Distinctive Features
Program Features
Communication disorders involve a broad and complex range of professional fields, clinical skills, and impacts on daily life. To achieve the department’s educational objectives and core competencies, appropriate curriculum planning must be supported by sufficient foundational resources.
Mackay Memorial Hospital, the university’s affiliated teaching hospital, not only has an outstanding pediatric medical team, but its Department of Otolaryngology is also a pioneer in universal newborn hearing screening in Taiwan. Both the Taipei and Tamsui branches are equipped with well-established clinical audiology centers staffed by qualified audiologists and speech-language pathologists with advanced facilities. Faculty recruitment is also carefully planned according to the needs of different professional domains. As a result, the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology has a strong and comprehensive foundation in faculty expertise, clinical cases, and equipment, enabling high-quality teaching and training from basic knowledge to advanced assessment and intervention.
The features of the Department are summarized as follows:
1. Curriculum Design Based on Clinical Competencies and Continuous Needs Assessment
The curriculum, departmental goals, and core competencies are developed with reference to input from clinical and academic experts. The program is designed according to the competencies required in various clinical settings to ensure students are well-prepared as future audiologists and speech-language pathologists.
In collaboration with the university’s Counseling Center, the Department conducts surveys of practicing clinicians to continuously monitor workplace trends and competency requirements. The results are used to regularly revise educational objectives, core competencies, and curriculum design, ensuring alignment with real-world clinical practice.
2. Early Clinical Exposure and Practicum in Collaboration with Mackay Memorial Hospital
With strong support from Mackay Memorial Hospital, the Department integrates early clinical exposure into its curriculum. Sophomore students are arranged to participate in clinical observations in various units, allowing them to gain a comprehensive understanding of interdisciplinary clinical teams.
During these observations, teaching assistants guide students to connect theoretical knowledge with clinical practice. In their junior year, students undertake short-term practicum experiences either at Mackay Memorial Hospital or the university’s Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Teaching and Training Center, applying their knowledge in practice and preparing for senior-year external internships.
3. Strong Integration of Curriculum with Clinical Practice and Broad Professional Exposure
Students are regularly arranged to visit various professional workplaces, including hearing aid companies, foundations related to communication disorders, early intervention centers, audiology clinics, and speech-language therapy clinics. Professionals from these workplaces are invited to give lectures and share clinical experiences, helping students understand real-world professional demands.
The curriculum also includes participation in academic seminars and conferences in speech-language pathology and audiology, enabling students to broaden their academic horizons and enhance research competencies.
4. Emphasis on Hands-on Training and Clinical Skill Development
In the first-year foundational course in auditory science, students visit rehabilitation centers, assistive device industries, and speech therapy institutions to understand real-world applications of theoretical knowledge.
In the second year, courses such as Clinical Audiology Fundamentals and Articulation and Phonological Disorders include training in pure-tone audiometry and basic voice and speech assessment techniques. Students also participate in university anniversary health screening activities, providing hearing and voice screenings and health education to faculty, staff, and visitors.
In the third year, advanced courses in Clinical Audiology (Audiology Track) and School-Age Language Disorders (Speech-Language Pathology Track) require students to apply their skills in community service settings, such as conducting preschool hearing and language screenings at affiliated kindergartens. These courses integrate lectures with practical training to ensure students can consolidate theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience.
5. Integration of Curriculum with the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Teaching and Training Center
The Department’s teaching and training center is equipped with some of the most advanced instructional facilities and equipment in Taiwan. Students are provided with opportunities for hands-on practice using real instruments during classes, and may also reserve time outside of class to practice independently.
A clinical supervisor is stationed at the center to provide guidance and answer students’ questions regarding clinical procedures and equipment operation.
6. Mentorship and Student Advising Program
To help students plan their academic and career development from the beginning of their studies, faculty advisors are assigned upon enrollment. With an advisor-to-student ratio of approximately 1:10–15, faculty members provide individualized guidance covering academic progress, health, accommodation, social relationships, extracurricular activities, and family-related concerns.
Advising supports students from freshman orientation through career planning in the sophomore year, professional development in the junior year, and employment preparation in the senior year. Faculty advisors also provide counseling and refer students with special needs to the university’s Counseling Center when necessary.
In collaboration with the Counseling Center, the Department develops career aptitude questionnaires to help students understand their strengths and prepare for choosing between the audiology or speech-language pathology track in their junior year. Pre-internship orientation sessions are also conducted to prepare students for their senior-year clinical placements.
7. International Exchange and Academic Collaboration
In addition to hosting and participating in international conferences, the Department regularly invites overseas scholars, professional association members, and experts for academic exchange visits.
The university also offers courses taught by international faculty in medical humanities, such as “British Science, History, and Art in Medicine,” taught by Professor Robert Stephen Phillips, which introduces students to the evolution of British medical science and art.
Another course, “Introduction to Portuguese Culture, Medical Research, and History,” taught by Professor Virgílio Estólio do Rosário, explores Portuguese medicine, culture, and history. These courses not only broaden students’ cultural perspectives but also enhance English communication skills.
