Clinical Practicum - Graduate
Continue to main contentAt Southeast Missouri State University, your graduate clinical practicum is where your education comes to life. These experiences give you real-world training working directly with clients under expert supervision, helping you grow the confidence, clinical judgment and communication skills future employers are looking for in speech-language pathologists.
What Is Clinical Practicum?
Clinical practicum is a structured, supervised experience where you provide speech, language and hearing services to real clients. As part of your graduate training, you will apply what you've learned in coursework to meaningful, hands-on work that prepares you for professional practice in schools, clinics, hospitals and more.
During practicum, you will:
- Work with clients of different ages and communication needs
- Plan and implement therapy based on evidence-based practice
- Complete diagnostic evaluations and screenings
- Communicate with clients and caregivers professionally
- Document clinical activities and reflect on your learning
- Follow the ASHA Code of Ethics and scope of practice standards
Requirements
On-Campus Clinical Practicum
You are required to complete three semesters of on-campus clinical practicum before beginning externship placements:
- Enroll in CD603 Advanced Communication Disorders Clinical Practicum each semester of your first year, including summer.
- 1 credit hour: Clinical seminars covering professional and clinical issues
- 2 credits: 2-3 direct client assignments per semester
- Diagnostic/screening activities: Typically 3–4 assignments per semester
Excellence in Clinical Documentation & Conduct
Students must:
- Prepare weekly lesson plans and clinical notes
- Document diagnostic impressions, recommendations, treatment plans
- Communicate professionally with clients, families and supervisors
- Abide by ethical and professional standards throughout practice
Why Practicum Matters
Clinical practicum is more than a graduation requirement—it's career training in action.
Build confidence working with clients. Practicum gives you valuable exposure to diverse communication disorders across the lifespan, so you're ready for real job responsibilities.
Apply classroom learning to clinical problems. You'll analyze assessments, develop treatment plans, and adapt strategies just like practicing clinicians.
Develop professional habits employers expect like clear documentation, ethical practice, effective communication, and teamwork.
Work with expert supervisors. Clinical educators licensed in Missouri and certified by ASHA support you at every step so you grow with confidence.
The Center for Speech and Hearing
Located on the main campus of Southeast Missouri State University, the Center for Speech and Hearing provides comprehensive diagnostic and intervention services for all ages.
The Center for Speech and Hearing is a collaborative and supportive experiential learning environment for students studying speech-language pathology that provides accessible high-quality and evidence-based care to individuals with communication disorders throughout the greater Southeast Missouri region. The Center strives to foster students' ability to integrate evidence-based practice and technological advancements with compassionate, ethical client-driven care, be a leader in clinical education by implementing innovative and dynamic practices, and meet the unique and varied needs of individuals with communication disorders in the greater Southeast Missouri region through the provision of accessible and evidence-based services.
What Happens Next?
Graduate majors in communication disorders are required to complete two off-campus externships during the second year of the graduate program. In order to be eligible for an externship placement, the student must have maintained a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 and must have completed a minimum of 100 clinical clock hours at the graduate level.
Once you've completed your on-campus practicum and met eligibility requirements, including GPA and clinical hours, you’ll move into off-campus externships further broadening your experience in real clinical settings to strengthen your professional readiness.
The department's externship coordinator strives to match externship experiences with the student's interests, experience and professional goals. A meeting regarding initial externship placements as well as an orientation to the externship experience is provided toward the end of the 2nd semester of graduate study. Questions regarding externship may be directed to the Externship Coordinator.
Externship Placement Sites
The Department of Communication Disorders at SEMO offers students access to an exceptional network of externship sites across a large, multi-state service region. Placements include public schools, pediatric and early childhood centers, rehabilitation facilities, outpatient clinics, and major medical centers, allowing students to gain hands-on experience with clients across the lifespan. This wide variety of clinical settings exposes students to a broad range of communication disorders and prepares them for success in diverse professional environments. A current list of available externship sites is provided below.
Public School Sites
Missouri Schools: K-12 available
- Arcadia Valley
- Belleville West Jr. High
- Cape Central Blanchard Elementary
- Cape Central Clippard Elementary
- Cape Central Franklin Elementary
- Cape Central High School
- Cape Central Jr. High
- Cape Public Early Childhood
- Clearwater R-1 School District
- Farmington Childhood Special Education (ECSE)
- Jackson R-2 East Elementary
- Jackson R-2 Middle School
- Kelly Elementary
- Mount Vernon R-V School District
- Perryville School District
- Poplar Bluff School District
- Ste. Genevieve Elementary
- Sikeston R-6 Public Schools
Additional Pediatric Sites
- Cape Girardeau Early Childhood Special Education Center, Cape Girardeau, MO
- Kenny Rogers Children's Center, Sikeston, MO
- Saint Francis Outpatient Rehab., Cape Girardeau, MO
- Southeast Outpatient Rehab., Cape Girardeau, MO
- Therapeutic Playtime, Arnold, MO
Hospitals
- Baptist Health-Fort Smith, Fort Smith, AR
- Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, MO
- Kindred Hospital St. Louis South, St. Louis, MO
- Mercy Health, Paducah, KY
- Mercy Hospital Jefferson, Festus, MO
- Mercy Hospital Southeast, Cape Girardeau, MO
- Missouri Delta Medical Center, Sikeston, MO
- PARC Rehab, Poplar Bluff, MO
- Pike County Memorial Hospital (PCHM), Louisiana, MO
- Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, Poplar Bluff, MO
- Saint Francis Medical Center, Cape Girardeau, MO
- Springfield Memorial Hospital, Springfield, IL
- SSM Health Day Institute, Arnold, MO
- SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital, Mount Vernon, IL
- SSM Health St. Clare Hospital, St. Louis County, MO
- SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital, Lake St. Louis, MO
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
Rehabilitation Facilities
- Chateau Girardeau, Cape Girardeau, MO
- Elite Therapy & Wellness, Cape Girardeau, MO
- EmpowerMe Wellness, Brentwood, MO
- Life Care Center of Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau, MO
- NeuroRestoratve, Paducah, KY
- Saint Francis Medical Center
- Southbrook Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Facilities, Farmington, MO
- Sensory Solutions, Murrary, KY
- The Lutheran Home, Cape Girardeau, MO
- VA Tampa Health Care, Tampa, FL
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