About The Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences
Communication That Changes Lives
In SLHS, your training is built around equity, access and real world impact, so you graduate ready to support people who rely on strong communication to thrive.
Our mission and vision guide how you learn and how you serve. You will be prepared to identify and challenge barriers that limit equitable communication and to develop best practices that are competent, compassionate, and culturally and linguistically responsive across the lifespan. The department also values linguistic diversity, including different languages and Englishes, as a strength in your learning community.
SLHS aims to lead the field through critical thinking, equity and scientific rigor. As a student, you join a community that connects research with clinical practice, supports people with communication disabilities and builds an inclusive professional identity that carries into your future work.
Our Purpose
The mission of the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) at San Francisco State University is based on our commitment to antiracism and other forms of anti-discrimination as fundamental to our professions, and essential to our preparation of professionals to:
- Identify, challenge and dismantle institutional, environmental, sociocultural, informational, attitudinal and linguistic barriers to accessible, equitable and transformative communication for individuals with communication disabilities and those whose right of expression are diminished or silenced;
- Develop, model, disseminate and adopt best practices in the provision of equitable, competent, compassionate and culturally/linguistically responsive services to individuals with communication disabilities across the lifespan; and
- To promotes linguistic diversity and recognize the use of different languages and Englishes among our students and professionals as an asset to our academic and professional community.
The vision of the SLHS department at SF State is to be a leader in the field of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences for advancing critical thinking, equity and scientific rigor. We aspire to meet the challenges of creating pathways for recruiting, supporting, retaining and nurturing high qualified students and professionals that represent diverse histories, identities, life experiences, and perspectives. The SLHS administration, faculty, student body and professional partners represent a community of practice that respects and supports individuals with communication disabilities; that integrates research with clinical practice; that embodies equity; and that fosters an inclusive student/professional community in service of accessible communication for all.
The SLHS Planning Process
It is integral to the Mission, Vision and Strategic Plan of the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (SLHS) at San Francisco State University to have cycles of evaluation embedded at key points throughout the academic year.
The evaluation process includes:
- A yearly evaluation process
- Multiple sources of data from all stakeholders
- Key student assignments embedded within clinical, academic and professional practice competencies
- Timely provision of student support
We invite you to be a part of our evaluation team. Please email slhsinfo@sfsu.edu for more information.