to the basic physics of sound, including the decibel scale, spectral analysis, and resonance. Includes speech production, speech perception and suprasegmental effects.
• SAR SH 335: Neurobiology of Language
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: CASPS101 or CASNE101 or CASLX250 - This course examines the neuroscience of language and communication. Topics include the brain bases of speech perception and production; lexical, semantic, and syntactic processing; language learning and development; neurogenic communication disorders; reading and literacy; and the interface between language and cognition (perception, attention, and memory). The course emphasizes modern neuroimaging approaches to human neuroscience. Students design and carry out an fMRI experiment to study the brain bases of language. Effective Fall 2023, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Scientific Inquiry II, Teamwork/Collaboration, Creativity/Innovation.
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  • Creativity/Innovation
  • Scientific Inquiry II
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
• SAR SH 340: Aural Habilitation and Rehabilitation
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (SARSH240) - An introduction to theory and techniques of audiologic habilitation and rehabilitation in audiology and speech-language pathology. The significance of Deaf world issues in the field of aural rehabilitation is addressed throughout the course.
• SAR SH 350: Clinical Methods
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: SARSH221, SARSH230, and SARSH110; or consent of instructor. - This course is designed to prepare speech-language pathology students to enter into clinical practicum. Students will study theories of clinical process through guided observation experiences, culminating to a final mini-practicum experience. As part of this course, students will complete the ASHA requirement of 25 clinical observation hours.
• SAR SH 355: Introduction to Language Disorders across the Lifespan
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: (SARSH230) - This course will provide a broad overview of language disorders across the life span. Students will learn about the causes and characteristics of a variety of developmental and acquired language disorders. We will discuss assessment of language skills and various evidence-based treatment methodologies using video demonstration, live observation, and simulated practical experiences.