School of Communication

Major in Human Communication Sciences

Students who pursue an undergraduate degree in Human Communication Sciences are passionate about working with children and adults to overcome difficulties in hearing, speech, language and learning.

Most students who complete the undergraduate program go on to medical or dental school or to graduate programs in audiology, speech pathology, learning disabilities, biomedical engineering, or neuroscience. Many students begin work immediately in research laboratories or for businesses that produce and market related products and services.

You may choose to concentrate your coursework in an area that matches your career goals:

Human Communication Science. Prepare for your life goal of scientific research or medical school. In addition to meeting the requirements in biology, the physical sciences and mathematics, you’ll study the scientific foundations of standard and impaired hearing, speaking, reading, writing, and learning. This concentration is also an option for students admitted to Northwestern's Honors Program in Medical Education.

Audiology and Hearing Science. Explore standard communication processes, disorders of the auditory system, and the social and emotional impact of hearing loss as you prepare to work with infants, children, adults and the elderly. You may also participate in faculty-supervised introductory courses in clinical practice at the School’s onsite audiology service clinic.

Speech and Language Pathology. A pre-professional program, with an interdisciplinary behavioral-science focus, that prepares you to begin working with individuals who struggle with daily communication. Together with faculty investigators, you’ll research the reasons behind delayed childhood language development and adult speech loss. You may also participate in faculty-supervised introductory courses in clinical practice at the School’s onsite speech and language clinic.

Learning Disabilities. A pre-professional program for students who want to help children or adults experience the joy of reading a book, the satisfaction of solving a math problem, or the assurance of telling the time. The emphasis of this area of specialization is on diagnostic approaches and methods of therapy. You may also engage in a supervised clinical practicum in the Northwestern University Learning Clinic.

The content is repeated below for printing purposes.

Major in Human Communication Sciences

Students who pursue an undergraduate degree in Human Communication Sciences are passionate about working with children and adults to overcome difficulties in hearing, speech, language and learning.

Most students who complete the undergraduate program go on to medical or dental school or to graduate programs in audiology, speech pathology, learning disabilities, biomedical engineering, or neuroscience. Many students begin work immediately in research laboratories or for businesses that produce and market related products and services.

You may choose to concentrate your coursework in an area that matches your career goals:

Human Communication Science. Prepare for your life goal of scientific research or medical school. In addition to meeting the requirements in biology, the physical sciences and mathematics, you’ll study the scientific foundations of standard and impaired hearing, speaking, reading, writing, and learning. This concentration is also an option for students admitted to Northwestern's Honors Program in Medical Education.

Audiology and Hearing Science. Explore standard communication processes, disorders of the auditory system, and the social and emotional impact of hearing loss as you prepare to work with infants, children, adults and the elderly. You may also participate in faculty-supervised introductory courses in clinical practice at the School’s onsite audiology service clinic.

Speech and Language Pathology. A pre-professional program, with an interdisciplinary behavioral-science focus, that prepares you to begin working with individuals who struggle with daily communication. Together with faculty investigators, you’ll research the reasons behind delayed childhood language development and adult speech loss. You may also participate in faculty-supervised introductory courses in clinical practice at the School’s onsite speech and language clinic.

Learning Disabilities. A pre-professional program for students who want to help children or adults experience the joy of reading a book, the satisfaction of solving a math problem, or the assurance of telling the time. The emphasis of this area of specialization is on diagnostic approaches and methods of therapy. You may also engage in a supervised clinical practicum in the Northwestern University Learning Clinic.