Mount Vernon Nazarene University's Department of Nursing and Health Sciences will offer a Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders beginning this fall. This pre-professional degree will prepare students to pursue a graduate degree in audiology or speech-language pathology. MVNU is currently the only faith-based institution in Ohio with this program.

Speech-language pathology has been identified as one of the Ohio Buckeye Top Fifty high-wage occupations. The U.S. Department of Labor Projections indicated a 23.4 percent employment increase in speech-language pathology by 2020, representing a job change of 28,800. Audiology is also critically needed in the state of Ohio, according to the Northeast AuD Consortium. Projections by the U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics demonstrate an expected increase in need by 37 percent by 2020.

As the only Nazarene school in the U.S. and the only faith-based institution in the state of Ohio to offer a pre-professional degree for speech-language pathology and audiology, MVNU is looking forward to how this new program will benefit the state of Ohio.

"We are excited about offering this new degree to prepare graduates for personal and professional opportunities in the service of others," said Carol Dorough, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. "The breadth of work settings, the variety in the types of care that speech-language pathologists and audiologists provide, and the ability to work with clients of all ages make this an attractive option for individuals seeking a degree in health care."

The program will begin enrollment immediately for the 2015-2016 academic year. More information on the B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders will be released as it becomes available.
--Mount Vernon Nazarene University