Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology
The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS) in Mesa, Arizona, will prepare students to become engaged as whole person healthcare providers in alignment with the mission of the university and its osteopathic heritage. The pedagogy of multicultural education is a cornerstone of this program with a significant emphasis toward educating speech-language pathologists and delivery of bilingual services. The curriculum will focus on addressing issues of diversity through culturally responsive practices and using competency-based methods with interpreters to provide ethical services to individuals from linguistically diverse backgrounds. Students will be prepared to serve as professionals who are committed to excellence in the delivery of services to individuals with speech, language, and swallowing disorders and to the advancement of the scientific foundations of the profession using evidence-based clinical practices. Graduates of the ATSU-ASHS Speech-Language Pathology Program will become the next generation of scholars and leaders who will make a global impact.
NOTE: The Master of Science (MS) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at A.T. Still University-Arizona School of Health Sciences is a Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700. Candidacy is a "preaccreditation" status with the CAA, awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum period of 5 years.
Please contact Robin Tritt at robintritt@atsu.edu for more information.
Upcoming events
Join our leadership team and faculty to learn more about the program! Our interactive Zoom sessions focus on the curriculum, faculty, admissions, tuition, and more.
Program essentials
Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program curriculum overview
Speech-Language Pathology Courses: 66 credits
The program is a unique 66-credit-hour, full time, two-year program. The academic year begins in July and goes through May/June of the following year. A total of four semesters is needed to complete the program. The fall and spring semesters are divided into two 10-week sessions. The first year consists of residential didactic and clinical training in Arizona. The final year of coursework is online, allowing students to pursue nationwide clinical opportunities for full-time clinical training.
Program goals
- Prepare students who will advance the scientific foundation of the profession by using critical thinking and reasoning skills in the delivery of evidence-based clinical services.
- Prepare competent professionals who can integrate their teaching, research and clinical knowledge to provide service to individuals with speech, language and swallowing disorders.
- Prepare students who are informed and dedicated to addressing issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion in the provision of services to individuals with speech, language, and swallowing disorders worldwide.
- Prepare bilingual service providers who can meet the needs of patients, students and their families who do not speak English as a first language.
- Prepare students in the use of competency-based practices in the use of interpreters to provide ethical assessment and intervention to individuals from linguistically diverse backgrounds with speech, language and swallowing disorders.
- Prepare students who are proficient in the use of the most advanced equipment and instrumentation to conduct state-of-the art evaluations and treatments of patients with communication and swallowing disorders.
- Prepare students who have mastery of telepractice methodologies and technology to meet the needs of patients with speech, language, and swallowing disorders from underserved, diverse, rural and global communities.
- Prepare students to understand their role as interprofessional practitioners (IPP) adhering to IPP principles in the provision of services to individuals with speech, language, and swallowing disorders.
- Prepare students to provide ethical, legal and professional practice of the highest quality including meeting all state and federal guidelines to insure patient privacy.
- Prepare students for life-long learning, a commitment to service and an understanding of their leadership responsibilities in their practices and in their profession for a lifetime.
Requirements
Applicants for admission to the residential Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program must meet the following requirements prior to matriculation. Candidates accepted for admission to the ATSU-ASHS Speech-Language Pathology program must have earned a baccalaureate degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university.
All pre-requisite coursework and the bachelor’s or master’s degree must be completed from a regionally accredited institution.
Pre-requisite general knowledge coursework
Students must have three (3) semester credit hours in each of the following areas: biological science, physical science, statistics and social/behavioral sciences for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) requirements.
- Biological Science (Human Biology)
- Physical Science (Physics or Chemistry)
- Social/Behavioral Science (Psychology, Sociology or Anthropology)
- Statistics (Math, Biology or Psychology)
Pre-requisite speech-language pathology discipline specific coursework -highly recommended
At least three (3) semester credit hours in each of the suggested courses.
- Introduction to communication disorders
- Normal speech and language development
- Anatomy and physiology of the speech and hearing mechanism
- Speech and hearing science
- Phonetics
- Introduction to audiology
- Articulation and phonological disorders
- Language disorders
- Neuroscience of communication disorders
GPA requirements
GPA options are as follows: a. The applicant must have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average overall or b. minimum of 3.0 cumulative grade point average for the last 60 credits or c. if under a minimum of 3.0 cumulative grade point average for the last 60 credits there may be special considerations for a holistic approach.
Advanced standing
No advanced standing is provided.
Admissions timeline and CSDCAS
Applications must be submitted through the Communication Science and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS). Please refer to the CSDCAS application instructions for specific details about completing the application, required documents, and processing time.
The CSDCAS application cycle begins in mid-July of the academic year preceding the year in which the applicant plans to matriculate. Applicants must submit a completed application to CSDCAS by the deadline listed on CSDCAS.
There will be 40 students admitted into the class. Applicants are encouraged to apply early. Students will be admitted on a rolling admissions schedule. Students may be requested to complete an interview on the Mesa, Arizona, campus or a virtual interview. Admission to the program is made based on multiple criteria.
Applicants are required to submit two (2) letters of recommendation, preferably from faculty who know and can comment on your academic ability and potential for success in graduate study. These letters are to be sent through the CSDCAS recommender portal in the Supporting Information and Evaluations section. Please refer to the CSDCAS application instructions for specific guidelines and requirements for submitting letters of recommendation.
Once ATSU-ASHS receives a completed Speech-Language Pathology application and determines that minimum requirements are met, the application is forwarded to the program for consideration.NOTE: Applicants are responsible for notifying the Office of Admissions of any changes in their mailing address or email address. All requests for withdrawing an application must be done in writing via email, fax, or letter.
Applicants are encouraged to check all email folders in the rare event our email is filtered into a spam or junk mail folder.
If you are accepted into ATSU-ASHS’s Speech-Language Pathology Program, you will be required to complete a criminal background check before matriculation. Depending on the nature of the incidents uncovered, the results of the background check could potentially affect your acceptance into the program, disqualify you from clinical rotations in certain locations leading to an inability to complete your education, or prohibit professional licensure in certain states.
All students are required to demonstrate proficiency in English when applying to the ATSU-ASHS. You may find information on the methods by which you can demonstrate your English Proficiency in the General Admissions section.
International Admissions RequirementsComputers
Students are required to own a laptop computer for coursework by the first day of orientation. All coursework requires extensive computer usage. Although ATSU does not require any specific model or brand of computer, click here for the minimum specifications you will need by viewing the section for the Arizona School of Health Sciences – Residential.
Accepted applicants will be provided laptop specifications. Please note these are minimum specs, not recommended specs and that you can use either the Windows or Mac platform. Any reputable business that sells computers can advise you on these specifications.
For students using financial assistance, the financial aid budget provides $1,500 toward the purchase of a laptop. You will not receive these funds until matriculation.
Student Outcome Data
Speech-Language Pathology On-Time Program Completion Rate (2-year time frame)
| Period | # Completed within Expected Time Frame | # Completed Later Than Expected Time Frame | # Not Completed | % Completed within Expected Time Frame |
| Recent Year (2024-25) | ||||
| 1 Year Prior (2023-24) | ||||
| 2 Years Prior (2022-23) | ||||
| 3 Year Average |
Speech-Language Pathology Praxis Examination Pass Rates*
| Reporting Period | #Taking Exam | # Passed Exam | % Passed Exam Rate |
| Recent Year (2024-25) | |||
| 1 Year Prior (2023-24) | |||
| 2 Years Prior (2022-23) | |||
| 3 Year Average |
*The Praxis is the national examination administered by ETS and required by most states for speech-language pathology licensure. The data above reflect the highest scores of test takers.
Note: The Praxis examination reporting period is the testing year of examination cycle, not the year of graduation for the test-takers. The data for each reporting period may include test-takers who graduated from the program within the prior 3 years
Speech-Language Pathology Employment Rates of Graduates*
| Reporting Period | # of Graduates from prior year | % of Graduates from prior year |
| Recent Year (2024-25) | ||
| 1 Year Prior (2023-24) | ||
| 2 Years Prior (2022-23) | ||
| 3 Year Average |
**The employment rate reporting period is not the year of graduation. The data for each reporting period should represent the individuals who graduated from the program one year prior.
The course development and content are based upon: the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA), Council of Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-language Pathology (CAA) standards; program mission and program foundational goals; University Core Professional Attributes (CPAs); and evidenced-based and culturally responsive practices.
Year One Fall Session 1
Year One Fall Session 2
Year One Spring Session 1
Year One Spring Session 2
Year Two Fall Session 1
Year Two Fall Session 2
Year Two Spring Session 1
Year Two Spring Session 2
Tuition
Review tuition and fees for the Speech-Language Pathology program. Please note tuition and fees are subject to change.
Enrollment Services
University
Requests for information regarding loans and other financial assistance can be found on our Enrollment Services website. Students will work individually with the ATSU financial aid office to coordinate their financial aid packages.
Program Graduate Assistantships
Students can apply for program graduate student assistantships. Contact the program director at mariacentenovazquez@atsu.edu for more information on the application process and the graduate assistantship requirements.
Other
Additional scholarship opportunities can be found here.
Program Director and Associate Professor
Dr. Centeno-Vázquez is an associate professor and Director of Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program of A.T Still University's Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS). Dr. Centeno-Vazquez received her Ph.D. in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Cincinnati. She received her master's in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Science Campus. She holds a bachelor's in psychology from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus.
Before she was appointed chair, Dr. Centeno-Vázquez served as associate professor and chair for the graduate program of Speech-Language Pathology at the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, Metropolitan Campus. She served as associate professor and program director of the Speech-Language Pathology program in the School of Health Sciences at the Universidad Ana G. Mendez. Previously, she held faculty positions at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, and an adjunct appointment at Universidad Carlos Albizu in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
She has made professional contributions to the American, Speech, Language & Hearing Association (ASHA), serving on the Hispanic Caucus and as a Board member of the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders. Dr. Centeno-Vázquez has served as member of the board of Organización Puertorriqueña de Profesionales del Habla-Lenguaje y Audiólogos of Puerto Rico, professional association.
Dr. Centeno-Vázquez has served as a clinical educator, researcher, and supervisor throughout her academic career, especially in swallowing, neurogenic, and voice disorders. She is the first Puerto Rican woman to be Board Certified in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders.
She developed and directed a center at Universidad Ana G. Méndez (Caribbean Neurocognitive Comprehensive Center-CNCC) to provide services free of costs to adults and geriatric population with speech, voice, language, and swallowing disorders, where graduate students provided clinical services.
She has lectured as invited speaker to diverse events including to the annual conventions of the Organización Puertorriqueña de Profesionales del Habla-Lenguaje y Audiólogos of Puerto Rico and to the annual conventions of the Colegio de Nutricionistas y Dietistas de Puerto Rico. Regularly presents at the annual convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and to the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Director of Clinical Education and Instructor
Maggie Sudimack, MA, CCC-SLP, CLC, is the director of clinical education and an instructor in the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS). Sudimack received her master’s from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a fellowship specializing in autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental differences. She received her bachelor’s with honors as a double major in communicative disorders and psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Before joining ATSU, she began her career in Massachusetts in early intervention. Sudimack then worked in elementary and middle schools, private practice, and an outpatient pediatric hospital when she moved to Arizona. She served as clinic director and led a large team of occupational and speech therapists in a private practice.
Sudimack has extensive experience working with graduate students, supervising CFs, SLPAs, as well as working in interdisciplinary environments to best serve her patients. She also is a volunteer with Feeding Matters.
Sudimack is a certified lactation counselor (CLC) and is owner of Lactation & Language. She conducts home evaluations and visits in the East Valley for speech/language, feeding, and lactation. Her primary interests are in early language development, infant feeding, and pediatric feeding disorder.
Professor, Biostatistics
Interdisciplinary Health Sciences
R. Curtis Bay, PhD, is an associate professor of biostatistics in the department of interdisciplinary health sciences. For the 12 years prior to joining ATSU, Dr. Bay served as director of medical research support, Department of Academic Affairs, Maricopa Medical Center, in Phoenix. He is a graduate of Arizona State University, where he received a doctorate in psychology, with an emphasis in statistical methodology.
Dr. Bay teaches courses in research methodology and statistical analysis. His current areas of interest concerns the relationship between patients’ illness epistemology and their subjective and objective responses to therapeutic interventions, as well as the application of structural equation modeling to medical research.
Vice Dean and Professor
Dr. Salas-Provance, is professor and vice dean of A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS). Dr. Salas-Provance received her doctorate in speech science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She received her masters of health administration from the University of Missouri School of Medicine-Columbia. She holds both a bachelors and masters in Speech Pathology from New Mexico State University.
Prior to her appointment as vice dean, Dr. Salas-Provance served as associate dean of academic and student affairs for the School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston. She served as assistant dean and chair in the College of Education, Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico and department chair in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Montevallo (AL). She held faculty positions at Fontbonne College and St. Louis University, in St. Louis, MO.
She has made extensive professional contributions to the American, Speech, Language & Hearing Association (ASHA), serving on the Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Council, member of the Financial Planning Board, and the Multicultural Issues Board. She served as coordinator of ASHA’s Special Interest Group (SIG) 14, Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse populations and was a founding member and coordinator of SIG 17, Global Issues in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She is an ASHA Fellow and received ASHA’s highest awards for “Special Recognition in Multicultural Affairs” and “Outstanding Contributions in International Achievement.”
Dr.Salas-Provance has served as a clinical educator throughout her academic career, especially related to children with cleft lip and palate. She is a member of an international medical team with Rotaplast International and has traveled worldwide for over 15 years to provide clinical services to children with cleft palate. She implemented a program for graduate students in speech pathology to provide clinical services in Spanish to children with cleft palate in Lima, Peru. In addition to Lima, Peru she has provided clinical services in China, Bangladesh, Philippines, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Venezuela.
Dr. Salas-Provance is coauthor of the textbook Culturally Responsive Practices in Speech-Language and Hearing Science (Plural Publishing, 2019) which meets the needs for training students in healthcare professions regarding practice with individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Her research is focused on attitudes towards disability by diverse populations and addressing the use of language interpreters during healthcare and educational encounters.
Over the past ten years she has lectured extensively to international audiences, both in English and Spanish, including as invited speaker for the Congreso Internacional en Trastornos de la Comunicacion at Escuela de Fonoaudiologia (Speech Language Pathology / Audiology) de la Universidad de Talca, Chile and for the Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza, Lima, Peru, Endoscopic Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction. She was invited keynote speaker for the First International Congress in Speech-Language Pathology and Orthodontics in the area of cleft lip and palate in Lima, Peru.
Dr. Salas-Provance was selected for the American Council on Education (ACE) Women’s Leadership Program and attended the National Women’s Leadership Forum in Washington DC (2017) for advancing female executives in higher education.
Associate Professor
Lourdes Martinez-Nieto, PhD, MA, joined A.T. Still University-Arizona School of Health Sciences’ (ATSU-ASHS) Speech-Language Pathology program in July 2022 as an associate professor.
Dr. Martinez-Nieto earned her bachelor of arts degree in modern languages – English with a major in linguistics and a minor in translation and master of arts degree in applied linguistics with a major in language acquisition from Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, México. She completed her doctoral degree in speech and hearing science from Arizona State University in 2018.
Prior to joining ATSU, she was an assistant professor in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Dr. Martinez-Nieto’s training is in the areas of communication disorders, child language development and disorders, bilingual language and second language acquisition, and linguistics. She specializes in bilingual language acquisition.
Dr. Martinez-Nieto’s primary research interest focuses on language development in monolingual and Spanish-English bilingual children with and without language disorders. She aims to find the linguistic characteristics that may help clinicians differentiate language disorders from language differences. She is interested in how vulnerable grammatical elements, such as grammatical gender in Spanish or verb morphology in English, develop in bilingual environments.
Associate Professor
Beatriz Barragan, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology at A.T. Still University-Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS). She is a bilingual (Spanish and English) researcher interested in the neurobiology of bilingualism, specifically the motor component of second language processing.
She is from Bogota, Colombia, where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in experimental psychology. After moving to the U.S., she received her master’s in clinical research management and doctorate in speech and hearing science at Arizona State University (ASU). Prior to her appointment at ATSU-ASHS, she worked as research faculty at ASU and assistant professor at California State University, Los Angeles.
Dr. Barragan’s current work is focused on second language processing through three lines of research: the role of the motor system on second language comprehension, foreign accent and dysarthric speech perception bias, and cognitive implications of bilingualism in young and older adults. As an instructor, Dr. Barragan works toward developing knowledgeable consumers of scientific research, who can transfer these skills to evidence-based professional practices. Her interdisciplinary research and interaction with the Latinx community bring together social, psychological, and biological perspectives on the language process, which contributes to future speech-language pathology clinicians’ understanding of the complexity of human communication.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Ivonne M. Maldonado De la Rosa is an assistant professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program of A.T Still University Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS). Dr. Maldonado De la Rosa received her Ph.D. in Second Language Research from Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Ponce campus. She received her master’s in Speech-Language Pathology from Universidad Ana G. Mendez, Gurabo campus. She holds a bachelor’s in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras campus.
Prior to joining ATSU, she was working as a bilingual Speech Language Pathologist and pediatric feeding specialist. She has experience working in skilled nursing facilities, private practices, outpatient clinics and through telehealth.
Dr. Maldonado De la Rosa serves on the board of the Hispanic Caucus of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. Dr. Maldonado De la Rosa’s training is in the areas of bilingualism specifically about the phenomenon of code-switching. Her primary research interest focuses on Speech Language Pathologists approach towards the phenomenon of code-switching when working with culturally linguistically diverse clients.
Dr. Maldonado De la Rosa has also become very familiar with the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem becoming a University Innovation Fellow from Stanford University. She has also received training in Bio-entrepreneurship from California State University I-corps.
Assistant Professor
Dr. Tiffany Hines an assistant professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences. Dr. Hines received her bachelor’s degree in linguistics from the University of Georgia. She received her master of education in speech-language pathology from the University of West Georgia. She then earned her doctorate in educational psychology from Capella University. She maintains her CCC and is licensed in South Carolina and Georgia.
Prior to joining ATSU, Dr. Hines was a school-based speech-language pathologist and owned a pediatric private practice in Greenville, South Carolina. She has experience working in public schools, early intervention, telehealth, and private practice.
Dr. Hines currently serves as the professional development manager of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Special Interest Group 16 (School-based Issues).
School-based assessment/therapy, early intervention, and SLP retention have been the primary focus of Dr. Hines’ research and experience. She specializes in response-to-intervention, articulation disorders, child language disorders, cultural-linguistic diversity, and literacy. In addition, she has created workshops and presented at conferences.
Assistant Professor
Malathy Venkatesh, PhD, CCC-SLP is an assistant professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences. Dr. Venkatesh obtained her PhD in clinical language sciences at the University of Reading, United Kingdom. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech-language pathology and audiology in India. She is an AMI-certified Montessori practitioner for aging and dementia.
Dr. Venkatesh is a multilingual speech-language pathologist who has worked in India, Singapore, and the U.S. in a variety of settings including hospitals, schools, teaching institutions, post-acute centers, and outpatient. She is a member of the Professional Development Committee of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Special Interest Group 15 (Gerontology) where she is the CE content manager as well as the co-facilitator of the Journal club. She is also the co-facilitator of the Swallow Support Group of Arizona.
Dr. Venkatesh’s doctoral study examined the role of language structural variations on linguistic performance in bilingual speakers with aphasia. Her other areas of interest include bilingualism/multiculturalism and implementation of evidence-based person-centered approaches in residential settings to improve quality of life of residents with dementia and neurodegenerative diseases.
Instructor
Ekaterina (Katia) Bruno, MEd, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, is an instructor at the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences. She is a bilingual English-Russian clinical speech-language pathologist and a Board-certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders. She received her master’s degree from SSU in Russia and continued her education at Boston University and Emerson College when she relocated to the U.S.
Bruno has over twenty years of SLP experience in adult and pediatric rehabilitation in acute, subacute, LTAC, outpatient clinics, private practice, and school settings. She is passionate about supporting people with swallowing disorders and medical professionals working with the dysphagia population. Her research is in transitional foods implementation in the SLP daily practice.
Bruno has served as an organizer and invited speaker for local and international conferences, a volunteer Russian Language Lead Translator for IDDSI, a CF and SLP student clinical instructor, and a volunteer consultant at the ALS Association in Moscow, Russia. She volunteers at the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders as a leader of the Denver Dysphagia Support Group and at the ASHA International Issues Board including ASHA-PAHO Collaboration Advisory Committee.
Program Director and Associate Professor
María A. Centeno-Vázquez, PhD, CCC-SLP, is the program director and was previously associate professor and program chair at Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. She served as chair of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology at Universidad Ana G. Méndez in Puerto Rico. Dr. Centeno-Vázquez is a board-certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders (BCS-S) and is a member of the BCS-S board. She serves as editor on the executive board of the Hispanic Caucus of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and on ASHA’s National Board Exam Revision Committee for Puerto Rico.
She is a bilingual (Spanish and English) speech-language pathologist with a specialty in medical aspects of the field. Her focus is on medical assessments using instrumentation such as fiberoptic endoscopy and video stroboscopy of voice and swallowing. She developed and directed the Caribbean Neurocognitive Comprehensive Center to provide services to adult and geriatric populations, including assessment, treatment, research, as well as community service. She has provided clinical services in schools, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and rehabilitation facilities.
Dr. Centeno-Vázquez received her doctorate in communication sciences and disorders from the University of Cincinnati.
Director of Clinical Education and Instructor
Maggie Sudimack, MA, CCC-SLP, CLC, is the director of clinical education and an instructor in the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program at A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS). Sudimack received her master’s from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a fellowship specializing in autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental differences. She received her bachelor’s with honors as a double major in communicative disorders and psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Before joining ATSU, she began her career in Massachusetts in early intervention. Sudimack then worked in elementary and middle schools, private practice, and an outpatient pediatric hospital when she moved to Arizona. She served as clinic director and led a large team of occupational and speech therapists in a private practice.
Sudimack has extensive experience working with graduate students, supervising CFs, SLPAs, as well as working in interdisciplinary environments to best serve her patients. She also is a volunteer with Feeding Matters.
Sudimack is a certified lactation counselor (CLC) and is owner of Lactation & Language. She conducts home evaluations and visits in the East Valley for speech/language, feeding, and lactation. Her primary interests are in early language development, infant feeding, and pediatric feeding disorder.
Department Chair and Professor
Courses taught:
AUDE 5160 Anatomy and Physiology of the Auditory-Vestibular System
AUDE 5260 Human Anatomy and Neuroanatomy (co-instructor)
AUDE 5460 Otoacoustic Emissions (co-instructor)
AUDE 6420 Occupational and Environmental Hearing Conservation (co-instructor)
AUDE 9110, 9120, 9130, 9210, 9220, 9230, 9310, 9320 Audiology Grand Rounds (co-instructor)
AUDP 7100 Neuroscience and Neuroimaging
Tabitha Parent-Buck, AuD, is a tenured, full professor at A.T. Still University-Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS), and she is chair of the Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology and program director for the Entry-level Doctor of Audiology program.
Dr. Parent-Buck was the founding chair of ATSU-ASHS’ Audiology program in July 1999. In 2021, the department was renamed the Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology with the addition of the inaugural Speech-Language Pathology program. The new program is awaiting candidacy review in January 2022.
Dr. Parent-Buck obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in audiology from Purdue University and doctor of audiology degree from Baylor College of Medicine. She has practiced in a variety of clinical settings and worked as a sales representative and trainer in the hearing aid industry. She provided academic and clinical instruction as an assistant professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of New Mexico, where she was recognized for teaching excellence.
Dr. Parent-Buck has published and presented in the areas of hearing aid technology, otoacoustic emissions, vestibular evaluation, pharmacology, neuroanatomy, genetics, and the AuD movement. Dr. Parent-Buck is a past-president of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology. She served on the board of the Audiology Foundation of America from 1996-2003. She is also a member of the American Academy of Audiology (since 1991) and has served on the Convention Special Events Subcommittee and Task Force on Licensure and Payment Issues of Audiology Externship Students.
Vice Dean and Professor
Dr. Salas-Provance, is professor and vice dean of A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS). Dr. Salas-Provance received her doctorate in speech science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She received her masters of health administration from the University of Missouri School of Medicine-Columbia. She holds both a bachelors and masters in Speech Pathology from New Mexico State University.
Prior to her appointment as vice dean, Dr. Salas-Provance served as associate dean of academic and student affairs for the School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston. She served as assistant dean and chair in the College of Education, Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico and department chair in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Montevallo (AL). She held faculty positions at Fontbonne College and St. Louis University, in St. Louis, MO.
She has made extensive professional contributions to the American, Speech, Language & Hearing Association (ASHA), serving on the Speech-Language Pathology Advisory Council, member of the Financial Planning Board, and the Multicultural Issues Board. She served as coordinator of ASHA’s Special Interest Group (SIG) 14, Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse populations and was a founding member and coordinator of SIG 17, Global Issues in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She is an ASHA Fellow and received ASHA’s highest awards for “Special Recognition in Multicultural Affairs” and “Outstanding Contributions in International Achievement.”
Dr.Salas-Provance has served as a clinical educator throughout her academic career, especially related to children with cleft lip and palate. She is a member of an international medical team with Rotaplast International and has traveled worldwide for over 15 years to provide clinical services to children with cleft palate. She implemented a program for graduate students in speech pathology to provide clinical services in Spanish to children with cleft palate in Lima, Peru. In addition to Lima, Peru she has provided clinical services in China, Bangladesh, Philippines, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Venezuela.
Dr. Salas-Provance is coauthor of the textbook Culturally Responsive Practices in Speech-Language and Hearing Science (Plural Publishing, 2019) which meets the needs for training students in healthcare professions regarding practice with individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse populations. Her research is focused on attitudes towards disability by diverse populations and addressing the use of language interpreters during healthcare and educational encounters.
Over the past ten years she has lectured extensively to international audiences, both in English and Spanish, including as invited speaker for the Congreso Internacional en Trastornos de la Comunicacion at Escuela de Fonoaudiologia (Speech Language Pathology / Audiology) de la Universidad de Talca, Chile and for the Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza, Lima, Peru, Endoscopic Evaluation of Velopharyngeal Dysfunction. She was invited keynote speaker for the First International Congress in Speech-Language Pathology and Orthodontics in the area of cleft lip and palate in Lima, Peru.
Dr. Salas-Provance was selected for the American Council on Education (ACE) Women’s Leadership Program and attended the National Women’s Leadership Forum in Washington DC (2017) for advancing female executives in higher education.
Dean
Dr. Ann Lee Burch is the dean of A.T. Still University’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ATSU-ASHS). Dr. Burch received her doctor of education from Columbia University, Teachers College in 2005. She received her masters of public health from Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health in 2002 and her masters of physical therapy from Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1989. She was a postdoctoral fellow with the Research Group on Health Disparities at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her BA is in psychology from the University of Rochester.
Prior to her appointment as dean, Dr. Burch served as vice dean for ATSU-ASHS. She served as the chair of the Physical Therapy Department from 2008-January 2012. Prior to ATSU, Dr. Burch was the director of physical therapy at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She has held administrative and/or faculty positions at the International Center for the Disabled in NY, NY, Mercy College in NY, and Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY.
Dr. Burch’s area of scholarly interest and application of that interest is in knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy of health care providers and healthcare professional students towards underrepresented patient/client groups.
Dr. Burch is the author of a Guide to Physical Therapy (Vault Publishers) which was written to increase information access about physical therapy to both high school graduates and re-entry adults. She was a co-investigator on an NIH grant at the University of Puerto Rico exploring the feasibility of an exercise program for breast cancer survivors living in San Juan. Dr. Burch has lived in Symi, Greece, Taipei, Taiwan, Ahmdebad, India and San Juan, Puerto Rico, and is committed to research, teaching and service that further the understanding of the impact of socioeconomic and cultural variables on health.
She was a member of the class of 2014 cohort of Women in Educational Leadership at Harvard Graduate School of Education. In 2017 she was the co-PI on a Centers for Disease Control, Association for Prevention and Teaching grant exploring a population health case study format for teaching and communicating the impact of social determinants of health on health disparities. She was recently appointed a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission.
Program Manager
Accreditation
A.T. Still University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
230 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500,
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: 800.621.7440 | Fax: 312.263.7462
Email: info@hlcommission.org
NOTE: The Master of Science (MS) education program in speech-language pathology (residential) at A.T. Still University-Arizona School of Health Sciences is a Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700. Candidacy is a “preaccreditation” status with the CAA, awarded to developing or emerging programs for a maximum period of 5 years.
Degree-granting authority for the Arizona School of Health Sciences has been given by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education, 1400 West Washington Rd., Room 260, Phoenix, AZ 85007. Phone 602.542.5709.
Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology Faculty and Administration
Application
The ATSU-ASHS Speech-Language Pathology program participates in the Communication Science and Disorders Centralized Application Service for Speech-Language Pathology (CSDCAS). CSDCAS provides a web-based service that allows applicants to submit a single application to multiple participating speech-language pathology programs. All official transcripts and letters of reference are sent directly to CSDCAS as part of the application process. Please visit CSDCAS .
For additional information, please contact the Speech-Language Pathology Administrative Assistant Robin Tritt at robintritt@atsu.edu or 480.219.6147, or email Program Director, Dr. Maria Centeno-Vazquez at mariacentenovazquez@atsu.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Program
- What degree does ATSU’s SLP program offer? Graduating students receive a master of science (MS) degree in speech-language pathology.
- How long is the ASHS SLP program, and when does it start? ATSU-ASHS’s SLP program is approximately 22 months in length. Courses will begin annually in the second week of July. The first 12-month component of the program is divided into two semesters of didactic, clinical rotations, and laboratory work, while the second 12-month component consists of clinical rotations and didactic work.
- What courses are required for completion of the Speech Language Pathology program and how many credits does each course carry? Please refer to the curriculum.
- Can I take prerequisites at your institution? No. ATSU-ASHS does not offer undergraduate courses for the general knowledge or discipline specific prerequisites.
- What time of day are classes held? Academic classes are held in the late afternoon and evenings. Clinical practicums occur throughout the day.
- Must I have a bachelor’s degree to enter the program? Yes.
- What is the average GPA of students accepted to the program? The average GPA should be 3.0.
- Do you require the GRE? The GRE is NOT required.
- Can I complete my graduate degree in less than 4 semesters? No. A minimum of 4 semesters is necessary in order to complete the academic and clinical requirements of the program.
- Will I be able to work while I am in school? Because of the rigorous nature of the speech-language pathology course work, the speech-language pathology faculty strongly discourage students from working.
- How much clinical observation do I need? A minimum of 25 clinical observation hours signed by an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certified speech-language pathologist (CCC-SLP) is required. It is important to be very familiar with the career in which the applicant is planning to make a commitment.
- Is there housing convenient to the University? Yes. Students find housing in many of the neighboring communities. There is no on-campus student housing.
Admissions
- How do I apply to the SLP program? Completed applications must be submitted to the Centralized Application Service for Speech-Language Pathology.
- Can I send my application directly to ATSU? No. You must apply through the centralized application service called CSDCAS.
- Do all of my prerequisite courses need to be completed by the time I apply to the program through CSDCAS? Yes. All general knowledge and speech-language pathology discipline specific prerequisites must be successfully completed before the program begins in July.
- Do you have a distance learning option for the entry-level program? No.
- Does it make a difference for admission if I am from out-of-state? No. Your state of residence does not impact your chances for admission.
- Can international students apply to the program? Yes. Submit acceptable evidence of U.S. degree and/or course equivalency. Applicants must have foreign transcripts evaluated by an evaluation service specializing in foreign transcript evaluation. The evaluation must state that the transcript(s) reflect an equivalency of a U.S. degree. Please find more information here.
- When will I be notified if I am selected to interview? You will be notified after your application has been reviewed. Admissions is on a rolling basis.
- How will I be notified if I am being invited for an interview? The invitation will be made by email; therefore, it is important that you provide us with current contact information.
- When are interviews conducted? Interviews will be conducted following review of all applicants.
- If I am selected to interview, how long does it take to find out if I am selected for the program? We try to inform applicants within two to four weeks after the interview date.
- How do I prepare for the interview? Be yourself. Be prepared. Do your homework regarding the speech-language pathology profession and ATSU. It may be helpful to practice with others.
- What is the interview format? Interviews are offered as either in-person or virtual via Zoom.
- What happens after students accept an offer of admission? Upon receipt of acceptance, an applicant is required to pay a $500 matriculation fee to the University within 14 days of the date of the acceptance letter. This fee is non-refundable and will be applied toward first term fees.
- How many people apply to ATSU-ASHS’ SLP program each year? It varies year to year.
- How many open positions are available in the program each year?ATSU-ASHS will enroll 40 students this year.
- Can someone review my application, transcripts, reference forms, resume and personal statement before I turn them in? No. Read the speech-language pathology program's website, catalog, CSDCAS and online material very carefully. Everything you need to know is explained in these documents.
- Who is on the Speech-Language Pathology Admissions Committee? Committee members consist of program faculty.
- If admitted to the program, are students able to defer entrance? No. Acceptance cannot be deferred. All students begin the program in the fall (July) of each academic year.
Financial Aid
- Does ATSU-ASHS offer financial aid? Where can I find scholarship information? Yes, a variety of financial assistance is available to speech-language pathology students, such as loans, scholarships, grants, and work study. Learn more about financial aid. Additional scholarship opportunities can be found here or contact Robin Tritt at robintritt@atsu.edu.
- What is the cost of tuition and fees for the two-year program? Consult the Finance Office website for the current tuition and fees of the speech-language pathology program. Please note speech-language pathology program costs are subject to change upon approval of the University Board of Trustees.
- Where can I address any further questions? Contact the admissions office at admissions@atsu.edu or call 866.626.2878.
Clinical Experience
- Where is the clinic located? There is not an on-campus clinic. Students will gain clinical experiences in the numerous clinical sites located throughout Phoenix, Arizona, and throughout the country.
- Why type of clients will I see during my clinical experience? Students gain clinical experience with clients (infants, toddlers, children, adolescents, adults, and elders) with a wide variety of speech, language, and swallowing disorders.
- What type of supervision do students receive during their clinical experiences? Students will be supervised by ASHA certified and state licensed clinical educators.
Mission, Vision, and Purpose
Mission
To prepare professionals who are committed to excellence in the delivery of services to individuals with speech, language, and swallowing disorders and to the advancement of the scientific foundations of the profession using evidence-based clinical practices. The pedagogy of multicultural education is a cornerstone of this program with a significant emphasis toward educating speech-language pathologists and delivery of bilingual services, addressing issues of diversity through culturally responsive practices, and using competency-based methods with interpreters to provide ethical services to individuals from linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Vision
To provide an exemplary educational experience that prepares the next generation of clinicians, researchers, scholars, and leaders to make a global impact.
Purpose
To improve the lives of individuals with communication and swallowing disorders.
Strategic Plan
Executive summary Speech-Language Pathology program: 5-year strategic plan
Students
- Grow from Year One total of 30 students to Year Five total of 100 students.
- Grow numbers of culturally and linguistically diverse students to at least 25 % of two-year class of 100 total students.
- Graduate first student cohort in 2024 at 100% and at least 95% thereafter.
- Students will achieve technical experience in 5 advanced instruments including telehealth technology.
- Students will complete at least one research study and present it orally.
- Students will complete academic and clinic goals through KASA verification.
- Students will provide service to at least one CLD client.
- Students will have an international clinical experience in-person or through telepractice.
- Students will engage in at least one IPE experience.
- Students will complete 10 hours of community service.
Faculty
- Grow from five to 10 faculty members in four years.
- Grow numbers of culturally and linguistically diverse faculty to 50% of program.
- Apply for teaching, research, university, state, or national awards yearly.
- Three faculty will complete promotion and tenure 3-year reviews.
- Three faculty will apply for promotion.
- Faculty will engage in research and submit research for publication yearly.
- Faculty will publish at least two scholarly works yearly.
- Faculty will submit grants on a regular basis.
- Faculty will receive at least four grants in five years.
- Faculty will engage in community service projects with students at least once yearly.
Program
- Develop an advisory board of 8-10 members over four years.
- Program will put forth at least two students for ASHA/NSSLHA, other awards each year.