Speech and Hearing Science
Would you like to help a young boy reduce his stuttering? Make it possible for a grandmother to hear clearly for the first time in years? Develop new technology that helps people communicate? While many of us take speech and hearing for granted, there are millions of people struggling with communication disorders every day. If you’re looking for a science-based major that lets you work with people and have a direct impact on their lives, you’re in the right place.
What will I learn?
As a speech and hearing science student, you’ll study the development and disorders of language, hearing and speech. You will learn how anatomy, biology, psychology and other factors affect how people speak, hear and understand throughout their lifespan, as infants, children, adults and seniors. As you take required classes in acoustics (sounds for hearing and speech perceptions), audiology (hearing), speech-language pathology (speaking), and technical skills such as statistics, you can also choose to explore related areas such as sociology and linguistics.
What can I do with a speech and hearing science degree?
This program puts you on track for some of the most highly ranked health care professions. Upon graduation, students typically go into one of three educational paths at the graduate level in preparation for a career as a(n):
- Audiologist, preventing and treat auditory disorders (hearing and balance issues) for children or adults. An advanced degree is required for certification.
- Speech-language pathologist, helping people who have problems with their speech, language, voice or swallowing. An advanced degree is required for certification.
- Speech, language, and hearing scientist. If you’d rather conduct research to advance the field, or if you want to teach at a university, this career could be the perfect fit.
While graduates work in all types of settings (including universities and private practices), you’ll typically work in a hospital, community clinic or school, especially if you’re an audiologist or speech-language pathologist.
Students can pursue a speech and hearing BA with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) EdM (or MEd), or a speech and hearing BA with early childhood/childhood education EdM (or MEd). By adding education from the Department of Learning and Instruction, students will become eligible for New York State initial and professional teaching certification in their selected program area.
Want to be a teacher?
Be prepared to teach grades 5-12 by getting your bachelor's and master's in just five years through our UB Teach program.
- Save time and money.
- No need to apply to graduate school.
- Be eligible for New York State professional teaching certification.
Visit the department website (at the top of this page) for more details, or see the for a list of all available majors.
By the Numbers
Check out salary ranges and career outlooks straight from the U.S. Department of Labor to see the return on investment for your degree.
| Occupation Title | Mean Annual Wage | Mean Hourly Wage | Future Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $113,840.00 | N/A | Rapid Growth |
| Speech-Language Pathologists | $79,280.00 | $38.12 | Rapid Growth |
| Audiologists | $196,100.00 | $94.28 | Rapid Growth |
Data provided by the and DOL data from 2024.