Opportunities

Getting Involved in Undergraduate Research

There are two opportunities for getting involved in undergraduate research: Departmental Honors Program and directed study. Departmental Honors requires a GPA of 3.5 in the major. In addition, Departmental Honors requires 6-8 credits of research enrollment in SPLH 498 or other eligible courses over a period of 2-4 semesters. The directed study has no GPA criteria and research can be conducted in a single semester. View recent undergraduate student research projects.

Directed study can be set up between individual students and faculty, but the Departmental Honors Program uses a centralized matching process. Each semester around enrollment time (e.g., approximately October 1 and March 1), an application is sent to all SPLH majors listing the faculty available to mentor research projects in the upcoming semester. If you are ready to start research in the upcoming semester, simply complete the application and turn it in by the deadline (e.g., approximately November 1 and April 1). Shortly after the deadline, you will be notified whether your application was accepted, and (if accepted) you will receive your mentor match and enrollment instructions. Questions can be directed to your advisor or the SPLH Undergraduate Research Coordinator, Dr. Panying Rong (prong@ku.edu).

KU offers additional opportunities to participate and fund your research through the KU Center for Undergraduate Research. Programs that past SPLH students have participated in include the Undergraduate Research Awards, the Emerging Scholars Program, the Global Scholars Program, and the McNair Scholars Program.

Getting Involved in Study Abroad

Study abroad is a valuable experience for SPLH majors because it helps you develop cultural competence: the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Developing skills in this area can increase competitiveness for graduate school admissions and for job opportunities post-graduation. KU Study Abroad offers short-term faculty-led programs, summer internships, and semester-long programs. There are appropriate options in each of these areas for SPLH majors. The links below will help you begin to explore your options. After you have reviewed these materials, please visit the KU Office of Study Abroad for further assistance in identifying the right program for you. They are located in 105 Lippincott Hall with office hours Monday-Friday 9-5 or you can email studyabroad@ku.edu. 

• Advising Guide for Study Abroad in Speech-Language-Hearing
• General Program Information
• Searchable Study Abroad Database
• Study Abroad Application Information
• Study Abroad Scholarship Information​



 

Getting Involved in Service Activities

Most people are drawn to SPLH because of a desire to work with people. Undergraduates are encouraged to gain experience working with a diverse array of individuals to hone their interpersonal skills and demonstrate their potential for a career in a helping profession. SPLH majors are able to complete an elective clinical practicum in audiology (SPLH 670) or speech-language pathology (SPLH 672) during their senior year, after completing the appropriate pre-practicum coursework (SPLH 568 for audiology and SPLH 571 for speech-language pathology). Practicum takes place in the Schiefelbusch Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic. Note that practicum opportunities also are available on campus in the summer. While many SPLH majors do complete a practicum experience, practicum opportunities are limited each semester to ensure a quality experience for enrolled students. For students who are not able to complete a practicum enrollment during their studies, KU offers many other opportunities to work with people, including those available through the Center for Community Outreach and  KU Alternative Breaks.

Getting Involved in Leadership

SPLH majors are able to develop their leadership skills through involvement in the KU National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (KUNSSLHA)  https://rockchalkcentral.ku.edu/organization/kunsslha , which is a local chapter of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA). A Minority Student Leadership Program (MSLP) also is offered at the national level for seniors. Students need to apply to the MSLP in the spring semester of their junior year. Additional leadership opportunities are available to KU undergraduates through the Institute for Leadership Studies (ILS), including a minor in leadership studies.