Coursework Requirements

ACSLPA has adopted the Academic Equivalency Framework (AEF), which was developed by a coalition of Canadian audiology and speech-language pathology regulators, as the minimum academic and supervised clinical practice requirements for entry-to-practice audiologists and speech-language pathologists in Alberta.

In accordance with the AEF, your program of study must include a minimum of the following hours:

Coursework Category	Courses Within Cateory	Minimum # of Courses Required	Minimum Coursework Hours Requirements
Foundational Knowledge Specific to Profession	Anatomical, physiological, and neurological basis of speech, language, and hearing function (i.e., anatomy and physiology, neurosciences, neuroanatomy, related to speech and hearing)	1 course (36-45 hours)	135 clock hours Undergraduate and graduate level coursework
	Speech-Language Pathology Majors Fundamentals pertaining to the use of speech and language processes (i.e., linguistics, psycholinguistics, normal acquisition of speech and language, phonetics, phonology)	2 courses (72-90 hours)
	Audiology Majors Physical basis and processes of the production and perceptual processes of hearing (i.e., hearing science, acoustics)	2 courses (72-90 hours)
Basic Knowledge from Related Disciplines and Professional Practice Issues	● Basic principles and methods involved in conducting research (i.e., statistics, research methods)	2 courses (72-90 hours)	180 clock hours Undergraduate and graduate level coursework
	● Psychological and social aspects of human development (i.e., psychology or education courses pertinent to communication disorders)	1 course (36-45 hours)
	● Professional practice/issues, administrative organization of programs (i.e., professional issues, principles of clinical practice)	1 course (36-45 hours)
Core Professional Area (speech-language pathology)	Speech-Language Pathology Majors Articulation/phonological disorders Preschool/school-aged language development and literacy Developmental language disorders Acquired language disorders Cognitive communication disorders Voice and resonance/structurally related disorders Fluency disorders Neurologically based/motor speech disorders Augmentative and alternative communication Dysphagia Professional practice issues specific to SLPs		405 clock hours Typically graduate level coursework*
Core Professional Area (audiology)	Audiology Majors Hearing measurement Audiological assessment Electrophysiological and other diagnostic measurements Basic and advanced concepts in amplification (systems, selection, fitting, verification, and validation) Implantable hearing devices Calibration and maintenance of instrumentation Auditory and vestibular disorders (peripheral and central) Assessment and management of tinnitus, hyperacusis Pediatric audiology (Re)habilitation procedures applied to children, adults, the elderly, specific populations (developmental delay, occupational hearing loss) Professional practice issues specific to audiology		405 clock hours Typically graduate level coursework*
Minor Professional Area	Speech-Language Pathology Majors Hearing disorders; screening procedures/basic audiometric testing; application of audiometric information to the speech-language assessment; (re)habilitation of speech-language in hearing impaired; use, care and maintenance of hearing aids, assistive listening devices and amplification systems Audiology Majors Speech and language development, delays, and disorders (screening/identification programs for speech, language, and hearing problems throughout the lifespan; potential impact of hearing loss on speech and language acquisition; screening procedures for speech-language delays and disorders)		45 clock hours Typically graduate level coursework*
	TOTAL HOURS IN ALL CATEGORIES		765 CLOCK HOURS
*Only graduate level courses are typically accepted. Undergraduate coursework may be considered if the content is determined, by the designated ACSLPA decision maker, to be “substantially equivalent” to a speech-language pathology or audiology program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Canadian University Programs in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CACUP-ASLP).